NGOs seek higher funding for child day centres

Non-governmental organisations are asking for funding for child day centres to rise from 9.5 million euros this year to 16.3 million euros next year, citing growing labour costs and demand for services, LRT reported.

The organisations said inadequate funding has remained unresolved since the beginning of the year and that there is still no long-term, sustainable funding mechanism.

“Wages account for the main and largest share of child day centre expenses. When the minimum monthly wage rises, the expenses of child day centres immediately increase as well. The activities have remained the same, and the services have neither decreased nor changed, but costs have risen because of decisions made by the state,” said Aistė Adomavičienė, director of the National Network of Poverty Reduction Organisations.

The proposed funding would support more than 510 child day centres in 58 municipalities, serving more than 14,000 children.

Adomavičienė said the increase would help close the gap that has developed between funding and the actual cost of providing services, as well as cover the planned rise in the minimum monthly wage in 2027.

A study found that eight out of 10 child day centres lack sufficient funding for employee and specialist salaries.

Over the past five years, the minimum monthly wage has risen by almost 80 percent, while inflation has reached about 36 to 37 percent. During the same period, funding for child day centres increased by only 20 percent, the organisations said.

According to the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the average take-home pay of a full-time social worker employed at an NGO child day centre was 988 euros per month in 2025. In some centres, however, social workers and social pedagogues earn less than 900 euros after tax.

The organisations also proposed introducing an automatic funding indexation mechanism so that state funding would be recalculated as labour costs rise.

“If a service is funded from the state budget and labour costs increase not because of the organisation but because of decisions made at state level, an automatic indexation mechanism should operate. Otherwise, we end up with the current situation, in which the funding shortfall accumulates over several years and later requires significant one-off decisions for which funds cannot be found,” said Elena Urbonienė, director of the NGO Confederation for Children.

NGOs also highlighted the growing need for specialised services. Most centres work with children who have special needs, but 75 percent do not have a psychologist, physiotherapist, speech therapist or another specialist.

Transport is a particular problem in the regions. Limited public transport and a lack of funds make it difficult for child day centres to organise transport for children travelling to activities or returning home afterwards.

The organisations said some municipalities provide additional funding, but many limit themselves to the minimum amount set by the state. Centres are also not always paid for employees’ non-contact working hours, while some municipalities reduce payments when a child is absent because of illness.

Haris Urvinis, chairman of the Lithuanian Association of Children’s Day Centres, said the price of child day social care should include all costs involved in providing the service, including the wages of administrative, maintenance and support staff, professional development, necessary equipment and other expenses.