Investing in Children: Independent Experts Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage on Social Inclusion a Study of National Policies

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Investing in Children: Independent Experts Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage on Social Inclusion a Study of National Policies EU Network of Investing in children: Independent Experts Breaking the cycle of disadvantage on Social Inclusion A Study of National Policies Slovenia This publication has been prepared for the European Commission by © Cover illustration: European Union Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for use of any information contained in this publication. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of the European Commission’s or Member States’ official position. Further information on the Network of independent experts is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1025&langId=en © European Union, 2014 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Investing in children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage A Study of National Policies NADA STROPNIK INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH, LJUBLJANA COUNTRY REPORT - SLOVENIA Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion Country Report - Slovenia Table of Contents Add title 2 Summary ......................................................................................................... 7 1. Overall approach and governance .................................................................. 9 1.1. Policy framework, governance and monitoring ......................................... 9 1.2. Children's rights and involvement ......................................................... 10 1.3. Policies for children and families ........................................................... 10 1.4. Impact of policies introduced in response to the crisis on children ............. 11 2. Access to adequate resources ...................................................................... 12 2.1. Policies to support parents’ participation in the labour market .................. 12 2.1.1. The mothers' labour market participation ..................................... 12 2.1.2. Leave provisions ....................................................................... 13 2.1.3. Other labour market related provisions aimed at balancing work and parenting roles ................................................................... 14 2.1.4. Early childhood education and care ............................................. 16 2.2. Policies to provide adequate living standards .......................................... 17 2.2.1. Child poverty risk and material deprivation .................................. 17 2.2.2. Policies .................................................................................... 18 3. Access to affordable quality services ............................................................. 20 3.1. Early childhood education and care and further education ........................ 20 3.2. Health care ........................................................................................ 23 3.3. Housing ............................................................................................. 24 3.4. Alternative care .................................................................................. 25 4. Addressing child poverty and social exclusion in the European Semester ........... 26 5. Mobilising relevant EU financial instruments ................................................... 26 References....................................................................................................... 30 2013 5 Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion Country Report - Slovenia 2013 6 Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion Country Report - Slovenia Summary1 The overall approach to the social inclusion of children in Slovenia and governance are satisfactory. For decades, Slovenia has had a well-developed family policy, aimed at a horizontal redistribution of income in favour of families with children, enabling the reconciliation of professional and family obligations, and providing equal opportunities to both sexes. The regulation of the parental leave and the early childhood education and care (ECEC) enables parents to balance their work and parenting roles on an equal footing. Policies supporting parents’ participation in the labour market ensure that work 'pays' for parents. They also support the employability and participation of single parents and second earners in paid work, supporting their reintegration after parental leave. A working environment is generally supportive as well. The female employment rate is high in Slovenia, so there are usually two incomes per family. Women remain attached to the labour market also when there are small children in the family. They usually work full-time, which is enabled by various family policy- and labour market policy measures. During more than one year of parental leave the earnings are fully compensated. Consequently, families do not suffer a decrease in income after the birth of a child. In addition to that, direct and indirect public transfers compensate for a considerable part of child costs. Cash benefits for families with children range