New extended acceptance of applications from parents to provide childcare

The Employment Agency launched a new extended reception of applications under the "Employed Parents" project in the period 21 January - 28 February 2019. The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund of the European Union through the Operational Program "Development of Human Resources" 2014-2020 and supports parents for a better work-life balance, while providing employment opportunities for unemployed people for childcare.

Within the first two admissions, 1,514 parents were approved and included in the project out of a total of 2,977 who submitted applications. 3,449 unemployed persons have expressed a desire to be hired as babysitters, and 2,501 have been approved. 1,425 employment contracts with babysitters have been concluded. During the new intake, parents of children from 0 to 12 years old have the right to submit applications under the project. Parents who can benefit from the service and wish to submit their documents to participate in the new start must be from the following groups:

• Parents of children from 0- to 5 years of age, not enrolled in a nursery/kindergarten, who have a secured workplace under employment/service law or are self-employed/self-supporting persons, but are currently taking care of their children and have not returned on work;
• Large parents of children aged 0-12 who have returned to their jobs and the children attend nurseries/kindergartens as well as school. (For the purposes of the procedure – parents with many children are those who have three or more children under the age of 12);
• Unemployed persons registered at the labor office who are parents of children aged 0 to 5 years old, not enrolled in daycare/kindergarten, or parents of many children of children aged 0 to 12 years attending daycare centers/kindergartens, as well as school. The Employment Agency draws attention to the fact that those parents who take long-term leave or are absent from work due to raising a child/children from 0 to 5 years old and have a secured workplace (under employment law or as self-employed/self-insured persons) should not have returned to work pending approval for inclusion in the project. Unemployed parents must start working for an employer or as a self-employed/self-employed person within 4 (four) months of receiving the childcare service. Once they start working, the babysitter's contract can be extended to look after the child for up to 18 months. The maximum term for receiving the "babysitter" service is up to 18 months or until the child/children turn 5 or 12 years old.

Employment offices will continue to screen registered unemployed people for childminders by referring them for parental approval.

Applications from parents will be accepted in the specified period, on paper, in person at all labor offices in the country or by email: roditeli-v-zaetost@az.government.bg (scanned with a signature or electronically signed), on working days between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Detailed information on the "Employed Parents" project and an application form can be found on the AZ website and in all "Labor Bureau" directorates in the country.