חיסכון לכל ילד: מקומו של חלון ההזדמנויות בקביעת מדיניות התוכנית

Aim: The present study sought to analyze the process of developing,formulating, and designing a savings policy for children in Israel beginning in the early 2000s until its enactment into law in January 2017. The analysis included identifying the various entrepreneurs involved in promoting this policy, the efforts made to advance its implementation, and the factors that enabled its finally being put into practice after the 2015election.Method: Between May 2016 and September 2017, interviews were conducted with 17 key actors in the design and development of the children’s savings plan initiative, including academics, policymakers in government ministries, and third-sector entities who took part in developing the initiative. Study participants were selected on the basis of data analysis and peer recommendations. A semi-structured interview was used, in which the interviewees were asked about their own involvement and that of other entrepreneurs in promoting the policy of a savings plan for Israeli children. The online press releases on the subject were also analyzed for the relevant years, 2000-2017.Findings: An analysis of the interviews and documents relating to the period from the year 2000 to the beginning of the implementation of the"savings plan for each child" policy in early 2017 revealed that dating from the beginning of 2000s, efforts were made to promote savings policies for children in Israel by various policymakers. The initiative started with scholars at various academic institutions, and was later joined by representatives from the Ministry of Welfare and the National Insurance Institute, who formulated various versions of the suggested policy and presented them to the relevant political figures who could bring them to fruition. It also emerged that although the plan was recognized by the “politics stream” on several occasions, it was legally accepted only after the2015 elections, when for the sake of coalition agreements, it was necessary to find a plan that would satisfy the ultra-Orthodox parties' demand for child benefits as well as address the Ministry of Finance's opposition. The analysis of the development of the “savings plan for each child” was in accordance with Kingdon's policy streams approach (Kingdon, 1984).Conclusions: In line with Kingdon's policy streams approach (Kingdon,1984), various policy entrepreneurs identified a problem and acted to promote savings initiatives in both the policy stream and the politics stream. When a window of political opportunity opened, the policy-making entrepreneurs were prepared with a suitable and cohesive initative that connected the streams and enabled the implementation of the "savings plan for each child" policy.