from cash social assistance to birth grant, parental allowance (for parents not entitled to the parental leave and benefit), child allowance, and a large family allowance. A number of benefits are related to education (free textbooks, subsidised transport to school, subsidised school meals, scholarships, etc.). There are elements of family policy in the tax policy and the housing policy, too. Some family policy measures are designed or adapted for families with disabled children (the allowance for nursing a child, partial payment for lost income, etc.). There are also policies focused on children at increased risk because of multiple disadvantages (like the Roma children). The austerity measures, implemented since June 2012, have not affected families already experiencing poverty and social exclusion or at a high risk of becoming poor or excluded. The most vulnerable children (families with children) have been exempt from cuts in entitlements (family benefits, ECEC subsidies and state educational grants). The bulk of negative impact has been born by individuals and families with a medium (but in absolute terms hardly sufficient) income. The austerity measures will be in force until the year that will follow the year in which the economic growth will exceed 2.5% of the GDP, which may be a decade-or-so. Consequently, this may have a long-term impact on families’ budgets and their material deprivation in particular. Family policy provisions have kept the risk of child poverty in Slovenia at one of the lowest levels in the European Union. The impact of the household work intensity on the risk of poverty is considerable. Child poverty was not an issue in Slovenia because, until 2011, the risk of poverty was lower for children than for the total population. Consequently, there is no mentioning of child poverty in the National Reform Programmes (NRP) 2012-2013 (GRS 2012) and 2013-2014 (GRS 2013). These documents include austerity measures that are not aimed at achieving the national 2020 poverty and social inclusion target but will rather have an opposite/unfavourable impact on social inclusion. 1 Readers should note that the drafting of this report was completed in September 2013 thus it does not include an analysis of data or policy developments that became available after this date. 2013 7 Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion Country Report - Slovenia The most recent data have shown that in 2011, for the first time, the at-risk-of- poverty rate for children in Slovenia (14.7%) (Eurostat) exceeded the one for the total population (13.6%) (Intihar 2012). An increase in the risk of poverty for children in 2010 and 2011 is indicating that the regulation of social benefits should be revised. In fact, two acts regulating social benefits were implemented in January 2012. The Social Assistance Benefits Act (2010) increased the minimum income, while the Exercise of Rights to Public Funds Act (2010), regulating the non-contributory social benefits, had made social benefits and subsidies more targeted and has resulted in a smaller number of family benefits recipients. The draft revisions of these two acts (Draft Act Amending the Exercise… 2013; Draft Act Amending the Social Assistance Benefits Act 2013) were under public debate until 19 August 2013, but will only have a limited positive impact. The ECEC is well regulated and organised in Slovenia. It is also widely available and affordable due to very high public subsidies. On the one hand, this enables the employment of mothers while, on the other hand, parent fees are not a heavy burden for family budgets. All children in Slovenia up to age 18, and up to age 26 if in regular schooling, are covered by compulsory (basic) and complementary health insurance. Basic and hospital-level health care capacities are geographically evenly distributed and accessible to everybody in Slovenia (MoLFSA, 2008: 74). Still, there are a small number of children who are not covered by health insurance. According to the 2011 Population Census, 81% of the Slovenian population was living in the housing owned by themselves or their household members (Dolenc et al. 2013: 44). This significantly alleviates the housing problem in Slovenia. Families with children have to wait for insufficient social housing and favourable housing loans are scarce. Due to a shortage of non-profit housing, means-tested rent subsidies are available also to those renting at market prices. Foster care has a long tradition in Slovenia. However, the number of foster families does not
Recommended publications
  • Annual Report 2011 of the Secretary General
    index 1. Foreword .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 3. CEI Secretariat ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 4. Institutional Activities ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 Activities of the Serbian Presidency ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Activities of the CEI Secretariat .............................................................................................................................................................. 15 5. Project Activities ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 5.1 Technical Cooperation Programme .........................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Investing in Children: Independent Experts Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage on Social Inclusion a Study of National Policies
