The story of a mother who chose to turn child care into a qualified and legalized activity

It's the part of the day exclusively dedicated to her youngest, addressing household tasks until her other two sons return from school. A simple but necessary routine that brings balance and efficiency to the daily life of the Axenti family. With a background in International Relations and Political Science, as well as Preschool Pedagogy, Ana explored various professions, including in the media. Since becoming the mother of three wonderful boys - David (10 years old), Alexandru (8 years old), and Spiridon (1 year old) - she realized that child care suits her perfectly and wants to turn it into a legitimate profession. As of 2022, alternative child care services for children under 3 years old are legislatively regulated, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), along with other partners, provides training and guidance to individuals who want to offer these services legally.

"The most amazing and fascinating of all is the role of a mother, even though it comes with many challenges and concerns. After the mother has fortified her universe's center, the child, there is a natural need to harmoniously balance personal and professional life. For me, it proved to be a real challenge. My professional aspirations can only align gracefully with the needs of my children. And here, I believe the Universe conspired, and my searches brought me to the right place at the right time," explains Ana about her desire to transform child care skills into a profession that will bring her professional satisfaction and the opportunity to contribute financially to the family budget.

Over 50% of the country's population is inactive due to family responsibilities

Studies conducted by the ILO show that due to the lack of alternative child care services for children under 3 years old, 53.6% of the population of the Republic of Moldova, mainly women aged between 25 and 34, is inactive due to family responsibilities. "The implementation of alternative services will improve this situation. Through the informational sessions we organize with our partners, we intend to promote this Program, which offers a multitude of benefits for both parents and child caregivers," mentioned Nelea Rusu, national coordinator of the ILO program.

At the end of last year, several women and men participated in a series of training sessions where they learned about legal provisions and the necessary steps to become qualified child caregivers or open family-type daycares at their homes. Subsequently, the top 25 business plans in the field of alternative home child care services will receive financial support for business development from the ILO and other donors.

This is also Ana's intention. After legalizing the child caregiver activity, she is determined to launch her own business in the professional alternative child care services sector by opening a family-type daycare. "The home atmosphere will create a friendly and safe environment for our future heroes, and parents will have confidence that their child will be well taken care of, just like in a mother's arms. The harmonious and comprehensive development of children is extremely important, and I want to play an active role in supporting and guiding their developmental process. And last but not least, on a personal level, it will be a successfully solved task. By helping myself, I will provide support to families working full time, especially mothers in vulnerable situations."

Legalizing the child caregiver profession will allow Ana, as well as many other women, to re-enter the workforce. "Formalizing this profession will offer me flexibility in managing various daily tasks, as well as clarity regarding remuneration, working hours, and any other aspects that will contribute to a strong family-child-caregiver relationship."

Ana knows that it is not an easy profession and requires a lot of empathy and individual attention to each child. But the experience of being the mother of her three boys will serve her well, and she will achieve her goals. "I won't deny that taking care of children means fatigue, maximum demand, constant attention, and appropriate care, while you are still adapting to the child's needs and rhythms. But the energy, well-being, the first tooth, sincere and noisy laughter, crawling, the first step, every hug is worth all our effort. I can certainly say that this field is more than a profession. It's art. It's dedication. But the knowledge and information from the training at the end of last year fortified my skills and guided me on where to start business development," confidently says Ana.

The International Labour Organization, along with other development partners, supports the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova in implementing the National Child Care Services Program and piloting alternative child care services.