– Here it has gone much too fast in the corners. We are for free after-school care, but you have to ensure enough staffing, says Marie Sneve Martinussen (Rødt). The issue of the tough everyday life for many after-school employees has caused several people to react. Aftercare manager Anette Rasmussen and main shop steward in the Kongsberg Trade Union, Hilde Skullestad Stengelsrud, could talk about inadequate staffing, high levels of sickness absence and that many aftercare employees come to the office crying. “More children in SFO, but the quality plummets”, says the Confederation of Trade Unions, which expresses concern nationally. Can’t do the job properly – We have received many reports of concern from many municipalities that there are too few people at work to do a good enough job, and to take care of the children in a proper way, says the Rødt manager Martinussen. – What do you think is the solution? – We believe that you need a state staffing standard, such as you have in kindergartens and schools, replies Martinussen. She emphasizes the importance of children who have special arrangements at school also taking those arrangements with them to after-school care. Hilde Skullestad Stengelsrud and Anette Rasmussen are respectively the main shop stewards in the Confederation of Trade Unions and SFO leader in Kongsberg. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news – Often that means an assistant or extra employee resources. And today, they disappear in a minute when you go from school to SFO. It eats away at the resources of those employed at SFO. Believes that not enough money has been given for free after-school education. The Støre government is putting forward its proposal for the state budget for 2025 on Monday 7 October. – What does Rødt think if there is no more money for increased staffing at SFO? – As we understand it, not enough money has been given to finance free after-school education. Especially when you open up the offer to more people, there are also more children with special needs. It is not enough to increase the current staffing, as the government has done. New money needs to be put on the table to ensure that the quality of after-school care is high, even now when more children are using after-school care. More money is the solution, says Martinussen. Rødt’s Marie Sneve Martinussen says more money is needed to ensure the quality of after-school education in the country. Photo: Kristin Humstad / news Shouldn’t cause the municipalities a loss of income. The Rødlederen says that what the employees and elected representatives in Kongsberg do is very important. Speaking up. – Often you sit in parliament and in government and pass good things, for example free after-school. But it is in workplaces that you see how this hits reality. The message coming from Kongsberg, and from several municipalities now, is that the calculation simply does not add up. Kongsberg mayor Line Spiten (H) stated to news that “free time in after-school education has resulted in a loss of income in the municipality”. – The government is responsible for the scheme, and this is financed through the framework grant. But the funding has not carefully looked at what an after-school place costs for Kongsberg, said Spiten. Kongsberg mayor Line Spiten (H). Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news Martinussen says it is a prerequisite that when the state expands municipal services, the state must also finance the increase in costs. – If not, the municipalities will end up footing the bill. It is and will be a state responsibility. When adopting new welfare benefits, such as free after-school care, there should not be an extra cost for the municipalities. After-school care must be more than just “storage” Lucie Katrine Eidem (V) is city councilor for early childhood in Trondheim. She believes the state must provide real compensation to the schools. – We have a government that prioritizes free after-school education over quality in the content. The intention is good, but I am dissatisfied that the solution the government has chosen has given the municipality tighter school finances. Lucie Katrine Eidem (V) is city council leader for education in Trondheim. Eidem believes that free after-school care is not fully compensated, and that this goes beyond the quality and the offer they want to provide. – The left’s position is that children of parents with low incomes should receive the offer free of charge, so that all children have the opportunity to participate. Many have the ability and willingness to pay! Eidem believes that after-school care must be more than storage. – We have employees at work in SFO who have competence and desire to provide quality, but when the school loses funds because more people choose half-free places, and that there is no compensation during the holidays, it goes beyond the content. Published 26/09/2024, at 11.07
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– We have received many messages of concern – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio
