„We try to negotiate higher amounts for all services as much as possible. And children’s day centers are certainly justifiably worth more funding, but year after year, budget negotiations are particularly difficult,“ I. Ruginienė told BNS.
„There is a critical lack of funds everywhere, terribly so. The demand for services is growing rapidly, and because of that, we throw all savings into various areas,“ the minister said.
As BNS wrote, due to rising labor costs and increasing demand for services, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are asking to increase funding for children’s day centers next year from this year’s 9.5 million to 16.3 million euros.
According to NGOs, the funding would be allocated to more than 510 children’s day centers in 58 municipalities, where more than 14 thousand children receive services.
In turn, the Ministry of Social Security and Labor indicated that this year up to 800 thousand euros are additionally planned for children’s day social care, but the decision on higher funding next year is not yet clear.
„I think that would be a very strong increase. I understand that they really need that money, but this is such a curious thing,“ the minister said.
„This year, the Ministry of Social Security and Labor has a budget of 7.4 billion euros, it seems like such large numbers, and those seven or six million would be a drop in the ocean, but we have many lines, many important services where these funds are still allocated,“ I. Ruginienė explained.
Meanwhile, NGOs also drew attention to the growing need for specialized services. The majority of centers work with children with special needs, but 75 percent of them do not have a psychologist, physiotherapist, speech therapist, or other specialist.
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However, the minister said that the problem of specialist shortages should be addressed based on the individual needs of children, rather than ensuring the constant presence of specific specialists in every center.
„Not all children in day centers necessarily need all services, nor must there be one or another specialist constantly. We are trying to improve the system so that each person has an individual package and, because of that, we concentrate help from various services on the one person they need most,“ the minister said.
„As for reducing these centers, there really are no such discussions yet; we are making every effort to grasp and save those funds as much as possible and to be able to better finance this measure,“ she added.
The ministry also indicated that children’s day social care is funded not only by the state but also by municipal budgets.
According to it, the funding for this service increases every year not only due to the linking of amounts allocated per child to the basic social benefit amount and its differentiation but also because many municipalities take into account existing needs and allocate more for children’s day social care than the minimum amounts set.
However, according to NGOs, although some municipalities allocate more funds, many limit themselves to the minimum state-determined funding amount.
According to them, centers are also not always reimbursed for non-contact working hours of employees, and some municipalities reduce payments if a child does not attend the center due to illness.
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