Bruno Arbouet presents in Madrid the French model of Family Assistance that gave rise to the Personal Services sector: the Barloo Plan

The Director of the National Agency for Personal Services of the French Ministry of Labour will explain at the Alares® International Congress how aid for people has been developed in France through its pioneering “Borloo Plan” and what results have been achieved.Bruno Arbouet, Director of the National Agency for Personal Services of the French Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Cohesion, is travelling to Madrid to share the experience of the French Social Cohesion Plan at the 1st Alares® International Congress, whose aim is to bring together global experiences related to “Quality of Life and Business Competitiveness.” Professionals, executives and business owners will be able to learn about the workings of the political and social model most admired on the old continent.Madrid, January 29, 2008.—The French made the revolution. They replaced the feudal model with another that inspired the universal values of modern society. The Alares® Foundation, aware of the neighboring country’s expertise in labor and social assistance, is bringing in the person responsible for launching the development of Personal Services at the Ministry of Employment and Social Cohesion to explain how its government manages the “Borloo Plan,” aimed at combating social exclusion and centered on three areas: “equal opportunities, housing and employment.”In July 2006, the French Parliament passed an innovative law intended to regulate the field of so-called family support or assistance services, giving rise to the dynamic and necessary Personal Services Sector required by advanced societies. The French government, a pioneer in this area, sought a regulatory framework to organize services for families (domestic services, childcare, academic support…), health promotion (home care, psychological support…), services for quality of everyday life in the home, legal services, etc.This reform, which aimed to provide quality, reliable services under affordable economic conditions, was based on three pillars: deductions of up to 50% from personal income tax for family assistance expenses; universal service vouchers with which to pay employees, along with corporate tax deductions for companies; and accreditation of companies providing these services, together with the professionalization and structuring of the service provided.Ultimately, it was a plan that sought not only to provide solvency to demand for these services, but also to professionalize and structure their supply and create the tax conditions to make it more accessible. Other objectives were to guarantee universal access to services for all citizens, create approximately 500,000 new jobs within two years, and confront a major challenge: bringing people working in private home care out of the informal economy. Is Spain’s time now? One year after this law came into force, the results are very positive: companies distributed more than €100 million to their employees in service vouchers as part of their remuneration, the number of accredited companies rose from 6,000 to 11,000 in 2007, and 144,000 new jobs were created during 2006. Although the French model is not the only one to follow, it can provide interesting administrative and tax tools. Javier Benavente, President of the Alares Foundation, encourages any executive, business owner or professional to attend the Congress: “It is an opportunity to compare the Spanish model, which is still relatively immature, with the French model, which is ahead of us in these matters,” he said. In his presentation, Arbouet will discuss the policies, ideas and projects implemented in the French labor system, along with their results and impact on employment, the incorporation of new participants into the labor market, and business competitiveness. The Congress will feature leading speakers from the business, institutional and academic sectors, such as Jack Trout, as well as internationally renowned figures such as Mark Hollingworth, author of the book “Growing People, Growing Companies.” They will all share their knowledge with nearly 2,000 attendees. Registration for the Congress can be completed through the website: http://www.congresointernacionalalares.com. The registration fee is voluntary, allowing anyone interested in the topics discussed to attend. The website contains the detailed Congress program, event schedules, lectures and presentations, information about the speakers, useful information about the Congress, and the registration form for the gala dinner.