Povoação Day Nursery is example of the Regional Government's strong investment in childhood that puts the Azores ahead of internationally recommended goals
The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity stated in Povoação that the Regional Government's investment in the area of childhood "is another clear demonstration of the commitment to promote policies aimed at Azorean families and to create an increasingly favourable social environment, both to the healthy development of all children and to parenting."
"Hence, we are before yet another example of an effort that is not confined to the adaptations made here. It rather represents another support measure for young couples, who will find here all the conditions of safety, comfort and well-being, giving them the possibility of reconciling their professional and family lives," stressed Andreia Cardoso. The government official spoke Thursday at the opening of the expansion and improvement works of the day nursery and kindergarten run by the Maria Isabel do Carmo Medeiros Foundation at a ceremony chaired by the President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro.
Following this intervention, a Government's investment of 814 thousand Euros, the day nursery and kindergarten of the Maria Isabel do Carmo Medeiros Foundation will now provide 38 and 24 vacancies, respectively.
The Regional Secretary stressed that this is "a strategic area for the future of the Region. When we provide the means for children to better develop in terms of their civic and personal education, we are safeguarding the interest of children as well as of a fundamental condition for the sustainability of our Region and our Autonomy. "
"This is not a recent priority in our social policy," Andreia Cardoso stated, adding that the newly created vacancies "add up to the almost 700 vacancies provided in the previous and in the current legislative periods. Accordingly, the Azores have already exceeded coverage rate corresponding to the minimum goals set by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)."
"The investment made in recent years has been decisive in bringing us closer to the best internationally defined practices for this area and, in most cases, even to overcome them," said Andreia Cardoso.