The Dramatic Residential Insecurity in Spain in the Context of the European Union

The Dramatic Residential Insecurity in Spain in the Context of the European Union

By Juan A. Módenes
Residential insecurity is a threat to the life plans of young European households. It is therefore interesting to ascertain the present situation of households by focusing on the perceptions and opinions of those most concerned. The latest 2016 edition of the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) produced by Eurofound offers material for exploring the opinions of households about the short-term (six months) security of their housing.

<p>Young Spanish adults are more fearful than European counterparts of losing a roof over their heads because of being unable to pay (54% compared with 33%). The difference has also increased in recent years as the weight of rental sector has risen. </p>

The Determinants of Fathers’ Parental Leave Use

The Determinants of Fathers’ Parental Leave Use

The use of parental leave by fathers notably varies between countries. However, the underlying reasons for cross-country differences have not been explicitly studied. In a recent article, researchers Eleonora Mussino, Jussi Tervola and Ann-Zofie Duvander used migration between Finland and Sweden as an instrument to deconstruct the roles of policy design and social norms in the differences in take-up rates between these two countries.

The use of parental leave by fathers notably varies between countries. However, the underlying reasons for cross-country differences have not been explicitly studied. 

Supporting All Family Models Equally is Not a Complex Policy Task

Supporting All Family Models Equally is Not a Complex Policy Task

By Rense Nieuwenhuis
Family diversity is not a new phenomenon, and it is here to stay. However, different types of families are not always equally supported by governments. Our recently published book focuses on the “triple bind” of single-parent families, and on the following question: How can societies support all family models? And while it is often suggested that family diversity would require a complex policy design, we believe otherwise. It does not have to be that complicated.
Books and Reports: Fathers, Childcare and Work: Cultures, Practices and Policies Vol: 12

Fathers, Childcare and Work: Cultures, Practices and Policies Vol: 12

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The work-life balance of fathers has increasingly come under scrutiny in political and academic debates. This collection brings together qualitative and quantitative empirical analyses to explore fathers’ approaches to reconciling paid work and care responsibilities. Taking a global perspective, contributors explore how fathers realize and represent their gendered work-care balance and how enterprises and experts, in country specific institutional context, provide formal and informal resources, constrains, expectations and social norms that shape their practices. 
Books and Reports: International Review on Leave Policies and Related Research 2018

International Review on Leave Policies and Related Research 2018

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The LP&R network produces an annual review of leave policies and related research, it covers Maternity, Paternity and Parental leaves; leave to care for sick children and other employment-related measures to support working parents; and early childhood education and care policy. As well as policies, it provides information on publications and research. 
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Being Poor Despite Having a Job: Family Transitions Matter

In a recent paper, researchers Zachary Van Winkle and Emanuela Struffolino addressed the issue of in-work poverty – an alarming phenomenon which is exceptionally common in the United States. They considered life courses of individuals from age 18-50 who were born between 1957 and 1964 in the United States, and particularly focused on the association between family demographic processes and the probability of belonging to the working with low-income.
Moving Back to "Mamma"?

Moving Back to "Mamma"?

Re-thinking Sweden as having a "weak-family system"
Past research has claimed that countries like England, Sweden and the United States have weak family ties and they are more centred around the individual. This would mean that in times of need, families are not seen as a strong safety net and people try to cope with the situation on their own. In a recent study by Marco Albertini, Michael Gähler and Juho Härkönen, they chose to look specifically at Sweden to determine if family dissolution increased the likelihood of divorced/separated individuals moving back in to their parents’ home (intergenerational (re)co-residence).

Past research has claimed that countries like England, Sweden and the United States have weak family ties and they are more centred around the individual. This would mean that in times of need, families are not seen as a strong safety net and people try to cope with the situation on their own. In a recent study by Marco Albertini, Michael Gähler and Juho Härkönen, they chose to look specifically at Sweden to determine if family dissolution increased the likelihood of divorced/separated individuals moving back in to their parents’ home (intergenerational (re)co-residence). Read more.

 

 

Use of Parental Leave by Immigrant Fathers

Use of Parental Leave by Immigrant Fathers

Does policy play a role in how likely immigrant fathers take up leave?
Many societies, particularly in the Nordic region, have made efforts over the last decades to create more gender-equal family leave policies. These policies are supposed to encourage fathers to take time off from work to help care for their children by making it easier to do so. Once these policies are in place, it is a matter of making sure fathers actually take advantage of them. Jussi Tervola, Ann-Zofie Duvander and Eleonora Mussino took a close look at these policies to see if immigrant fathers are also using these benefits to take time off from work to help care for their children.
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