Work and Care under Pressure

In Europe, national states belonging to different welfare and caring regimes are experiencing tensions between labour market restructuring constraints and the caring responsibilities of the households. This book contributes to the analysis of these tensions by focusing on carers "under pressure" who have to juggle working and caring responsibilities. It investigates the care arrangements set up by bi-active parents of young children who have non-standard working hours and of adult children who hold a job and have caring responsibilities towards their old parent. Based on empirical evidence from six European countries, the book combines two levels of analysis: the policy level and the family level. It questions on the one hand the national policies in the sectors of childcare, elderly care and work-life balance, as well as the impact of gender equality measures promoted by European institutions; and on the other hand highlights the carers' practices and the impact of conciliation on everyday life.