Work and family issues

This bibliography provides a selection of recent references from the Australian Family & Society Abstracts database.

The publications listed are held in the Australian Institute of Family Studies Library and can be borrowed via the inter library loan system or acquired directly from the issuing body. Direct links to documents on the Web are provided when available.

References are arranged alphabetically by author in the following sections:

Issues for families
Policy issues
Working hours and conditions
Parental leave
Child care
Family-friendly workplace issues

Issues for Families

Blunsdon, Betsy; Blyton, Paul; Reed, Ken; Dastmalchian, Ali
Introduction: work, life and the work-life issue.
In: Blyton, Paul et al, eds. Work-life integration: international perspectives on the balancing of multiple roles. Houndmills, Hampshire, England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006, p1-16

What is work life balance? This chapter considers how people allocate their time, the increasing problem of work life balance in modern life, in relation to changing workplaces, changing roles, changing values and aspirations, changing families and households, and changing support structures. Solutions to these issues are then discussed. The chapter also summarises the other contributions to the book.

Castleman, Tanya; Coulthard, Darryl; Reed, Rosslyn
Complexities in the career-family perspectives of young professionals.
Labour and Industry v.16 no.2 Dec 2005: 61-80

Work life balance issues are framed differently at different stages of the life course. In addition to analysing behaviour, it is important to develop an understanding of the meaning that actors attach to what they do. This article examines the perspectives of young Australian professionals on career, relationships and family formation during the early years after university graduation. It examines their views about the balance between their career goals and family in the early years of their professional working lives. It reports a longitudinal study of 86 young Australian professionals from 1997 to 2003, which highlights the emergent and contingent nature of decisions about careers and relationships and their relevance for childbearing. Gender plays a role in their plans and expectations but they reject the traditional male breadwinner model. The high value given to dual career relationships may put stress on their ability to balance family aspirations with satisfactory careers. (Journal abstract, edited)

Connell, R W
A really good husband: work/life balance, gender equity and social change.
Australian Journal of Social Issues v.40 no.3 Spring 2005: 369-383

'Work/life balance' as a contemporary issue is fundamentally linked with gender justice. The issue emerged from historical transformations of the gender order, in which masculinities and femininities were attached to distinct spheres of home and workplace; but this institutional division has been weakening. Current dilemmas are documented in a field study of gender equity issues in ten public sector worksites. Because domestic labour is still predominantly women's work, 'family friendly' workplace policies mainly serve to support women's domestic commitments. Women are held accountable for managing the balance, though this has now also become part of the work of managers. Other aspects of public sector restructuring work against men's commitment to domestic equality. In these circumstances the ideal of 'balance' is itself open to debate. The ideological consequences of the re-inscription of maternity and contemporary anxieties about masculinity require a renewal of the concept of the common good as a basis of policy. (Journal abstract)

Craig, Lyn
The money or the care: a comparison of couple and sole parent households' time allocation to work and children.
Australian Journal of Social Issues v.40 no.4 Summer 2005: 521-540, tables

Households provide their members with both financial support and caring services. In sole parent households, the functions of earning money and caring for children fall to one individual. Current government policy favours work force participation as the solution to the higher poverty rates in lone parent families, but this may have a mirror effect on their ability to provide care. There is a great deal of research into the financial impacts of sole motherhood, but very little into the amount of time that sole parents' devote to care of their children, and what this means for their total (paid and unpaid) work commitments. In this paper I address this research gap. I analyse the Australian Bureau of Statistics Time Use Survey 1997 (over 4000 randomly selected households), to compare sole and couple parents' overall time commitments to paid and unpaid work and to investigate whether time spent with children in lone parent and couple-headed families differs in type or quantity. (Journal abstract)

Gallegos, Danielle
Aeroplanes always come back: fly-in fly-out employment: managing the parenting transitions.
Perth, WA: Centre for Social and Community Research, Murdoch University, 2006, 115p, figures, maps, Online (PDF 225K)