    EU Network of Investing in children: Independent Experts Breaking the cycle of disadvantage on Social Inclusion A Study of National Policies Slovenia This publication has been prepared for the European Commission by © Cover illustration: European Union Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for use of any information contained in this publication. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of the European Commission’s or Member States’ official position. Further information on the Network of independent experts is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1025&langId=en © European Union, 2014 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Investing in children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage A Study of National Policies NADA STROPNIK INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH, LJUBLJANA COUNTRY REPORT - SLOVENIA Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion Country Report - Slovenia Table of Contents Add title 2 Summary ......................................................................................................... 7 1. Overall approach and governance .................................................................. 9 1.1. Policy framework, governance and monitoring ......................................... 9 1.2. Children's rights and involvement ......................................................... 10 1.3. Policies for children and families ..........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • MOBILISING the POTENTIAL of ACTIVE AGEING in EUROPE Trends in Healthy Life Expectancy and Health Indicators Among Older People in 27 EU Countries
    Funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7-SSH-2012-1/No 320333 The MOPACT Coordination Team The University of Sheffield Department of Sociological Studies Northumberland Road Sheffield, S10 2TU, UK T: +44 (0)114 222 6458 F: +44 (0)114 276 8125 E: [email protected] www.mopact.group.shef.ac.uk MOBILISING THE POTENTIAL OF ACTIVE AGEING IN EUROPE Trends in Healthy Life Expectancy and Health Indicators Among Older People in 27 EU Countries AHP Luijben1, H Galenkamp2 & DJH Deeg2,3 1Department of Public Health Forecasting, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands 2Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 3Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 1 ABSTRACT This report presents a review of the variety in levels of, and trends in, healthy life expectancy and important health indicators for older people in 27 EU countries. Trends were presented for three ages (50, 65 and 85 years) and for men and women separately. It reports the first task of Work Package 5 of the MOPACT project (Mobilising the Potential of Active Ageing in Europe). Healthy life expectancy was expressed in healthy life years, which was defined in this study as the number of years that a person is expected to continue to live without activity limitations. Overall, life expectancy at age 65 in the 27 countries increased between 2007 and 2010 by 0.6 years for men and 0.5 years for women. At the same time, LE without activity limitation (HLY) decreased by 0.2 years for men and women.
    [Show full text]
  • Final Report
    INDIREG FINAL REPORT Indicators for independence and efficient functioning of audiovisual media services regulatory bodies for the purpose of enforcing the rules in the AVMS Directive” (SMART 2009/0001) by Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research – lead partner Interdisciplinary Centre for Law & ICT (ICRI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS), Central European University Cullen International Perspective Associates – sub-contractor February 2011 Institutions & Researchers Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research Researchers: Dr. Wolfgang Schulz (Project Leader), Jannes Beeskow, Stephan Dreyer; Regine Sprenger Interdisciplinary Centre for Law & ICT (ICRI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Researchers: Prof. Dr. Peggy Valcke, Dr. David Stevens, Dr. Eva Lievens (researcher at ICRI) Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS), Central European Uni- versity Researchers: Prof. Dr. Kristina Irion, Dr. Szabolcs Koppanyi, Sara Svensson Cullen International Researchers: Philippe Defraigne, Michèle Ledger, Valerie Willems, Nathalie Ve- reecke Perspective Associates Researcher: Tim Suter Homepage: http://www.indireg.eu Citation Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research/Interdisciplinary Centre for Law & ICT (ICRI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven/Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS), Central European University/Cullen Internation- al/Perspective Associates (eds., 2011): INDIREG. Indicators for independence and efficient functioning of audio- visual media services regulatory bodies for the purpose of enforcing the rules in the AVMS Directive. Study con- ducted on behalf of the European Commission. Final Report. February 2011. Disclaimer Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the European Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the information contained in the following report. The views expressed are those of the authors.
