The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity stressed in Vila do Porto the Regional Government's commitment to create more and better responses for infancy on Santa Maria Island, which currently cover more than one hundred children.
Andreia Cardoso spoke during a visit to the construction works of a new Free Time Activity Centre (CATL) in the village of Santo Espírito. According to her, "it is in line with what has been set as one of the priorities of the Regional Strategy to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion. In this context, the Regional Government continues to make all the investments deemed necessary to guarantee the access of all children and young people to the responses promoting their development."
"We are talking about spaces that cover more than 100 children, aged between 0 and 12, which are particularly important for the stimuli they provide at such early ages. They contribute to the promotion of school success, while ensuring a healthy occupation of free time," Andreia Cardoso said, alluding to the investment now visited. Moreover, she mentioned the creation of the day care centre and free time occupation centre run by "Santa Casa da Misericórdia" of Vila do Porto in the previous legislative period.
Besides the concern with the conditions provided to users, the Regional Secretary recalled that promoting conditions to reconcile the professional and family lives of parents is one the primary goals.
"From the outset we have established the reform of social support structures as one of our main goals in order to adjust them to the contexts of today's families," said the government official.
According to Andreia Cardoso, "one of the main challenges is to support parents in raising their young families and in searching for the balance between family life and work life." Hence, the Azorean Government has sought "to provide more support to families, regardless of their choices, whether they work full-time, part-time or stay home with their children."
"All the investment made by the Government in Regional Network of Social Infrastructures, namely in infancy, has provided actual alternatives to families and will continue, of course, to meet their needs," assured the Regional Secretary.
The works visited by the Secretary for Social Solidarity, with a budget over 45 thousand Euros, has a capacity for 20 children. The centre will be run by the "Santa Casa da Misericórdia" of Vila do Porto. It is "significantly important insofar as the village of Santo Espírito does not have any centre of its kind, being a relevant social response in the municipality of Vila do Porto," stated Andreia Cardoso.