This is a report on a research project initiated by Ngala in partnership with Meerilinga and funded by Lotterywest. The research, carried out by the Centre for Social and Community Research at Murdoch University, aimed to examine the strategies used by Western Australian families with young children for dealing with the transitions in the family as a consequence of choosing a fly-in fly-out lifestyle. Also referred to as long distance commuting, fly-in fly-out describes the scenario in which employees' place of residence and place of work are isolated from each other such that the employer provides food and accommodation at the work site. Employers cycle through their place of residence and place of work on a set schedule with a fixed number of days in each place. This concentrated work schedule is used extensively throughout the resources industry in Western Australia. The research, which involved 64 interviews with thirty-two couples with children under the age of six, focused on the regular transitions from parenting together to parenting apart including issues such as: work and family roles; identity issues for families; child development and attachment issues; decision making and communication around parenting; emotional responses of family members to transitions. The ecological research model used stresses the importance of the balance between stresses and support in the family environment and the interactions between them, also placing an emphasis on the subjective perception of individuals' own situations. The final chapter highlights advice from families actively engaged in the fly-in fly-out lifestyle and suggestions for industry and agencies which revolve around increasing psychological, human and social capital as well as maximising time and income aspects related to family functioning.

Goward, Pru; Mihailuk, Tania; Moyle, Sally; O'Connell, Karen; De Silva, Natasha; Squire, Sarah; Tilly, Jo
Striking the balance: women, men, work and family: discussion paper 2005.
Sydney, NSW: Sex Discrimination Unit, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2005, 135p, figures, tables, and Online (PDF 1.98 MB)

The ways in which men and women balance their family responsibilities, their paid work, and the pressures and barriers they face in doing so, are explored in this paper. The paper covers the following: paid and unpaid work in Australian families; children, gender and unpaid work; caring for people with disabilities, elder care and grandparents as carers; why work and family issues are important for Australian families and for Australia; effects on children; relationship breakdowns and post divorce consequences; macro economic effects of paid work and family imbalances; the social benefits of care; anti discrimination legislation and family responsibilities; the Sex Discrimination Act; workplace relations, policies and practices and the business case for change; the Workplace Relations Act; government support for working families; attitudes to paid work and family responsibilities; and options for reform.

Howe, Brian; Pidwell, Ruth
Single parents and paid work.
Australian Journal of Social Issues v.39 no.2 May 2004: 169-181

Radical social changes in household formation over the past three decades have given rise to the single parent family. In spite of the level of public assistance, which is among the most generous in the OECD, research has shown that single parents (usually mothers) are among the most impoverished members of society. Recent legislation is moving toward mandating single parents off public assistance and into paid work in order for them to achieve more sustainable futures. This paper argues that this strategy is unlikely to succeed unless the particular needs of single parents are understood and addressed within a broader debate concerning women, care, and paid work. Family-friendly workplace practices, more extensive publicly funded childcare, and better opportunities for lifelong learning are some of the changes that are urgently needed to assist not only single parents but all who try to combine the dual roles of working and caring. (Journal abstract)

Power, Katherine
Parents under pressure.
About the House no.25 Nov 2005: 23-25, ill., Online (PDF 127K)

In this House of Representatives magazine, the author reports on some of the issues arising from hearings and submissions to the Inquiry into Balancing Work and Family. She says that childcare or the lack of it looms as a major economic stumbling block for Australia, and that parents say childcare is the critical issue in finding a balance between work and family. Data on the availability and costs of childcare are provided.

Richardson, Chris
What's eating up our time?
About the House no.23 May 2005: 14-17, ill., Online (PDF 127K)

In this House of Representatives magazine, the author reports on some of the issues confronting the House of Representatives Family and Human Services Committee as it began its Inquiry into Work and Family Balance in 2005. He identifies key trends that have eaten into free time, and the policy implications for governments, companies and families of increased pressures on work/life balances.

Taskforce on Care Costs
Where are we now? Taskforce on Care Costs interim review of the 2005 Creating Choice: Employment and the Cost of Care report.
Sydney, NSW: NSW EEO Practitioners' Association, 2006, 77p, tables, figures, (Taskforce on Care Costs: policy research paper), Online (PDF 637K)

The aim of the 2006 Interim Review is to reflect on the steps that the Federal Government has taken to redress the issues raised in the 2005 Creating Choice report, and to provide a snapshot of the current cost of care and workforce participation landscape in Australia. It makes findings in relation to the current cost of care in Australia; current Australian financial supports available for working carers; the international position; and the Taskforce's 2006 national survey of workers and the unemployed with caring responsibilities, to conclude that the work/cost of care dynamic is becoming more problematic and that falling behind international initiatives to address the issues.

