An early Sunday protest in Brussels called for urgent child care sector reforms.
The protest, which took place at Place de Martyrs, where the Flemish government is headquartered, involved union members, action groups, parents, employees, organisers, and female emporement organisations.
A police estimate put the crowd at 150.
Their collective demand was for the Flemish Minister of Welfare, Hilde Crevits (CD&V), to immediately allocate additional resources to the child sector.
Among the protesters was De Eerste 1000 Dagen (The first 1000 days), an action group asserting that the government’s current child care sector plans are not being implemented rapidly enough.
Minister Crevits has previously set out a trajectory for future policy creation, with concrete objectives expected by Spring 2024.
Action group urges immediate investment
The protesting groups are insisting on a fresh investment from the Flemish authority. Anne Lambrechts, from ‘The First 1000 Days’, highlighted the dire need for structural resources to enact proposed policies. She called for increased staffing levels, enhanced training, and additional support.
Lambrechts also proposed a decrease in the “child-to-carer ratio” as an immediate priority. She urged for a ratio of one carer for every seven children initially, and eventually, a 1:5 ratio. This, she stressed, requires new funds allocation within the year.
She argued that over 200 million euros is needed to bring about substantial changes in the sector.
Lambrechts expressed hope that the funds would be released by the Flemish government after the summer.
