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‘Neighborhood Nannies’ program opens doors for more working mothers in Greece
🇬🇷 Greece /Culture & Society

‘Neighborhood Nannies’ program opens doors for more working mothers in Greece

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Greece has launched the "Neighborhood Nannies" program to support working mothers by providing childcare assistance.
  • The program offers financial aid to mothers and caregivers, aiming to promote gender equality in the workforce.
  • Eligibility criteria include the age of the child (2 months to 2.5 years) and the mother's income, with varying monthly payments for full-time and part-time care.

Greece is rolling out the "Neighborhood Nannies" program, a new initiative designed to empower working mothers by facilitating access to childcare. The program aims to enable mothers to maintain or re-enter the workforce by providing financial support for daily care of their young children.

There is a very big response. Especially from young couples who have a child from 2 months to 2.5 years old and want a caregiver to take care of their daily needs so that the mother can join or return to the labor market.

— Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and FamilyDescribing the program's reception and primary goal.

Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, highlighted the program's dual objective: supporting mothers' careers and creating employment opportunities for caregivers. "This program has a dual role. It not only helps the mother enter the labor market, but it also offers work with income and insurance to someone who wants to work as a caregiver," Rapti explained. The program has seen significant interest from young couples with infants, as well as from grandparents eager to serve as caregivers.

The father does not need to leave his job. At the same time, there is also great interest from grandmothers and grandfathers, because they are the first to rush to declare their intention to become caregivers.

— Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and FamilyHighlighting the program's impact on family dynamics and caregiver options.

Eligibility for the program is structured around the child's age, which must be between 2 months and 2.5 years. For mothers, an annual individual income threshold applies: €24,000 for those with one child and €27,000 for those with two children. Mothers with three or more children are exempt from income criteria. Caregivers can receive €500 per month for full-time care or €300 per month for part-time care. Student mothers can receive €300 per month to complete their studies, and unemployed mothers receive €300 for three months to aid their job search.

This program has a dual role. It not only helps the mother enter the labor market, but it also offers work with income and insurance to someone who wants to work as a caregiver.

— Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and FamilyExplaining the program's benefits for both mothers and caregivers.

Caregivers must possess a mandatory education certificate (junior high school, or elementary school for those who completed education before 1980) and complete an online seminar on childcare and a first-aid course. Medical and psychological certificates confirming fitness for caregiving are also required, along with a criminal record check. The program is set to run for at least another 2.5 years, aligning with the age eligibility of the children involved.

First, the prerequisite is that the infant is between 2 months and 2.5 years old. The beneficiary is the mother.

— Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and FamilyDetailing the initial eligibility criteria for mothers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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