Policy issues

Andrews, Kevin
Work and family: the importance of workplace flexibility in promoting balance between work and family.
Canberra, ACT: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, 2005, 15p

Flexible, family friendly working arrangements are needed to respond to the dramatic increase in numbers of working women. The following issues are discussed in this paper: changes in workforce participation; the importance of part time and casual work; flexible working arrangements; maternity payment; government policies assisting Australian families; workplace relations reforms; protection against discrimination and unlawful termination; minimum entitlement to parental leave; paid maternity and paid parental leave; personal or carer's leave; Australian Workplace Agreements; Office of the Employment Advocate's Better work life balance project; the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency; industry projects on workplace flexibility; National Work and Family Awards.

Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
Work choices: family impact statement.
Melbourne, Vic: Australian Council of Trade Unions, 2005, 24p, tables, Online (PDF 456K)

The purpose of this briefing document is to alert Members of Parliament and Senators to the impact that the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Bill 2005 will have on workers who have responsibility for the day to day care of family members; family functioning and well being; and its impact on women workers. It discusses and outlines current provisions concerning the regulation of the labour market compared to proposed changes in the Bill, concluding that the Bill will not be good for working families or for working women.

Baird, Marian; Todd, Patricia
Government policy, women and the new workplace regime: a contradiction in terms and policies.
In: IR changes report card. Sydney, NSW: Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney, 2005, 11p, Online (PDF 48K)

The authors outline some of the contradictions and problems in the proposed changes to Australia's industrial relations, with a focus on how these changes will affect women workers. They argue that the reforms do nothing to address the most pressing labour management problem today in Australia - labour shortages and the need to better utilise existing human resources. The current focus on reducing wages to make certain groups more attractive to employers ignores supply side issues. For women who are primary carers, paid work needs to be worth their while. It needs to be decent work, allowing them to utilise their skills and experience, and it needs to be financially worthwhile (including consideration of child care costs), and it needs to enable women to integrate caring and employment responsibilities.

Blunsdon, Betsy; McNeil, Nicola
State policy and work-life integration: past, present and future approaches.
In: Blyton, Paul et al, eds. Work-life integration: international perspectives on the balancing of multiple roles. Houndmills, Hampshire, England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006, p63-81, table

The state's role in facilitating work life integration has received little attention from researchers. This chapter analyses public policy, reviewing the changing role of government in relation to issues of work life balance. It discusses macro level policy responses to work life balance from liberal welfare states, conservative welfare states, and social democratic welfare states; macro level policy responses to role conflict through industrial relations systems; and addressing family, household and individual needs. It argues that greater multi level research is needed to enable a better understanding of how institutions, households and individuals impact on work family outcomes.

Buchanan, John; Watson, Ian; Briggs, Chris; Campbell, Iain
Beyond voodoo economics and backlash social policy: where next for working life research and policy?
Australian Bulletin of Labour v.32 no.2 2006: 183-201

This paper begins with a brief overview of the fragmentation of Australian working life. This process has the potential for positive as well as negative outcomes. The bulk of the paper then considers five challenges in working life. The recurring theme in this section concerns the need to transcend the limitations of the past by nurturing standards for flexibility. The concluding section addresses the question: can institutional forms be created that simultaneously nurture the benefits of autonomy and solidarity while avoiding the limitations of isolation and sectionalism? The paper calls this the challenge of promoting cohesive diversity and suggests that developing the notion of 'pathways' may offer a way forward for new directions in both working life analysis and policy. (Journal abstract, edited)

Burgess, John; Strachan, Glenda
Integrating work and family responsibilities: policies for lifting women's labour activity rates.
Just Policy no.35 Mar 2005: 5-12, tables

One way to address problems of labour shortages caused by an ageing labour force would be to increase female labour force participation. This article looks at government work and family policies, family friendly workplace arrangements, bargaining agreements, and legislative inaction in supporting work and family.

