Tag: family policy

Who Cares about Family Policy in the UK?

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Illustration of three red figures and three blue figures in a tug of war over a knotted rope, symbolising the left-right political divide over family policy in the UK

This blog post is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by Mary Daly. On the face of it family policy seems quite straightforward. The goal surely is child welfare, avoiding poverty, and supporting family well-being. Well, yes and no. In actual fact family policy raises quite profound and broad-ranging questions… Continue reading Who Cares about Family Policy in the UK?

Looking inside the firm: Policy, employers and the future of work–family balance

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A woman with curly hair works at a desk with a laptop and papers, while a baby plays on a play mat on the floor beneath the desk.

This blog post is based on an article published in the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy by Rosa Daiger von Gleichen, Marina Hagen, and Daniela Grunow. Work is changing rapidly. Digitalisation, new forms of performance monitoring, hybrid working arrangements and, increasingly, artificial intelligence are reshaping how, where and when work is done. These… Continue reading Looking inside the firm: Policy, employers and the future of work–family balance

When Delayed Retirement Meets Low Fertility: Rethinking Demographic Policy in China

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Grandfather and young child watering plants together outdoors in a garden or greenhouse setting.

This blog post is based on an article published in Social Policy and Society by Jiayi Ma, Yazhen Yang and Yu Ding. Across ageing societies, governments are increasingly attempting to address two demographic challenges at the same time: extending working lives and encouraging higher fertility. In practice, however, these two goals may not always align.… Continue reading When Delayed Retirement Meets Low Fertility: Rethinking Demographic Policy in China

Tinkering at the margins: why Labour’s parental leave reforms don’t currently deliver for families or the economy

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Mother working on a laptop at home while caring for a baby, illustrating the challenges of balancing paid work and childcare.

This blog post is based on an article published in Social Policy and Society by Anna Tarrant, Linzi Ladlow, Alison Koslowski, Harriet Churchill, Naomi Finch, and Patricia Hamilton. When Labour returned to government in 2024, parental leave reform sat near the top of its promises to working families. The manifesto and Labour’s Plan to Make… Continue reading Tinkering at the margins: why Labour’s parental leave reforms don’t currently deliver for families or the economy

Do Workplace Structures Limit Fathers’ Use of Parental Leave?

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Group of colleagues in a modern office meeting around a table with a laptop, engaged in discussion.

This blog post is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by Simon N. Chapman, Sanni Kotimäki, Satu Helske, and Anna Erika Hägglund. Well-compensated, flexible, and non-transferable parental leave for fathers is increasingly viewed as an important policy tool for furthering equality within families. Despite this drive towards equality in caregiving… Continue reading Do Workplace Structures Limit Fathers’ Use of Parental Leave?