EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Amsterdam: experimental and multicultural child care

Amsterdam: experimental and multicultural child care

Introduction

On 15 April 2003 the child services centre Mercator was opened in a special ceremony by European Parliament member Ieke van den Burg and Welfare treasurer for the Baarsjes district, Henk Boes. The child services centre was set up in a short space of time, partly due to the support of URBAN II.

Problem

The aim is to develop experimental, multicultural child care for people 'on their way to a job' in combination with work preparation and training.

Description

Surveys in the Baarsjes district had shown that there was insufficient child care provision geared to the needs of job seekers with young children. As well as a lack of places, the high cost is often also a deterrent. There are also high thresholds for many immigrant parents, preventing them from making use of child day care provision. This prevents such parents from working or participating in work preparation schemes.

Approach

The spearheads within the Amsterdam programme document are:

Improving the physical business environment.
Stimulating entrepreneurship.
Improving the job market.
Socio-economic activation.
Quality of life and social cohesion.

Results

There will be a new level of child care places, with parents participating in work preparation and/or training schemes. The project will furthermore provide an insight into the obstacles for teenage mothers and female immigrants in their use of regular child care provision.

EU involvement

URBAN II is an initiative of the European Commission. The aim is to support innovative projects in the field of urban regeneration in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The URBAN II projects will set an example for national urban policy. In the Netherlands, areas in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Heerlen have been allocated for the period 2000-2006. In Amsterdam the URBAN II programme is being carried out in eight neighbourhoods from four city districts (West binnen de Ring), with a total of 63,000 inhabitants.

Financing

European subsidy: € 106.311
Total cost: € 318.931

Contact info

The local programme management, tel. +31 20 5812860

Project start date

01/02/2001

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Social services