New €100m plan to help 80k care workers

The cabinet is laying out an employment plan for the care sector, which is meant to help 80,000 people get a job or training. There will be €100 million made available for the plan.

Employers and unions in the sector must also provide that amount of money. Minister of Social Affairs, Lodewijk Asscher, and state secretary for Public Health, Wellness and Sport, Martin van Rijn, announced this plan on Tuesday.

Re-training for a new function in the care sector, and employment outside the sector will be provided for one-third of the 80,000 employees. For young people, 5000 job training positions will be looked for.

There are many changes on the table for long-term care. The
responsibility for the contours of the care sector is going to be transfered from government to municipality starting next year.

One of these revisions is that people who need care will have to remain living at home longer. This means that they will need more support at home, while fewer staff members are needed at institutions. The Cabinet's employment plan hopes to serve as a safety net so that employees in the care sector don't end up jobless.

Minister Asscher has pulled €600 million in total for employment plans in diverse sectors. Plans for, among others, the transport and construction sector and childcare have been approved. Earlier, Asscher hinted that €100 million would be made available for the care sector. He spoke of a "mega sector plan."

The House of Representatives will debate the Cabinet's plans for long-term care on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Senate must approve the plan before the Summer.