Community Care Services Gain Regional Priority
Families who rely on day-care, home care, or respite services should watch how the 2026-2030 agenda shapes local provision.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Child Care
Serbia's caretaker Minister without portfolio Tatjana Macura attended a meeting in Chisinau on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, on investing in care systems. The meeting launched the Europe and Central Asia Care Action Agenda 2026-2030 and focused on community-based services for families.
Why it matters
Financial help alone does not reach families who need childcare or elder care, so governments are being urged to fund community services such as home care, day-care centres, and respite care. Officials say these services depend on partnerships with local governments, civil society groups, and private providers.
The Europe and Central Asia Care Action Agenda runs from 2026 to 2030 and was launched at the Chisinau meeting. Officials stressed that cash assistance without accessible community services is insufficient for families.
The players
Tatjana Macura
Serbia's caretaker Minister without portfolio responsible for gender equality, who attended the Chisinau care meeting.
Natalia Plugaru
Moldova's Minister of Labour and Social Protection, who met Macura to review bilateral cooperation and European integration.
The details
Officials at the Chisinau meeting argued that families need more than direct payments to manage caregiving responsibilities. Community-based services such as home care, day-care centres, and respite care are presented as the missing link that makes financial support usable. The approach depends on partnerships among local governments, civil society organisations, and private providers, along with professional development for the people who deliver these services.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Serbia's Tatjana Macura attended the care systems meeting in Chisinau.
2026-2030: the period covered by the Europe and Central Asia Care Action Agenda.
The Home Front
The launch positions community-based care as a regional policy priority spanning Europe and Central Asia for the rest of this decade. It places childcare and elder-care services alongside cash benefits in the broader debate over how families are supported.
If you rely on childcare or support for an older relative, look into what community-based services such as day-care, home care, or respite care are available where you live. Ask your local government or provider about waitlists and eligibility before you need them.
The takeaway
Cash support helps most when it is paired with services families can actually use, such as day-care and respite care. Keep a list of local providers and their waitlists on hand so you are not starting from zero during a caregiving crisis.
Further reading
For more on how family services are organized, browse our Child Care coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tanjug News Agency.
