The eighth edition of the National Congress of Large Families was held yesterday in the city of Valencia under the slogan "Large families, protagonists of change", and although it was done in harmony with the authorities there, if they claimed a couple of points. Large families ask to recover the baby check and more investments in education.
The Spanish Federation of Large Families organizes this event to offer a meeting point for families from all over Spain and share their experiences and present current issues in relation to children, family relationships, the situation of large families.
It was inaugurated yesterday with the presence of the Minister of Health, the president of the Valencian Community and the mayor of Valencia, among other authorities.
The president of the Spanish Federation of Large Families, asked the administrations more public investments in education, although we do not know if you specified in public or concerted education.
The claims of large families
Along with investments in Education, he also asked for "total freedom" for parents to choose the education they want to give their children, in a clear allusion to the subject established by the socialist government of Education for citizenship, although we do not know what you think the new subject proposed by the Government, "Civic and Constitutional Education".
The president of this association gave one of lime and another of sand, asking retrieve the controversial baby check. "It was not a good measure, but it was a measure. We have to get it back," he said, looking at Minister Mato. And what was not a good measure reminds us that the Federation has already ruled against some conditions of the baby check. Recall that this aid was eliminated in 2011 by the previous Government after having established it a few years before it.
The president of the same federation in the Valencian Community advocated not applying the cuts in salaries of public employees "since many officials are head of a large family," he explained. And here, as a civil servant (and not a mother of a large family) I want to point out that this is not the general feeling of the officials.
Nobody likes to have their salary lowered, it's true, but if you have to put your shoulder in this very complicated situation for everyone, it is done. Of course we would like men to arrive in the same way politicians and public offices in the first place (we must set an example, they say).
And that responsibilities were assumed as to why there is currently no money for education or health in many Communities, due to a past of waste from the head of administrations.
Government plans
For their part, the various representatives of public administrations wanted to show their "total support" to families.
The Minister of Health, Social Affairs and Equality announced that her portfolio works on a new plan for families, which highlights the creation of a network of childcare centers in the workplace. Ana Mato explained that in this plan the protection of mothers and pregnant women, especially young women in difficult situations, will be "fundamental".
He also noted that the employment measures and reconciliation of family and work life They will be a primary axis. Mato recalled that Spain has one of the lowest birth rates in the OECD and that the aging of the population will cause future complications in the public administration.
The president of the Generalitat, Alberto Fabra, declared that families are "the engine of political, economic and social development of any country." In a more concrete way, the mayor of Valencia, Rita Barberá, explained the aid that the town hall offers to large families, such as deductions in municipal taxes.
We also wonder if for these public representatives families are "unconventional", single parent, homoparental... and all are the engine of the country or only some, and if the benefits of conciliation, for example, apply to all.
Apart from these issues of relevance to families, this issue of the Congress of Large Families addressed the issue of the use of internet by children and adolescents, highlighting the use of social networks that are so furious.
In addition, children between three and fourteen enjoyed a playground, creative workshops, storytellers, bouncy castles ... on a playful day, apart from these "older" issues, although they are also directly affected by some of them, like the bleeding cuts in education.
Anyway, these are the claims of large families in the recent meeting that has taken place in Valencia. We hope to see how the multiple changes that are announced in the complicated task of satisfying everyone (or not disturbing everyone, rather) in this time of crisis materialize.