    [Show full text]
  • P Publis Shed B by ET TBF in N 201 10
    Stories Published by ETBF Stories from 2010 / Page 1 SSTTOOORRIIEESS Published by ETBF in 20110 Stories Published by ETBF Stories from 2010 / Page 2 No Published on Published by Story 1 03.01.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 on the road 2 04.01.2010 Onder Gurkan ETBF Educational Programs 3 10.01.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 01 4 13.01.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen Changes in Lahti 5 25.01.2010 Addie Ophelders Lane Mappers for ETBF 6 28.01.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT Masters 2010 Confirmations 7 31.01.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2011 Invitation Released 8 10.02.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT Masters 2011 Host 9 11.02.2010 Onder Gurkan First level one clinic from ETBF 10 15.02.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 02 11 25.02.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 03 12 27.02.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen Changes in the tour 13 02.03.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 04 14 02.03.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen Austria Challenge cancelled 15 03.03.2010 Addie Ophelders Rune Widell retires from bowling 16 15.03.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 05 17 16.03.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT Masters 2010 Confirmations 18 21.03.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 06 19 26.03.2010 Addie Ophelders Agreement ETBF - SO EE 20 04.04.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EYC 2010 in France 21 21.04.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 07 22 26.04.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EWC 2012 in Tilburg 23 17.05.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EBT 2010 / 08 24 17.05.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen European teams for Barcelona 25 19.05.2010 Kim Thorsgaard Jensen EMC 2012
    [Show full text]
  • The Emerging and Reemerging Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemics
    REVIEW 10.1111/1469-0691.12313 The emerging and re-emerging human immunodeficiency virus epidemics in Europe I. Bozicevic1, S. Handanagic1, S. Z. Lepej2 and J. Begovac2,3 1) WHO Collaborating Centre for HIV Surveillance, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 2) University Hospital for Infectious Diseases ‘Dr Fran Mihaljevic’ and 3) University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia Abstract We provide a summary of the current status of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, including data on the transmission of drug-resistant virus in the European Region of the WHO. The review was conducted by searching the reports of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the United Nations General Assembly Special Session country reports to identify the number of HIV cases reported in 2002–2011, the number of HIV tests performed, and the results of the most recent HIV surveys in at-risk groups. In the West, a 5-year linear trend analysis suggests an increase in the number of reported HIV cases in Belgium, Greece, and Iceland, and a decline in The Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, and the UK. In the Centre, the number of reported cases increased in Bulgaria and Turkey, and in the East, the number of reported cases increased in Armenia, Georgia, and Ukraine. Estonia and Latvia reported a significant downward trend. HIV transmission in men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual transmission accounted for, respectively, 40% and 38% of newly reported HIV cases in the West in 2011, whereas the epidemic in the Centre is predominantly concentrated in MSM.
    [Show full text]
  • INDIREG Final Report
    UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) INDIREG: Indicators for independence and efficient functioning of audiovisual media services regulatory bodies for the purpose of enforcing the rules in the AVMS Directive (SMART 2009/0001): final report Schulz, W.; Beeskow, J.; Dreyer, S.; Sprenger, R.; Valcke, P.; Stevens, D.; Lievens, E.; Irion, K.; Koppanyi, S.; Svensson, S.; Defraigne, P.; Ledger, M.; Willems, V.; Vereecke, N.; Suter, T. Publication date 2011 Document Version Final published version Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Schulz, W., Beeskow, J., Dreyer, S., Sprenger, R., Valcke, P., Stevens, D., Lievens, E., Irion, K., Koppanyi, S., Svensson, S., Defraigne, P., Ledger, M., Willems, V., Vereecke, N., & Suter, T. (2011). INDIREG: Indicators for independence and efficient functioning of audiovisual media services regulatory bodies for the purpose of enforcing the rules in the AVMS Directive (SMART 2009/0001): final report. Hans-Bredow-Institut for Media Research at the University of Hamburg. General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
    [Show full text]
  • GENERAL ELECTIONS in SLOVENIA 13Th July 2014
