In order to improve the demographic situation, the ministry proposes to determine three directions of action – every child is a value, a quality living environment, as well as promotion of population migration and re-emigration.
Regarding the first line of action – every child is a value – LM proposes several dozen new measures, most of which would require additional funding.
LM encourages providing a kindergarten service for children from the age of one, also providing free meals.
Also, the ministry encourages those children who are not declared in the specific local government, but whose parents work in this municipality, to be admitted to the municipal kindergarten. Expanded groups whose admission to kindergartens must be prioritized are also encouraged, such as children whose parents have functional disabilities, children from large families and children raised by one adult.
The Ministry also encourages the creation of a more extensive system of care and supervision of preschool children, including providing temporary supervision of children. LM encourages us to think about providing supervision of children outside the working hours of the kindergarten and after the end of primary school education, as well as for children whose parents have non-standard working hours. Supervision in crisis situations should also be ensured.
Some of the measures are aimed at improving access to prenatal, birth and postnatal care and support for new parents. For example, LM encourages the introduction of infant cots, a preventive health program during pregnancy and the postpartum period to promote a positive experience for young families, as well as to create a network of mentors in municipalities for new and expectant parents.
Also, the ministry proposes to pay for three medical insemination procedures, if the first ones were unsuccessful. Currently, after one unsuccessful fertilization, another procedure is paid. It is also planned to increase the amount of laboratory examinations and expand the availability of specialist consultations in order to discover the cause of infertility in time and start the necessary treatment.
LM emphasizes that it is also necessary to improve psycho-emotional support for parents in case of perinatal mortality.
Thinking about the financial stability of families, the LM encourages to increase various benefits related to the entry of children into the family, as well as to review the target groups of social insurance contributions and the objects of contributions.
For example, LM is proposing to introduce a paid pregnancy period for non-working women, which would be similar to the prenatal leave for working women. It also suggests revising the amount of family state allowance for all children, proposing that it be set at the same amount for the first child as for the second child. At the same time, the LM wants to pay this allowance for children from 16 years old also in those cases, if the child gets higher education. At the same time, it is encouraged to pay this benefit from the birth of the child.
Also, the LM proposes to introduce new support for parents who have given birth to twins or triplets, evaluating the possibilities of extending paid paternity leave in case of multiple births.
The Ministry also encourages to think more broadly about support for providing a suitable residence for the family. For example, grant a grant for the purchase of a home upon the birth of a third child, and a proportionally larger amount upon the birth of each subsequent child. The state would be a guarantor for a mortgage loan for a large family.
LM also calls for the creation of a support system for families with children who have lost loved ones or faced other crisis situations, such as divorce.
This is a small part of LM’s intentions. Another series of measures are related to promoting the availability of health care services for children, promoting the persistence of seniors in the labor market, motivating the economically inactive population and engaging them in the labor market, as well as other areas.
The second line of action – a quality living environment – includes measures for a healthy and safe life, a smart and educated society, sustainable infrastructure for the population and the economy, as well as the promotion of safe living conditions.
On the other hand, the third course of action envisages the promotion of planned population migration and remigration.
Some of the ideas included in the report were submitted by the ministry as priority measures for the 2025 budget, but they were not supported.
As previously stated by the LM, the statistical office of the European Union (EU) “Eurostat” predicts that the population of Latvia will continue to decrease, shrinking by a third or up to 1.3 million from 2022 to 2070.
Mainly, the demographic situation is characterized by a decrease in the birth rate and an increase in life expectancy. LM states that currently the demographic situation of Latvia is characterized by negative natural population growth. An increase in the average life expectancy is also observed, which contributes to the aging of the society and the increase of the demographic burden.