Explaining differences in child care and women’s employment across six European ‘gender arrangements’

Abstract

Some decades ago in many European countries it was normal for mothers to stay at home when they had children under school age and the children’s fathers were full- time employed. Since then, much has changed. Many welfare states aim to integrate women into the labour market, and it is seen as problematic for women to stay out of the labour market for more than a year, since this can lead to losses in income, social security and career chances in the long run for these women. There are, however, still substantial differences in the employment rates of mothers of small children among European societies, and in how the societies typically combine child care and employment.