Edgar, Don
Family impact statement on 'Work choices' - the proposed new industrial relations regime.
Sydney, NSW: Labor Council of New South Wales, 2005, 44p, tables, ill., Online (PDF 337K)

This Family Impact Statement is a report about the effects on families of the Commonwealth Government's proposed (2005) 'WorkChoices' industrial relations legislation, prepared for Unions NSW (the Labor Council of New South Wales). It points out that the Prime Minister's undertaking during the 2004 election to prepare a Family Impact Statement on every new piece of proposed government legislation has not been met. Following a summary of the proposed IR changes and a snapshot of Australian families, nine Government claims about likely impacts are questioned and refuted. Then the author discuses the likely negative impacts on the employee's experience of working conditions and life quality, on family relationships and the worker's capacity to meet family responsibilities, and on the wider community in which families live and the ability of workers to meet their social obligations and enjoy life as a community member. He argues there is close link between working conditions and the quality of family life, saying that we should see work and family not as opposites, but as joint factors contributing to life satisfaction and dignity. Family and community work may not be paid, but are crucial to the viability of the economy as a whole. It is important to the nation to have policies and systems in place that help employees meet both their obligations to employers and to meet their wider family and community responsibilities. Unions NSW response to the Family Impact Statement and an outline of their preferred IR framework is included at the end of the document.

Ellem, Bradon; Baird, Marian; Cooper, Rae; Lansbury, Russell
WorkChoices: myth-making at work.
Journal of Australian Political Economy no.56 Dec 2005: 13-31, and Online (PDF 88K)

Key questions remain about the Howard Government's new industrial relations policy relating to its impact, whether it will increase productivity and wealth, whether it will help balance work and family, whether it will be equitable and whether it will allow employees real choice in setting wages and working conditions. This article outlines the key proposals of the new policy and summarises recent research into the impact of previous legislative change under the Howard Government. It examines the impact on women and families, the link between individual contracting and productivity, the implications for income distribution, and the changing nature of work in Australia. The article argues that the WorkChoices proposals threaten to undermine the basis of Australian democracy.

Families Australia
Balancing work and family: Families Australia policy.
Barton, ACT: Families Australia, 2005, 3p, Online (Word 379K)

This paper briefly discusses some issues involving work and families and Families Australia's policy on the subject.

Gaze, Beth
Work choices, or no choices? The impact of the new industrial relations laws on work and family.
In: Teicher, J., Lambert, R. and O'Rourke, A. eds. WorkChoices: the new industrial relations agenda. Sydney, NSW: Pearson Education Australia, 2006, p106-122

Workers who are parents, especially women, face difficulties in meeting the demands of work and family. This chapter contends that these stresses will be exacerbated by WorkChoices, which will occur through the reduction of employment protection for all workers as well as specific removal provisions important for the protection of working parents and of mechanisms for the possible future improvement of their situation. At the core is the threat of increased working hours and wage cuts, which is contrary to the direction taken in most industrialised countries. The situation is compounded by proposed welfare changes which will place further stress on the work family relationship. The author provides a brief background into the work family debate and outlines the working patterns of employed mothers and fathers. She reviews the needs of working parents for accommodation of their caring responsibilities, details the WorkChoices changes affecting work and family, considers the broader welfare context of the changes as well as policy settings in taxation of families and provision of child care, and concludes with an argument that markets and individual negotiation cannot provide the necessary conditions for primary carer parents to maintain a reasonable place in the workforce, and that intervention in the form of employment regulation through legislation is necessary. She determines however, that WorkChoices does the opposite.

