Recommendations for care that respects the rights of individuals, guarantees access to services and promotes social inclusion
The care sector in Europe is facing numerous challenges, including demographic and societal changes e.g. increased number of single-person households, growing participation of women in the labour market, increased workforce mobility, ageing of informal and family carers. Challenges include the shift from institutional to community-based care where for example children or people with disabilities are integrated in their neighbourhoods or villages. They also reflect the individualisation of our societies where for instance single parents, isolated families, or full time employees need more and more services to care for their relatives. In addition by 2060 the population in the EU over the age of 80 is estimated to rise by 181% to 61.4 million. The need for a qualified care workforce will therefore also
increase, especially in the long term care sector.
There is little investment in quality care services although public services account for 26% of the EU’s GDP, with health and social services the largest segment. The sector currently employs 20.5m people throughout the EU and yet jobs are generally of lower quality, part-time work is higher, and temporary contracts are more common than in the total economy. Gender imbalance is rife with 78% of all care workers being women who, in the EU, earn 18% less than men and this is even more pronounced in the field of care. care options are not equally accessible to all people and groups facing discrimination are over represented in residential care. While the mistreatment, abuse and neglect of users is still common.
Published : 17th December 2012
Publisher : Social Platform [ More From This Publisher ]
Rights : Social Platform
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