1. Work, Families and Wellbeing: Insights and Implications of AIFS Research Professor Alan Hayes Presentation to the Work, Families & Wellbeing Forum 4 May 2006

2. Parental employment, 1984 and 2004 Source : Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Survey With dependents under 5With dependents under 15 1984200419842004 Per cent Couple families Both parents employed29.246.541.457.8 Mother employed full-time10.613.817.122.8 Mother employed part-time18.732.624.335.0 One parent employed62.847.651.137.4 Neither parent employed8.06.07.55.9 Single Parents Parent employed20.629.835.448.0 Full-time10.712.721.922.4 Part-time9.917.113.525.5

3. Caring for children and adults : Demographic and Social Trends Increasing proportion of workforce with adult care responsibilities  Ageing - % population 65+ projected to increase 12.8% in 2002 26.1% to 2044  Policy response - increase mature age employment rates  Increasing female employment rates  Shift from institutional to community care for adults with disabilities  Delayed fertility Numbers of workers with child and adult care responsibilities will increase - “sandwich generation”

4. Use of flexible work arrangements (%), NSW 2000 Gray and Hughes, 2005 Type of caring responsibilities Children only Children and adults Adults only Male29.859.539.5 Female47.363.143.6

5. Unmet need for family friendly work arrangements, last 6-months (%), NSW 2000 Gray and Hughes, 2005 Type of caring responsibilities Children only Children and adults Adults only Male9.514.614.9 Female12.120.115.7

6. Value of unpaid caring by age and gender, Australia, 1997 (1997 dollars) De Vaus, Gray and Stanton, 2003 Female $per annum Male $per annum Child care 15-24 years4,250638 25-44 years25,8579,790 45-54 years5,0034,609 55-64 years2,9261,542 65-74 years2,111772 75 plus years26083 Adult care 15-54 years13539 55 plus years19091

7. The role of grandparents in providing care, snapshots from Growing Up in Australia Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) A nationally representative sample of 10 090 children in two age groups  Infants (3 - 19 months)  4 - 5 year olds Data were collected through interviews, observation and questionnaires The focus is both on the children and the contexts of their development

8. Face-to-face contact between children and grandparents by birth cohort, 2004 Gray, Misson & Hayes, 2006 Infants %4 to 5 year olds % Every day13.212.0 At least every week 48.944.8 At least every month16.818.1 A few times a year11.213.8 Rarely 6.07.5 No contact 2.92.6 Does not have any grandparents 1.01.2 Number4,2234,138

9. Hours per week of regular grandparent care by birth cohort

10. Main reason for using child care by main child care type Source: Wave 1 LSAC, 2004. Infant4 to 5 year olds Grandparent Child care centre Grandparent Child care centre Per cent Parent’s work or study commitments 69.478.673.965.5 Parent’s sport, shopping, social or community activities 12.00.95.22.1 Give parent a break or time alone 10.010.13.79.1 Good for child’s social development 0.55.01.812.6 To establish relationships with grandparents 3.60.010.40.3

11. Proportion of children regularly cared for by grandparent(s) by birth cohort, 2004 Infant4 to 5 year olds Per cent Cared for by grandparent18.017.3 Cared for by grandparent and no other care13.20.6 Cared for by grandparent and other care4.816.7 Number5,1054,981 Source : Gray, Misson and Hayes, 2005

12. Concluding Comments A role for employers?  the business case  regulatory environment  corporate social responsibility A role for government?  regulation of conditions of employment  information campaigns  child care policy  changes to the social security and taxation system  policies to encourage sharing of family responsibilities between mothers and fathers A role for employees?