Policies to support OSC provision

• Author: Ludwinek, Anna; Clevers, Franziska
• Pages: 25-30

25

As outlined earlier, several drivers have contributed to

the development of the debate around the provision of

OSC and, in some countries, a framework for the

implementation of OSC. These drivers are linked

primarily to educational factors (including the

well-being of children), broader labour market factors

(including the participation of women and work–life

balance) and policies in the broad area of social

inclusion. To a lesser extent, there has been some

emphasis on improving the quality of OSC.

This chapter begins with an overview of the all-day

schools policies that have been implemented in several

countries and which, to certain degree, aim to meet

some of the goals of OSC. The chapter also includes an

overview of policies organised around the themes

outlined above.

The chapter continues with a review of the latest

proactive approaches of social partners before

concluding with an overview of guidelines and

regulations focusing on the quality of OSC.

In terms of broader policy actions to introduce or

extend OSC, countries have, for example, opted to

comprehensively overhaul their systems or implement

initiatives that aim to either tackle specific challenges

(long summer holidays) or address particular groups in

society (lower-income families or other disadvantaged

groups, such as Roma). Moreover, decentralisation of

OSC provision in many countries means that both

broader and specific initiatives are regionally defined.

All-day schools

The debate about the merits (or otherwise) of linking

OSC more closely with regular school schedules is

ongoing. For many reasons, closer links would make it

easier to organise care. The reasons include logistics,

availability of teaching staff, etc. However, a certain

distance between OSC and school gives children more

breathing space and creates a separate identity for OSC.

Portugal has adopted one of the most comprehensive

approaches to this issue by introducing in the

2005–2006 school year an ambitious set of measures to

improve teaching and learning conditions in the first

four years of compulsory education. The Full-Time

School (AEC) programme was a major development and

made provision of OSC services compulsory in all state

primary schools. The AEC programme was established

at the same time, with two main objectives:

£give new learning opportunities to students

£adapt school timetables to the needs of families

While all schools have an obligation to provide AEC

activities, at the time of writing, attendance is optional

and free of charge for students. For the first and second

grades, the duration of AEC activities ranges from 5–7.5

hours of basic education per week, and for the third and

fourth grades from 3–5.5 hours of basic education per

week.

As of December 2019, a similar approach is being rolled

out in Austria, where the parliament has endorsed

changes to the Education Investment Act (Bildungs-

investitionsgesetz) under which existing primary and

lower secondary schools will become all-day schools.

The act provides for investment of €750 million (for both

infrastructure and personnel) for the period 2017–2025.

The overall goal is to establish an additional 5,500

afternoon childcare groups in primary, new secondary

and polytechnic secondary schools and an additional

330 groups in grammar and vocational schools

nationwide by 2025. According to the law, each child

shall be entitled to afternoon care in a school within

20 kilometres of home. The aim is to increase the

coverage rate from about 20% in 2016 to 40% by 2025.

Some priority will be given to pupils aged up to 14 with

parents seeking to start a job or who are willing to

extend working hours, and economically disadvantaged

parents who cannot afford private lessons for their

children (in which case, teaching aid is provided during

the afternoon care).

The all-day school concept was also introduced (in

1997) in Greece, where it has had both an educational

and a social focus. It was primarily designed with

educational benefits in mind, using children’s

afternoons at school for further learning under the full

responsibility and supervision of teachers. The

programme includes support in Greek language,

mathematics, homework and preparing students for the

next day’s lessons. The following children are eligible:

£pupils with two working parents or with one

working parent and another who holds an

unemployment card

£pupils with parents in vulnerable social groups,

defined as:

£parents with three or more children

£single parents

£parents with chronic illnesses or who are

receiving treatment for addiction

£prisoners

£third-country nationals residing in

accommodation centres or structures of the

Greek state or UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency)

6Policies to support OSC provision