FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Female Employment and Family Formation The Institutional Context Ivy Koopmans Joop Schippers Utrecht School of Economics Utrecht University

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts FENICs objectives  To analyse the connections between the process of family formation and female employment patterns  To examine the consequences of changes in family formation on female labour supply, and the impact of flexibilisation of the labour market on the dynamics of family formation  To analyse the effect of institutional structures on women’s decisions in the areas of work and family

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Focus of Research  Definition of the institutional context  Organisation of the institutional context  The relationship between welfare states and the institutional context  Exploration of the differences and similarities between European Union member states in the institutional structure

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Definition of the Institutional Context  Time -Leave arrangements (paternity, maternity, parental, care leave and career breaks) and flexible working time patterns (part-time work, flexitime, teleworking, compressed hours, job sharing and saving hours)  Money - Tax allowances, family allowances, housing allowances, social security and social assistance  Services - Child care facilities and after school services

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Organisation of the Institutional Context  Different actors: state, market, and family  Different levels: - International (EU recommendations and directives) - National (statutory provisions) - Collective arrangements - Employers or organisations - Family (informal help)

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Welfare States and the Institutional Context Esping-Andersen’s welfare state regime types LiberalDe- familialization (market) Minimal provision of public childcare and leave arrangements Social democratic De- familialization Universal system of childcare and leave ConservativeFamilialismCash benefits instead of services

A Comparison of Institutions in the EU ChildcareLeavePart-timeFlex. workMoney DK+++/- - FIN+/-+-+- S++ +- UK+/--++ IRL-+-+ GR----- I-+--+/- E- -- P --+ A-+- + D- +++ L+ + B+ ++ F - NL+/--++-

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Conclusions  Wide variation in institutions between countries  Most of the continental countries cannot be clustered into the conservative welfare state regime  Belgium and France deviate from the conservative path the most

FENICs Female Employment and Family Formation in National Institutional Contexts Policy recommendations  The EU should recognize the differences in the institutional context  Because all countries should respond to the growing need for institutions that support the combination of motherhood and paid work, there is room for more EU initiatives in this field