Easy-to-read version

Easy-to-read is information
that is written in a simple way
so that all people can understand it.
You can find more information at:
www.inclusion-europe.eu/easy-to-read.

‘Care services’ is the support someone gets
to manage their daily lives.

For example:

• Persons with disabilities
  may need support
  to be able to live independently.
  

• Older persons may need help
  to eat, dress, take a shower,
  do their groceries
  or pay their bills.
  

• Parents may need help
  to take care of their children
  

A person who regularly looks after other people
is called ‘carer’.

For example:

• A mother or a father
  who look after their child.

• A person who looks after
  a person with disability
  or an older person
  in their family.

There are also paid carers
whose job is to look after other people.

For example:

• Nurses are paid carers.
  It is their job to look after people
  who are sick or have a disability.

• Teachers at childcare
  are paid carers.
  It is their job to look after
  babies and young children.

Having good care services where you live
is important for all of us.

We may all need to take care of someone
at some point in our lives.

For example,
we may need
to look after our parents
when they get older.
Or to take care of our children.

We may also need someone else
to look after us
at some point in our lives.

For example:

• If we have an accident,

• If we have a disability,

• When we get older,

• When we become parents
  and we need support
  to take care of our child.

At the European Commission,
we believe that all people in Europe
should have access
to good care services.

With good care services:

• Persons with disabilities will be able
  to get the support they need
  to live independently
  and take part in the community.

• Older persons will be able
  to get the support they need
  to live a good life.

• Parents will be able
  to get support to take care
  of their children.
  With the right support,
  it will also be easier for them to work,
  if they want to.

Unfortunately, many people in the European Union
still cannot enjoy good care services.
This can be because the care services
are not available where they live,
or they are too expensive
or they do not fit their needs.

For example:

• Many parents in Europe
  cannot continue working
  after the birth of their child
  because they cannot pay
  for childcare.

• Many older persons do not get the care they need at home.

• Many persons with disabilities
  do not get the support they need
  to be able to live independently.

• It is mostly women
  who are expected to look after
  a member of their family.
  For example, a child or an older parent.
  This makes it more difficult for women to work than for men.

• People who work as carers
  often work too much
  and get low salaries for their job.
  This is unfair
  and makes it hard for other people
  to choose to do this job.
  This is one of the reasons why
  there are not enough nurses and carers
  in Europe.

At the European Commission,
we believe that all people in Europe
should enjoy good care services.

In 2022, we made a plan
to guide countries in the European Union
to give more and better care services
to their people.
We call this plan ‘the European Care Strategy’.

Amongst others, in this plan,
we ask all countries in the European Union to:

1. 1. Make sure that families in Europe
   have access to good childcare

This way young children
can grow their skills
and spend time with other children
of their age
while their parents work.

2. 2. Collect useful information about childcare

For example, countries
in the European Union
should collect information about
how many young children with disabilities
take part in childcare.

3. 3. Make sure that people in Europe
   have access to good care
   throughout their lives

Persons with disabilities, older persons
and all people who need care
should be able to enjoy
good care services
wherever they live In Europe.

4. 4. Listen to the views of carers
   when they plan how care services should be

They know best
the challenges of their work
and can suggest what can be better.

5. 5. Make sure that women and men
   have the same chance
   to work and take care of their loved ones

It should not be mostly women
who look after other members
of the family.
Men are also able
to look after their loved ones.
Men can also work as nurses
same as women.
Being a carer or a nurse
should not be seen as jobs
only for women.

6. 6. Support the important work of carers

The work of carers is very important,
and it should be recognised as such.
Carers should get good salaries
for their work.
Carers should get
the support and training they need
to do their work well.
This way, more people will choose
to become carers.

To make the European Care Strategy happen,
it is important to work all together.

In the next period,
the European Commission will work
with other bodies of the European Union
to make the European Care Strategy
happen.

For example:

• The European Parliament

and

• The Council of the European Union

All together we can make
the care services in Europe better
for all people.

If you have questions,
you can send us a message
by clicking here.