Slovakia to Link Child Benefits to School Attendance Starting 2027

Slovakia's Ministry of Labor has begun preparing legislation that would cut child benefits to families whose children miss school excessively, with the new rules set to take effect January 1, 2027. Under the proposed "No School, No Benefits" initiative, families could lose child allowances if their children accumulate 15 unjustified absences per month or 60 unjustified absences during the school year, based on existing truancy definitions in Slovak law. The Ministry of Labor expects intense public debate over the legislation, which aims to combine stricter sanctions with motivational measures to address chronic school absenteeism. Child benefits in Slovakia are monthly payments provided to families to help cover the costs of raising children, and linking these payments to school attendance represents a significant shift in the country's social policy approach to education enforcement.