More than a thousand people filled out the KINCS questionnaire at the BabaMama Expo
More than 10,000 people visited Hungary's largest family event, the BabaMama Expo, where the Mária Kopp Institute and the Professional Association of Hungarian Health Visitors (MVSZSZ) also participated. More than 1,000 people filled out a KINCS questionnaire about having children, the results of which were presented by Tünde Fűrész, President of KINCS, at a press conference held at the Institute's stand.
The three-day event was opened by Katalin Kardosné Gyurkó, who called having children a life-long decision. The Minister responsible for promoting intergenerational cooperation stressed that the government is supporting families with more than thirty different family support measures, and from 2025, new elements will be added to the range of support. The event on Friday also featured speeches by Government Commissioner Ágnes Hornung and Csaba Bugár, President of the Hungarian State Treasury, who presented the opportunities offered by the baby bond.
On the closing day of the event, a press conference was held at the joint stand of KINCS and MVSZSZ by Dr. Zsófia Koncz, State Secretary for Families, Tünde Fűrész, President of KINCS and Marianna Várfalvi, President of MVSZSZ. Dr. Zsófia Koncz, who is expecting her second child, stressed that the Hungarian family support system is unique in that many elements are available from the 12th week of pregnancy: tax benefits, the baby expecting subsidy, the Family Housing Subsidy and loan reductions. These measures are complemented by the family-related elements of the new economic policy action plan, which will double the amount of family tax relief in two stages by 2026, and relaunch the home renovation scheme for families living in settlements with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. She added that in next year's budget, the government will spend more than 3,750 billion forints on family support, which is 447 billion more than last year and four times more than in 2010.
Tünde Fűrész presented the results of our online survey among BabaMama Expo participants, which was completed by more than a thousand people. The President of KINCS said that the majority of respondents consider the age between 25-30 years for women and 30-35 years for men as the most ideal age for having children. There is a growing support for fathers to stay at home to care for their children. The majority of respondents consider it ideal to return to the labour market when their child is around the age of 2, and 75-80% of respondents agree with the possibility of flexible working for mothers.
Marianna Várfalvi, President of the Professional Association of Hungarian Health Visitors, pointed out that 4,700 health visitors are currently working to accompany families from the conception of their baby until the child graduates high school. She stressed that the provision of care is present in all municipalities, and that they are not only responsible for health care, but also partners of the family support system, public education and they help social inclusion and environmental protection.
