Social Employers provide feedback on the European Commission’s green paper on ageing roadmap
The Social Employers submitted its feedback to contribute to the European Commission’s green paper on ageing roadmap, focusing on five key points.
The Commission has opened a consultation on its forthcoming green paper on ageing to set out the key issues related to ageing and to discuss possible ways to anticipate and respond to the socioeconomic impacts of Europe’s ageing population.
The social services sector plays an essential role in enabling people to live dignified lives within their communities. They also contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, such as principle 18 on the right to affordable long-term care services.
Demographic change brings about many challenges for the social services sector. An ageing population means a growing need for care and support. Social care needs of older persons are often unmet due to a longstanding underfunding of the sector, underdeveloped services in some European countries and staff shortages due to low wages and poor working conditions.
Social services struggle to attract and retain their workforce because the above challenges also lead to a negative image of the sector in the general public.
The Social Employers highlights in its contribution five key point to be addressed in the green paper:
- Sufficient funding to improve wages and working conditions,
- Recognition of the social services’ key role in our societies,
- Development and use of innovation and digital technologies,
- More cooperation between the health and social care sectors,
- Social partner’s cooperation and social dialogue at all levels, to improve working conditions, career paths, skills, gender balance, and make working in care more attractive.
The Social Employers urge the European Commission in its forthcoming green paper on ageing to address these specific issues, to ensure affordable, accessible and good quality services for all.
Read our full contribution, here.