Lansbury, R; Baird, M; Barrett, R; Bray, M; Briggs, C; Brosnan, P; Burgess, J; Campbell, I; Cooper, R; Ellem, B; May, R; McCallum, R; Peetz, D; Saunders, P; Todd, P; Underhill, E; Waring, P
The federal government's industrial relations policy: report card on the proposed changes.
In: IR changes report card. Sydney, NSW: Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney, 2005, 4p, Online (PDF 126K)

The Federal Government's proposed changes to Australia's industrial relations laws and the likely effects of these changes have been analysed in a set of papers by seventeen of Australia's leading academic researchers in the fields of industrial relations and labour market issues. This report card synthesises their views, stating that there is simply no reason to believe that the proposed changes will do anything to address the critical labour market challenges facing Australia today. Rather, the changes 'will damage the fabric of Australian society by encouraging poorly paid jobs with irregular hours and little security, worsening work family balance.' Several of the individual papers in the collection have been individually indexed: All papers are published at http://www.econ.usyd.edu.au/wos/IRchangesreportcard/

Lindsay, Jo; Maher, JaneMaree
Beyond the 'crisis' rhetoric: designing policy for work and family integration for employed mothers.
Just Policy no.38 Dec 2005: 21-26

The rhetoric of crisis characterising public debate on family friendly work places and policies suggests an inherent conflict between women's paid work and mothering. The paper acknowledges the considerable difficulties that obstruct the reconciliation of work and family; maternity leave, childcare and part time work policies and practices in Australia provide clear evidence of a hostile working environment for working mothers. It argues, however, that the 'crisis' label is counterproductive because it focuses on the conflict rather than on the practices and tactics that could advance policy debate towards the development of an integrated family policy straddling social security, industrial relations, taxation and health considerations.

McDonald, Peter
Reform of family support policy in Australia.
In: Grimshaw, Patricia, Murphy, John and Probert, Belinda eds. Double shift: working mothers and social change in Australia. Beaconsfield, Vic: Circa, 2005, p225-246

The Interdepartmental Task Force on Work and Family Policy was formed in 2002. This chapter discusses the following principles of the Task Force's reforms: the social value of children and horizontal equity; the effort to not create 'losers' in the reforms; neutrality of working circumstance and the tax transfer system; gender neutrality; the interaction of employers and government with regards to paid maternity leave and work hours; simplicity and transparency; early childhood education and care; and a life course approach. The chapter also discusses costing of the reform agenda.

Pocock, Barbara; Masterman-Smith, Helen
WorkChoices and women workers.
Journal of Australian Political Economy no.56 Dec 2005: 126-144, tables, and Online (PDF 88K)

The WorkChoices policy package provides no relief to many women workers affected by low pay and struggling with issues relating to work life balance. The article argues that the industrial relations changes threaten gender equity and workers' rights. It discusses women's work and family in Australia and the implications of WorkChoices for women workers.

Press, Frances
What about the kids? Policy directions for improving the experiences of infants and young people in a changing world.
Surry Hills, NSW: NSW Commission for Children and Young People, 2006, 69p, tables, figures, Online (PDF 916K)

This work builds on an earlier one in 2004 called a 'A head start for Australia: an early years framework' which provided a blueprint for what Australia needed to do to give children a good start in life. Both titles were developed by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People, the Queensland Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, and the National Investment for the Early Years organisation (NIFTeY). This report looks at family policies, literature and research into young children's own views. Arguing for increased public investment and universal service provision it makes suggestions and recommendations for policy improvements to support the care and education of all babies and young children in the following areas: prevention of harm and early intervention; work and family; early childhood education and care services.

Queensland. Department of Industrial Relations
Work, family and lifestyle.
Brisbane, Qld: Department of Industrial Relations, 2005, 86p, Online (PDF 227K)

The Queensland Government states that it is committed to helping employers and employees establish workplace practices that improve work-life balance, and has introduced a variety of initiatives on work and family. Information is provided in this document about: state and federal legislation relevant to work, family and lifestyle; statistics; work-life balance policies, including benefits, development, implementation, evaluation, and small business policies; negotiating work-life balance policies and practices; types of work-life balance provisions; mature-aged employment, including assistance with aged-care responsibilities; father friendly workplaces; and discrimination.

