Greece expands Neighborhood Babysitters childcare program

Greece is continuing its ‘Neighborhood Babysitters’ program, which aims to support families and help women balance professional and family life. Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, announced that the program, which began nationwide in late April, allows for the employment of caregivers to look after children either at the family home or the caregiver's residence. Notably, the program now includes relatives as eligible funded caregivers.

Eligibility is based on the age of the child (between 2 months and 2.5 years) and annual individual income limits. For mothers with one child, the income limit is €24,000; for two children, it is €27,000; and there is no income limit for mothers with three or more children. Monthly subsidies are set at €500 for full-time employed mothers and €300 for part-time employed mothers. A new addition this year is a €300 monthly allowance for student mothers to assist them in completing their studies before entering the workforce.