    GENERAL ELECTIONS IN SLOVENIA 13th July 2014 European Elections monitor The right-wing running favourite just one month before the general elections in Slovenia Corinne Deloy Translated by Helen Levy On 13th July next 1.7 million Slovenians are being called to ballot for early general elections – the second in three years. Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek resigned from her post on 5th May last after having been beaten in the election for the leadership of her party, Positive Slovenia (PS) on 26th April. Analysis According to Slovenian electoral law, the President of the Republic has thirty days to suggest a replacement for the resigning Prime Minister. The parties represented in parliament and even a group of at least ten MPs can also put a candidate forward. Head of State Borut Pahor, who supports early general elections, chose not to put forward a new candidate. “It makes no sense to form a government that cannot act,” he declared highlighting the fact that the country needed reform. The political parties and MPs followed suite. On 1st June Borut Pahor announced the organisation of early elections on 13th July. The election has to be organised within two months following the dissolution of parliament and no less than 40 days after the announcement of their date. A never-ending political crisis Prime Minister of Slovenia. In addition to her party the In 2011, the government led by Borut Pahor (Social government comprised the Social Democrats (SD), led Democrats, SD) was forced to resign which took at the time by Igor Luksic; the Civic List Gregor Virant Slovenia towards early elections.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2011 Key Financial Data
    Annual Report 2011 Key financial data 2011 2010 2009 NLB NLB Group NLB NLB Group NLB NLB Group Income statement indicators (in million EUR) Net interest income 269 417 267 436 249 423 Net non-interest income 159 219 152 203 177 218 Total costs 239 380 248 393 253 418 Provisions and impairments 467 520 377 477 196 315 Result before tax -278 -267 -206 -227 -23 -86 Minority interest - -1 - -4 -1 Result after tax -233 -239 -183 -202 -24 -87 Financial position statement indicators (in million EUR) Total assets 12,980 16,445 13,830 17,888 15,509 19,606 Loans to non-banking sector (net) 8,462 10,749 9,200 11,880 9,457 12,333 Deposits from non-banking sector 7,562 10,196 7,664 10,387 8,191 10,741 Equity 957 976 986 1,011 1,178 1,218 Impairments of financial assets and provisions -1,053 -1,565 -745 -1,175 -495 -879 Minority interest - 22 - 21 - 26 Total off-balance sheet items 7,296 7,373 9,191 9,009 9,411 9,209 Key financial indicators a) Capital - capital adequacy 10.1 % 11.1 % 10.0 % 10.2 % 10.4% 10.7% - Tier 1 7.6 % 7.2 % 6.5 % 6.0 % 7.5% 6.9% - core Tier 1 6.3 % 6.3 % 5.4 % 5.2 % 6.5% 6.1% b) Asset quality - coverage ratio of loans (impairments for loans / total loans) 10.6% 12.3% 7.2% 8.8% 4.5% 6.2% - non-performing loans (NPL) / total loans 17.9% 21.3% 10.1% 14.5% 4.5% 9.0% c) Profitability - interest margin* 2.0 % 2.4 % 1.8 % 2.3 % 1.7% 2.4% - financial intermediation margin 3.2 % 3.7 % 2.9 % 3.4 % 3.1% 3.3% - return on equity before tax (ROE b.t.) -26.4 % -24.2 % -18.4 % -19.3 % -1.9% -6.6% - return on assets before tax (ROA b.t.) -2.0
    [Show full text]
  • Enumeration of Homeless People
    UNITED NATIONS E Economic and Social Distr. Council GENERAL ECE/CES/GE.41/2009/7 18 August 2009 Original: ENGLISH ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN STATISTICIANS Group of Experts on Population and Housing Censuses Twelfth Meeting Geneva, 28-30 October 2009 Item 3 of the provisional agenda ENUMERATION OF HOMELESS PEOPLE Counting homeless people in the 2010 census round: use of enumeration and register-based methods Note by the Mutual Progress on Homelessness through Advancing and Strengthening Information Systems Project 1 I. INTRODUCTION 1. This paper focuses on two main issues. First, the paper reviews the plans being made by Offices of National Statistics (ONS) to count homeless people in 2011. Second, the paper considers the issues involved in using population registers to enumerate homeless people for those countries which have employed register based methods. 1 Mutual Progress on Homelessness through Advancing and Strengthening Information Systems (MPHASIS) aims to improve capacity of member states in data collection on homelessness. This paper is based on research conducted in the framework of the MPHASIS project and on research conducted by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA). Both are supported financially by the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity. The contents of the paper do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of the European Commission. GE.09- ECE/CES/GE.41/2009/7 Page 2 2. The European Union (EU) regulation on population and housing censuses states that all countries are to collect data on “housing arrangements”, which according to the Conference of European Statisticians (CES) Recommendations include people who have no usual place of residence (thereby explicitly including homeless people.
    [Show full text]