10,000 drop-in centre places to be added over the coming years

On Saturday, our colleagues from RTL Radio hosted a roundtable discussion on the state of drop-in centres ("Maisons Relais") in Luxembourg. The panel featured Gilles Dhamen from the Ministry of Education, Carla Carvalho from the National Parents' Association, and Emile Eicher from the Association of Luxembourg Towns and Municipalities (SYVICOL).

The discussion centred on a pressing issue: despite a significant expansion in recent years, the number of available childcare places remains insufficient for the current school year. All three panellists agreed that capacity must be increased urgently, but that this effort must be coupled with the recruitment and training of qualified staff to meet the demand.

Not enough places for all school children

Gilles Dhamen from the Ministry of Education confirmed that investments in both infrastructure and educator training are being scaled up to create more places, all while maintaining established quality standards. He emphasised that the role of drop-in centres has evolved: they are now considered an integral part of the school day, providing children with opportunities for "meaningful" activities.

Dhamen noted that the ministry has approved 41 projects expected to add approximately 10,000 new places. However, he did not provide a specific timeline for when these projects would be completed.

Emile Eicher of SYVICOL highlighted the significant infrastructural challenges facing municipalities. With a growing population, the pressure to adapt and expand facilities is immense. Eicher welcomed the ministry's increased financial support, which now provides municipalities with a subsidy of €15,000 per place for construction.

Using empty spaces more efficiently

Carla Carvalho, who also manages a drop-in centre in Mondercange, advocated for more creative solutions to maximise capacity, particularly during the high-demand lunch period. She suggested repurposing empty classrooms within school buildings for use by the drop-in centres during these hours.

This proposal, however, met with reservations from the other panellists. Eicher pointed to the frequent administrative difficulties in obtaining the necessary permissions for such shared use. Dhamen added that not every empty room is suitable, arguing that a classroom has a pedagogical and didactic value and should not be used as a place to serve meals. He concluded that while feasible in individual cases, such solutions require close collaboration between municipalities, schools, and drop-in centre management.

Prioritising children for available places

Since drop-in centres became free of charge during school hours in 2022, the policy has not triggered a disproportionately higher demand for childcare, according to Dhamen.

Nevertheless, a shortage of places persists in many municipalities. Dhamen explained that local authorities handle the allocation on a case-by-case basis. Priority is typically given to children based on their family's socio-economic situation, their home environment, and their parents' employment status. Dhamen argued against imposing national guidelines for this process, stating that municipalities are best positioned to assess and respond to local needs.

Maintaining quality standards

Dhamen noted that significant efforts have been made in recent years to enhance the quality of services provided by drop-in centres. He highlighted the expansion of homework assistance and inclusion programmes, adding that the non-formal education framework plan offers important guidance for maintaining these standards.

Formalising exchange between schools and childcare facilities

A key challenge identified is the lack of structured communication between teaching staff and educators, whose working hours often do not align. Carvalho pointed out that the necessary platforms to facilitate this essential exchange are currently lacking.

Dhamen acknowledged this shortcoming and agreed that formalising and improving collaboration between schools and drop-in centres is a priority. He confirmed that various initiatives and national plans are already in development to foster a closer working relationship between the two entities.

Carvalho also emphasised the critical role of parents, stating that involving them leads to more efficient solutions, especially in difficult situations, as they know their children best. Dhamen expressed support for this approach, noting that the ministry is engaged in ongoing discussions with the National Parents' Representation to explore such avenues.

Reform of childcare service vouchers

The discussion also addressed the financing model for drop-in centres, which has remained unchanged for several years. Dhamen confirmed that an adjustment is now necessary, prompting an upcoming reform of the childcare service voucher (chèque-service accueil) system. The stated goal of this reform is to ensure the system's sustainability and to increase the financial benefit for parents.

Carvalho stated that she would welcome more flexible funding mechanisms. Eicher added that his association has been in long-term discussions with the ministry to secure more robust operational funding for municipalities.

Eicher highlighted rising operational costs, particularly for food, as a key pressure point. He noted that this increase is partly driven by a growing emphasis on providing higher-quality and more regional produce in drop-in centres. The ministry's reform proposal is expected to be presented in the near future.