Language:
English
Pages:
1 Online-Ressource
Series Statement:
Other Social Protection Study
Keywords:
Childcare
;
Early Childhood Development
;
Education
;
Legal Framework
;
Policies
;
Services Mapping
;
Social Protections and Assistance
;
Social Protections and Labor
Abstract:
The "Comprehensive Assessment of the Childcare Landscape in Lebanon: A Mixed Methods Study" analyzes the supply and demand of formal childcare services for children aged 0-3. It provides a review of Lebanon's regulatory and institutional framework around childcare, maps out the current supply of services including cost and quality aspects, and deepens the understanding of households' childcare needs. Findings show that there is a mismatch between supply and demand, with a gap in provision for the youngest children and that supply is mostly private, costly, and concentrated in coastal areas. Childcare responsibilities limit women's ability to join the labor force, and affordability is a main constraint for families to access services, resulting in low demand for formal childcare. The study proposes measures for an inclusive expansion of quality and affordable childcare services in four areas: (i) an enabling environment for efficient, affordable provision of quality childcare services, (ii) a more equitable distribution of the unpaid care work burden within the household, (iii) improved State support to address households' care needs, and (iv) inclusive family-friendly workplace conditions in the private sector
