Work-care reconciliation in the Nordic countries

1. Work-care reconciliation in the Nordic countries Marta Szebehely, Stockholm University: Family carers in the Swedish welfare state: challenges and coping strategies OutiJolanki, University of Jyväskylä: Family carers in the Finnish welfare state: challenges and coping strategies Some reflexions on similarities and differencesbetween the two Nordic countries

2. Basedmainly on contributions in Kröger & Yeandle, eds: CombiningPaidWork and Family Care • Jolanki, Szebehely & Kauppinen: Familyrediscovered? Workingcarersofolderpeople in Finland and Sweden. • Miettinen, Engwall & Teittinen: Parent-carersofdisabledchildren in Finland and Sweden: social excluded by a labourof love. • Leinonen & Sand: Reconciling partner-care and paidwork in Finland and Sweden: challenges and copingstrategies.

3. The Swedish welfarestate – 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)

4. Huge variation in employment rates ofmiddleagedwomen in Europe % of women 55-64 years old in paid employment, 2007 (Eurostat)

5. The more resources for long-term care  the more middle-aged women in paid work

6. The general idea of family care in the Swedish society • Has to be voluntarily chosen from bothpartiesinvolved • No legal responsibilityfor familytocare for adults • Most people prefer formal care services to care from family members (other than spouses)

7. Is familycare or formal care the best option for an elderlyparentlivingalone? Eurobarometer survey 2007

8. The general idea of family care in the Swedish society • Has to be voluntarily chosen from bothpartiesinvolved • No legal responsibilityfor familytocare for adults • Most people prefer formal care services to care from family members (other than spouses) • Well-developedcare services areseen as the best form of support for boththosewhoneedcare and for theirfamilymembers

9. Services for olderpeople Social Services Act 1982 Policy goal: reasonablelevelofliving Decliningresources, decliningcoverage – especiallyresidentialcaresince 2000: everyfourth bed has disappeared Increaseoffamilycare – re-familisation Services for disabledpeople DisabilityAct 1994 Policy goal: goodlivingconditions Increasingresources, increasingcoverage, increasinggenerosity – especially personal assistance: 16,000 individuals on average 115 hrs/w (no userfees) De-familising potential – increase the independenceofbothuser and familymembers Services: different trends for older persons and for persons withdisabilities

10. Family care in Sweden • Ofworking age population : 15% providehelpat leastweeklyfor an old or disabledfamilymember/friend • Most common in age 45-64 (20-27%) • Most help a parentbutthosehelping a spouse or a disabledchildhelpmorehours • Most combinepaidwork and caregiving • But 80,000 women and 20,000 men havereducedtheirworkinghours, stoppedworking or retiredearlierthanplanned for beacuseofcaringresponsibilities

11. Payments for familycare for olderpeople (mainly): • For comparison: • 160,000 65+ receivehomecareand 90,000 65+ are in residentialcare; • 760,000 individuals 20-64 yrs old carefor an old or disabledfamilymember or friendonce 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.

12. Payments for familycare for youngerpeople(mainly): • For comparison: • 70,000 under 65 receivehomebasedcare and 30,000 live in supported housing; • 760,000 individuals 20-64 yrs old carefor an old or disabledfamilymember 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 16,000 severely 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 schemesareusedmainly by women • Reducedcoverageofboth services and cash payments for careofolderpeople, increased for careofyoungerdisabledpeople

13. Employment related policies • Hardlyanyrights – onlyend-of-life leave • Whencaring for an adult: • No right to flexible or reducedhours • No right totime off for emergencies • No right toreturntoworkafter period ofcare (except for after ’end-of-lifeleave’) • Verydifferent from employmentpolicies for parentsof small children: • Paidparentalleaveuntilchild is 1.5 yrs • Paidtemporaryleave for sick child (upto 60 days per year) until 12 yrs (21 yrs ifchild is disabled) • Right tokeep full-timejob and work part timeuntilchild is 8 ; reducedhours not paid. • Mainlyused by women – risk ofstructuraldiscrimination

14. Conclusions • Familycarersrecently discovered in policy and research – but ’workingdaugthers’ and ’workingspouses’ still quiteinvisible • Workingcarershavefewrights, but end-of-lifeleave and the personal assistanceschemeareunique and importantrights • Formal care services arepreferred by those in needofcarebutfamilycare is increasingduetodeclining services (for olderpeople) • Care leaves and payments for carearecontroversialissues (gender traps?) • Carers’ organisations campaign for better services ratherthan for direct support for carers