Grandparents earn income by caring for their grandchildren
Tackling a Demographic Crisis: Paying Grandparents to Care for Grandkids
Small towns across Europe, including Samobor, are grappling with a severe demographic crisis and some of the highest elderly poverty rates in the continent. To address this, Samobor turned to an unconventional yet effective solution: offering a salary to grandparents who care for their grandkids. In a nation of 3.8 million people, schools start at six years old, resulting in a limited number of childcare spots, causing thousands of children to go without proper care annually. By 2024, over 37% of those aged 65 and above were at risk of poverty, more than double the European average.
Petra Skrobot, the Mayor of Samobor, took inspiration from a Swedish experiment and introduced this program. Recognizing that retirement incomes in Croatia are meager, and parents often struggle to find childcare, the Mayor's decision was a lifeline for many overwhelmed parents. Samobor now subsidizes up to 360 euros (approximately 560 Canadian dollars) per child per month for all types of childcare, including private daycare centers and nannies. This program also provides financial support for grandparents who step in to care for their grandchildren.
The Mayor emphasizes that the program not only boosts grandparents' income but also keeps them active in an age of increasing isolation. It positively impacts families by ensuring continued familial bonds. Roughly 30 grandparents have so far signed up for the program, which was introduced in March. One such participant, Dubravka Koletic, appreciates the program as it benefits both the grandchildren and the grandparents financially and emotionally.
Other towns may soon follow Samobor's lead. In a bid to address childcare shortages and support elderly populations, various cities are exploring creative solutions like the one pioneered by Samobor. Some cities, like Greensburg, Indiana, offer relocation incentives including childcare benefits but don't directly pay grandparents for care. The need for innovative solutions that strike a balance between addressing childcare shortages and alleviating elderly poverty continues to grow, pointing toward potential for more cities to implement similar programs.
Samobor's demographic challenge is immense. With an average of 1.5 children per woman and significant emigration, the population threatens to collapse by the end of the century, shrinking from 3.8 million today to 2.5 million in 2100, according to UN projections. Addressing this issue requires bold, unconventional solutions such as the Grandmother-Grandfather Service.
- This program, inspired by a Swedish experiment, addresses both the childcare shortage and the elderly poverty in Samobor by providing financial support for grandparents who care for their grandchildren, contributing to their personal growth and encouraging family-dynamics.
- The implementation of this program not only boosts grandparents' income but also keeps them active, reducing isolation, and reinforcing relationships within families, promoting a healthy home-and-garden environment.
- As more cities face similar demographic crises, they are exploring innovative solutions like the one implemented in Samobor, such as relocation incentives or direct payments to grandparents for care, aimed at education-and-self-development and addressing the needs of both children and the elderly.
- The need for creative and effective solutions to balance childcare shortages and elderly poverty is increasingly apparent, as demonstrated by Samobor's Grandmother-Grandfather Service, which fosters personal-growth and maintains familial bonds, proving a viable approach for addressing long-term demographic challenges.
