The family meal and child well-being – does welfare regimes matter? Linda Lane and Margareta Bäck-Wiklund University of Gothenburg Department of Social Work

Aim of the article The aim of this article is to evaluate the implications of workplace factors for dual-earner parents’ ability to fulfill children’s need of well- being. Research questions: Does time-based work factors, such as work hours, commute time etc. compete with child well-being? What role does flexible work arrangements and supervisor/colleague support play in helping dual- earner parents cope with the competing demands of work and child well-being?

Child well-being We identify well-being as a multidimensional concept that incorporates psychological, physical and social dimensions that influence the quality of life. As a measure of child well-being, we use the family meal, a ritual that captures the multidimensionality of the well-being concept.

Data The sample studied included 2342 married or cohabitating employees in four service sectors, retail, hospital, IT/telecom and banking, with an employed partner and with children living in their households in 7 European countries, Sweden, the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary and Bulgaria. The survey data was collected within the Quality of Life in a Changing Europe project in 2007

Cross-country differences in work demand variables by gender and age

Institutional context for integrating work and family life