Developing ECEC in Romania: between Perceptions and Social Realities

Abstract

One of the key policies that aims to enable parents to achieve a better worklife balance is to increase childcare support. But for many families childcare is no longer a simplistic choice between care provided by a family member (usually the mother) and non-family care (Janta, 2014). There are research studies showing that the majority of mothers prefer to care for their young children themselves-almost invariably up to the age of three, very often up to school age, and in some cases all the way up to school-leaving age (Hakim, 2009). In line with the EU strategies for 2020 and the need for an integrated approach to Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) the article provides a diagnosis of the situation in Romania on the development of ECEC. In addition to a literature review of the Romanian situation in the EU context, the first part of the article analysed the main drivers for ECEC development in Romania. The second part of the article shows the results of quantitative and qualitative research studies developed by the author on the topic of the article as a researcher at the INCSMPS (National Scientific Research Institute for Labour and Social Protection). Results show that ECEC arrangements are related to age of the child, parents' preferences, and labour market opportunities. Childcare provision cannot be developed in isolation and should be explored in the context of other systems that interact with the care of children and the family unit.

Quality of the ECEC Workforce in Romania: Empirical Evidence from Parents’ Experiences

“…Despite the fall in population in 2017, a shortage of ECEC places for children under three years old is likely to persist in Romania, but many European countries are experiencing this problem. Even if for the age group zero to three years, Romania is still in a long process of reconstruction of policies (although there is a growing demand for these types of services), this situation being reflected in the evolution of specific rates of enrolment of children in nurseries that record percentage increases from one year to the next [35]. An insufficient number of nurseries is slowing down the process of many parents returning to the labour market.…”

Transition from Education to Labour: Parental Cultural Transmission and Children’s Reproduction of Gender Inequalities

“…The concept of flexible working arrangements is still underdeveloped in Romania and women still face grater difficulties in negotiating their working contracts when dealing with private employers highly centred on short term profit maximization (which involves, among others, longer working time and higher professional specialisation). Employers' reticence in hiring women is also powered by the still insufficient access to childcare and education services as the cost of childcare, the quality, accessibility and availability of childcare, and the tax-benefit system (Matei, 2014). By comparison with the communist period, the social support enabling women to balance work and family life was drastically reduced.…”