Is concerned that the proportion of pre-school enrolment among children in the 0-5 age group is still very low and that there is a lack of progress in the provision of childcare and pre-school education facilities; urges the Turkish government to allocate sufficient resources for the extension of affordable childcare services for this age-group; further calls on it to amend its regulation on childcare centres, which obliges workplaces employing more than 150 women to provide free-of-charge childcare, since this provision reflects a discriminatory approach implying that child-rearing is the sole responsibility of women and negatively in ...[+++]fluences companies' decisions as regards hiring more women;

30. Considers that demographic change will require new and enhanced educational and social infrastructure for young and elderly people alike, including increased facilities for life-long learning, childcare, nursing care and care for the elderly; points out the need for enhanced social infrastructures designed to promote old people's vitality and reintegrate them more actively into societal life;

For the purposes of these conclusions, the term ‘early childhood education and care’ refers to any arrangements providing education and care for children aged 0 to compulsory school age — regardless of the setting, funding, opening hours, or programme content — and includes pre-school and pre-primary provision (Source: OECD Starting Strong I (2006), p. 7).

This could also include appropriate parental leave arrangements which could be taken up by either parent as well as the provision of accessible and affordable child-care facilities and care for dependent persons.

A recommendation was made to fully integrate investment in childcare infrastructure into regional and local development policies and strategies, and not just make it a complement to measures promoting the employment of women.

The changes will pay particular attention to new childcare needs (care of sick children, flexible care, temporary and urgent care needs).