In the creation and expansion of 30 childcare centres with subsidized fees and afternoon hours aimed at reconciling professional and family life, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Marilena Evangelou, spoke during a press conference marking one year of Christodoulides’ governance.
As she stated, the phones at the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare have been ringing off the hook, with 366,000 calls received within a 10-month period since the launch of the 1450 helpline.
The objectives of the Deputy Ministry, among others, include the prompt examination of social welfare applications within 60 days, the nationwide expansion of the “neighbourhood social worker” programme, and leveraging technology to serve the public.
Specifically, she referred to the upgrade and modernisation of the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI).
The waiting time for applications has been reduced by 74%, she said, clarifying that it now takes 90 days compared to the 12 to 24 months previously required.
Furthermore, she added that there has been an increase in verification processes to terminate the GMI in cases where system fraud is detected. As she explained, 543 specialised checks were conducted in high-risk cases, resulting in 364 terminations with an annual saving of €3.1 million.
She also highlighted the digitisation and simplification of procedures and services, pointing out the operation of the online application for the GMI, the citizen helpline via the four-digit number 1450, and the promotion of an interactive application to be launched in 2024, targeting beneficiaries of social benefits with live chat capabilities.
Since the launch of the 1450 helpline last May, 366,000 calls have been received, with 195,000 pertaining to the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare.
The average waiting time, she said, is 30 seconds.
“The Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare actively participates in strengthening policies that reconcile professional and family life, while supporting families and children,” said Evangelou, noting the creation of 30 new or expanded childcare centres under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which will operate during afternoon hours.
Already, as she mentioned, the first two public financing agreements have been signed with the Municipalities of Yeroskipou and Deryneia.
Meanwhile, the subsidy plan for tuition and meals for children up to 4.5 years old is being expanded, set to be implemented in September.
The cost amounts to €16 million per year, while a new subsidy plan of €3 million is also being developed.
The Deputy Minister further highlighted a 5% increase in the Child Allowance, benefiting approximately 60,000 families, as well as meeting the longstanding demand of the Organisation of Large Families for the inclusion of students from large families in the Child Allowance, with the payment of 50% of the allowance.
