Three new Flash Reports prepared by the European Social policy Network (ESPN) have just become available and provide information on recent policy initiatives in Romania and the Czech Republic.

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The “Integrated Package to fight poverty” of social services in Romania: a possible road to institutional effectiveness

In January 2016, the new Romanian government announced its intention to push forward the introduction of an Integrated Package of social services. The Package is one of the most important means of implementing the National strategy on social inclusion and combating poverty for 2015-2020 and is aimed at families at risk of poverty or social exclusion, in particular families living in rural/remote communities and poverty pockets or Roma communities. While the high consensual support among stakeholders increases the odds of the Package’s implementation, its success largely depends on how the government will address the dual challenge of balancing out the current benefit-oriented approach to social inclusion through a stronger focus on community-integrated social services, and of developing more efficient institutions, improving administrative capacity and creating synergies between stakeholders.

Child-rearing leave in Romania: an effective instrument for increasing the birth rate and improving child care?

A new law adopted in Romania in April 2016 and supposed to take effect this month increases the scope and duration of child-rearing leave and level of the benefit, although the country already provides one of the most generous child-rearing leave schemes in the EU. The law intends to boost the birth rate and reduce poverty risks among young parents and their children. In a country where early childhood education and care is underdeveloped and scarce, and almost non-existent in small cities and rural areas, this initiative received broad support across the political spectrum. At this stage, the impact of the new law is difficult to predict. It will be essential to carefully monitor the actual impact of the new law, especially on child poverty.

Czech Republic takes new measures to improve the inclusion of Roma children in mainstream education

Including Roma children in mainstream education has been a long-standing challenge in the Czech Republic: Roma children have been disproportionally placed in special/practical schools or classes, and have followed education programmes for pupils with a mild mental disability. In 2007, the Court of Justice of the EU stated that Roma children were being exposed to discrimination in the Czech Republic and in 2016 the European Commission emphasised persisting inequalities in the Czech educational system. In recent years, the government has undertaken several steps to move towards a more inclusive education system where pupils with special needs preferably attend mainstream schools. Measures were adopted in January 2016 and should come into effect in September this year despite the controversy surrounding them (e.g. teachers in mainstream schools fear they will be overburdened, special/practical schools expect a negative impact on their functioning and pupils etc.). Given these controversies and the tight implementation schedule, the effectiveness of these reforms remains uncertain. A thorough assessment of their implementation will be necessary.