Bonus mothers and leave for fathers, nursery vouchers and vouchers for babysitters, but also the new edition of the fund to support the birth rate. These are the measures for the family contained in the 2017 Budget law. In some cases, these are extensions and refinancing of instruments already in force, but there is at least one intervention that could cause discussion. Let's see why.
BONUS MOTHERS
The most eagerly awaited and in some ways still mysterious measure is the so-called mothers bonus, which the government has actually baptized "birth bonus" (and perhaps it would be better to call it that, because it should not be confused with the baby bonus). Up to now there has been talk of 800 euros in a single solution, but no amount is specified in the draft of the maneuver that has arrived in Parliament. It only reads that the premium will be granted "at the end of the seventh month of pregnancy or upon adoption" and that it will be paid by "INPS, at the request of the future mother". It also emerges from the text that the bonus will be paid "without income thresholds": in other words, notaries and call center employees will receive it without distinction. An aspect that risks generating controversy.
GOOD NEST
The new budget law then establishes "a voucher worth 1.000 euros a year for three years in order to guarantee greater support for access" to nursery schools, "both public and private". This measure replaces the bonus in force so far, i.e. the deduction of 19% up to a ceiling of 632 euros of expenses incurred for nursery school fees.
LEAVE FOR FATHERS
So we come to the measures already in force, which are only undergoing changes. The "mandatory leave for employed fathers", introduced on an experimental basis since 2013, is also extended to 2017 and its duration "is increased to two days, which can also be used on a non-continuous basis", but in any case "within five months after the birth of the child". This measure requires financial coverage for next year of 20 million euros, which the government intends to raise "through a corresponding reduction (...) of the Social Fund for employment and training".
BABY SITTING VOUCHERS
The intervention relating to vouchers for babysitters is also extended, but until 2018. The draft of the maneuver provides for a spending limit of 40 million per year for the next two years, which drops to 10 million for the financing of the same measure benefit of self-employed women only.
FUND FOR THE BIRTHDAY
Finally, the budget law restores the "credit fund for newborns", which has the objective of "guaranteeing access to credit for families with a new child through the issue of direct guarantees, including sureties, to banks and to financial intermediaries". The fund will have a budget of 14 million euros for 2017, then 24 million for 2018 and a further 23 million for 2019. The resources will drop to 13 million in 2020 and to 6 million per year starting from 2021.
