The European Commission has presented the European Care Strategy  to ensure quality, affordable and accessible care services across the European Union and improve the situation for both care receivers and the people caring for them, professionally or informally. 

Affordable and accessible care services of high-quality offer clear benefits for all ages. Participation in early childhood education has a positive impact on a child’s development and helps reduce the risk of social exclusion and poverty, also later in life.

Long-term care empowers people, who due to old age, illness and/or disability depend on help for daily activities, to maintain their autonomy and live with dignity. However, for many people these services are still not affordable, available or accessible.

To address these issues, the Commission is proposing concrete actions to support Member States in increasing access to high-quality and affordable care services, while improving working conditions and work-life balance for carers.

The Commission recommends that Member States draw up national action plans to make care in the EU more available, accessible and of better quality for all. While also attracting more people, in particular men, to the care sector.

Find out more about this Strategy here.