2023-06-15 18:38:00
The government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation approved on Thursday at first reading a draft new fee schedule for childcare centers which should lower childcare costs for families with medium and low incomes.
This new fee schedule, which must still be the subject of consultations with the sector, will be effective for new registrations from January 2025. It will not lead to a reduction in resources for the reception centers themselves thanks to differential compensation paid for by ONE, assures the government.
“My goal is to ensure that more children can have access to quality childcare. However, finding a place in a crèche or with a carer remains difficult in certain municipalities and for certain families, whether because of the lack of available places or the price.“, underlines the Minister in charge of Children, Bénédicte Linard (Ecolo).
4 tranches at progressive rates
The future fee schedule will only include four brackets at progressive rates, compared to 139 brackets today, which will also simplify the administrative burden for reception structures.
The new system should make it possible to avoid the effects of thresholds which might create inequalities or job traps when a person saw his income increase, causing him to suddenly change category.
The bills of the parents concerned should decrease or remain stable for 93% of them. The price of the crèche will drop to the benefit of medium and low incomes, which include the majority of young parents, often at the start of their career, underlines Ms. Linard.
This future fee schedule is in addition to a first step taken last January when the government decided to reduce the cost of crèches for single-parent families and free admission for people benefiting from the increased intervention (BIM).
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