Formal childcare as an important segment of family policies: reality and needs

Šobot, Ankica (2023) Formal childcare as an important segment of family policies: reality and needs. In: Sociological perspectives on contemporary post-Yugosalv societies. Sociološko naučno društvo Srbije, Beograd, p. 42. ISBN 978-86-905444-0-0

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Abstract

Work-life balance (WLB) is an important issue of policies in EU countries. The approach which implies social investment as a strong support of the welfare state pays much attention to public childcare. Reconciling work and parenthood is a significant aspect of the quality of life of the individual and the family. In that, gender perspective has a specific importance. During the socialist period, a network of public childcare services was developed, but the social transformation of post-Yugoslav countries brought new challenges. Some of them concern the characteristics of the labour market, other gender roles. The paper will discuss the current state of formal childcare in Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, in comparison with the EU (27) and Scandinavian countries, through an analysis of data from the EUROSTAT database. The disadvantages of formal childcare are noticed through significantly lower coverage of children under the age of three, stronger presence of other types of childcare as well as a high percentage of children being taken care of only by their parents. Looking at some indicators, the situation in Slovenia is better than in Serbia and Croatia. Formal childcare is a form of support for reconciling work and family life but it is also a contribution to the transformation of gender regimes. Positive effects imply high availability of public services, their quality, wide coverage, and affordability for different social categories.

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