Work-care reconciliation in the Nordic countries

Marta Szebehely, Stockholm University: Family carers in the Swedish welfare state:

challenges and coping strategiesOuti Jolanki, University of Jyväskylä:

Family carers in the Finnish welfare state: challenges and coping strategies

Some reflexions on similarities and differences between the two Nordic countries

Based mainly on contributions in Kröger & Yeandle, eds:

Combining Paid Work and Family Care• Jolanki, Szebehely & Kauppinen: Family

rediscovered? Working carers of older peoplein Finland and Sweden.

• Miettinen, Engwall & Teittinen: Parent-carersof disabled children in Finland and Sweden: social excluded by a labour of love.

• Leinonen & Sand: Reconciling partner-careand paid work in Finland and Sweden: challenges and coping strategies.

The Swedish welfare state – the idea(l) of a universal ‘caring state’

• Generous provision of publicly financed high quality services – no means-testing

• The responsibility to levy taxes and to provide care – and since 2009 to support family carers – rests with the municipalities

• Services directed to and used by all social groups

• Accessible, affordable (also for the poor) and attractive (also for middle class)

Huge variation in employment rates ofmiddle aged women in Europe

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% of women 55-64 years old in paid employment, 2007 (Eurostat)

The more resources for long-term care the more middle-aged women in paid work

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Public resources for LTC as % of GDP

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The general idea of family care in the Swedish society

• Has to be voluntarily chosen from both partiesinvolved

• No legal responsibility for family to care for adults

• Most people prefer formal care services to care from family members (other than spouses)

Eurobarometer survey 2007

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Greece

Germany

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France

Finland

Netherlands

Denmark

Sweden

Live with child Child visit and help Home care or nursing home

Is family care or formal care the best option for an elderly parent living alone?

The general idea of family care in the Swedish society

• Has to be voluntarily chosen from both partiesinvolved

• No legal responsibility for family to care for adults

• Most people prefer formal care services to care from family members (other than spouses)

• Well-developed care services are seen as the best form of support for both those who needcare and for their family members

Services: different trends for older persons and for persons with disabilities

Services for older people

• Social Services Act 1982

• Policy goal: reasonablelevel of living

• Declining resources, declining coverage –especially residential caresince 2000: every fourthbed has disappeared

• Increase of family care – re-familisation

Services for disabled people

• Disability Act 1994

• Policy goal: good livingconditions

• Increasing resources, increasing coverage, increasinggenerosity – especiallypersonal assistance: 16,000 individuals on average 115 hrs/w (no user fees)

• De-familising potential –increase the independence ofboth user and family members

Family care in Sweden

• Of working age population : 15% provide help at least weekly for an old or disabled familymember/friend

• Most common in age 45-64 (20-27%)• Most help a parent but those helping a spouse or a

disabled child help more hours• Most combine paid work and caregiving• But 80,000 women and 20,000 men have reduced

their working hours, stopped working or retiredearlier than planned for beacuse of caringresponsibilities

Payments for family care for older people(mainly):

• For comparison:

– 160,000 65+ receive home care and 90,000 65+ are in residentialcare;

– 760,000 individuals 20-64 yrs old care for an old or disabled familymember or friend once a week or more.

• Care allowances - since 1940s at LA discretion. €100-500/month. Declined from 21,000 in 1980 to 5,000 today.

• Employment as kin caregiver- since 1950s at LA discretion. Declined from 24,000 in 1980 to 2,000. Ordinary workers rights but no right to leave from/return to other job.

• End-of-life leave - since 1989. National legislation, 80% of lost income, max 20 weeks, right to return to work. Used by 11,000, average 2 weeks.

Payments for family care for younger people(mainly):

• For comparison:

– 70,000 under 65 receive home based care and 30,000 live in supported housing;

– 760,000 individuals 20-64 yrs old care for an old or disabled family member or friendonce a week or more.

• Childcare allowance for disabled child up to 18. National legislation. Average €500/month. Increased from 20,000 in 1994 to 46,000 today

• Personal assistance - since 1994. National legislation. Used by 16,000severely disabled persons, average >115 hours/week. One quarter of assistants are family members. Ordinary workers rights but no right to leave from/return to other job.

• All schemes are used mainly by women

• Reduced coverage of both services and cash payments for care of olderpeople, increased for care of younger disabled people

Employment related policies

• Hardly any rights – only end-of-life leave

• When caring for an adult:– No right to flexible or reduced hours

– No right to time off for emergencies

– No right to return to work after period of care (except for after’end-of-life leave’)

• Very different from employment policies for parentsof small children:– Paid parental leave until child is 1.5 yrs– Paid temporary leave for sick child (up to 60 days per year)

until 12 yrs (21 yrs if child is disabled)– Right to keep full-time job and work part time until child is

8 ; reduced hours not paid.– Mainly used by women – risk of structural discrimination

Conclusions

• Family carers recently discovered in policy and research – but ’working daugthers’ and ’working spouses’ still quite invisible

• Working carers have few rights, but end-of-life leave and the personal assistance scheme are unique and important rights

• Formal care services are preferred by those in need ofcare but family care is increasing due to decliningservices (for older people)

• Care leaves and payments for care are controversialissues (gender traps?)

• Carers’ organisations campaign for better services ratherthan for direct support for carers