At its session on the 22nd May 2013, the Czech government supported the bill on the so-called child groups. Its aim is to to boost the development of alternative pre-school facilities and allow parents to return to work earlier. A child group is a new child care service for children from one year to the start of compulsory schooling. It consists of regular child care outside their home, in a group of children, outside the rules regulating schools and school facilities. The government bill will now be discussed by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the Senate. If approved, companies, regions, municipalities or even non-profit organization will be able to found child groups since January 2014.
"Grants from the European Social Fund should help them. They can use a second call from the Human Resources and Employment Operational Programme which is published at http://www.esfcr.cz/vyzva-b5. In the first call, the EU grants were promised to 35 interested parties. List of the interested parties as well as other information can be found on http://www.esfcr.cz/file/8609/," wrote the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in a press release. Tax write-offs for employers and tax discounts for parents should be an advantage, too.
There are currently two child groups operating in the Czech Republic in a pilot run by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The first one, which may be visited by up to twelve children, has been in operation since July 2011. The second one - for a maximum of six children - has been in operation since February 2012.
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