Out of school care. Provision and public policy

This report summarises out-of-school care (OSC) in the EU and examines related issues, including take-up of OSC, barriers and policy solutions. The report uses information gathered by the Network of Eurofound Correspondents, data from the European Working Conditions Survey 2015 (EWCS 2015), the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) and the European Quality of Life Survey 2016. Because there is no single definition of OSC, statistical comparison is challenging and it is difficult to evaluate the quality of OSC. The report recommends: agreeing on a definition of OSC; addressing the gap between standard working hours and compulsory schooling hours; supporting further research into the links between OSC and parental work–life balance; increasing take-up of existing services; establishing quality conventions; and reviewing the working conditions of OSC staff.