Taskforce on Care Costs
Where are we now? Taskforce on Care Costs interim review of the 2005 Creating Choice: Employment and the Cost of Care report.
Sydney, NSW: NSW EEO Practitioners' Association, 2006, 77p, tables, figures, (Taskforce on Care Costs: policy research paper), Online (PDF 637K)

Tesfaghiorghis, Habtemariam
Education, work, fertility and childcare in Australia.
In: Population and society: issues, research, policy: Australian Population Association 12th Biennial Conference, 15-17 September 2004, Canberra. Canberra, ACT: ACSPRI Centre for Social Research, Australian National University, 2004, 28p, tables, figures, Online (PDF 1272K)

The key economic policy issue relating to Australia's sustained fertility decline and increasing ageing is how mothers can be supported to participate in paid employment. This paper examines issues surrounding fertility and childlessness, and work and family balance issues for working age women. It asks whether women's educational and labour force participation lowers fertility; if the number and age of resident young children in the household affect their mothers' labour force participation, and vice versa; what characteristics of mothers are associated with the use of childcare; and if mothers' ratings of problems with finding good quality and affordable child care vary according to their personal and household characteristics.

Victoria. Department for Victorian Communities
Victoria: working futures: report of Victoria's Workforce Participation Taskforce 2005.
Melbourne, Vic: Department for Victorian Communities, 2005, 106p, tables, figures, Online (PDF 2.06MB)

This is the final report of Victoria's Workforce Participation Taskforce, chaired by the Hon. John Button, which was established in March 2005 to examine the impact of demographic change, population ageing and slowed population growth on Victoria's labour supply. The report outlines the key elements identified by the Taskforce for inclusion in a Workforce Participation Strategy for Victoria, with a proposed framework to guide future policy development. The Taskforce focussed on ways to increase workforce participation with regard to the two issues - future skill requirements, and identifying barriers to and options for increased workforce participation of specific population groups in Victoria (eg older workers, women, young people, CALD, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and long-term unemployed). Six priority action areas are identified: skills formation system; health; working life and flexible workplace arrangements; addressing barriers and disincentives; geographical concentrations of disadvantage; and role for governments and major stakeholders. Two consultancies commissioned to inform the inquiry and this report were a literature review by the Allen Consulting Group and case studies by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, both also available online.

Whitehouse, Gillian; Hosking, Amanda
Policy frameworks and parental employment: a comparison of Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
In: Transitions and risk: new directions in social policy: International Social Policy Conference, 23-25 February 2005. Melbourne, Vic: Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne, 2005, 19p, tables, figures, Online (PDF 409K)

To what extent does policy intervention shape the prevalence or availability of particular family care paid employment models? This paper compares work family models in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, providing breakdowns of the employment patterns of mothers and fathers by age of children, family status and household income. The paper argues that the differences are consistent with the influence of broadly different policy frameworks.

Work and family life balance.
Parkville, Vic: Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, 2006, 4p, (Policy brief no.3), Online (PDF 66K)

In light of rapid changes in the roles and responsibilities of men and women, and in the organisation and distribution of paid work, it is important that the balance or lack of it between the demands of work and family on family life and child development and wellbeing is understood. This policy brief reviews research on the effects of parental employment on families and children, including family leave, acceess to child care, and employment entitlements, and discusses the implications of research for the development of policy and programs.

Working Hours and Conditions

Australia. Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts; Australia. Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
Telework for Australian employees and businesses: maximising the economic and social benefits of flexible working practices: report of the Australian Telework Advisory Committee to the Australian Government.
Canberra, ACT: Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, 2006, 67p, and Online (PDF 744K)

As a flexible working arrangement, telework has the potential to assist communities, government, employers and employees meet a number of economic, social and personal goals. This report identifies opportunities for telework to contribute to broader social and economic goals identified by the Australian Government as areas of policy priority. The report concludes that while there are employees and businesses already undertaking telework through individual and collective agreements at the workplace level, there are a number of organisations that have not. This report identifies opportunities for action to increase the uptake and spread of telework across workplaces and maximise its potential benefits for Australian businesses, workers and communities.

Bittman, Michael; Hoffmann, Sonia; Thompson, Denise
Men's uptake of family-friendly employment provisions.
Canberra, ACT: Department of Family and Community Services, 2004, 208p, (Policy research paper no.22) and Online (PDF 1140K)

This report of research into men's uptake of family-friendly workplace provisions comprises two parts: a review of the literature in the area; and two case studies of companies that have introduced family friendly policies into the workplace, one a manufacturer operating in a highly competitive market, and the other a corporatised public utility. The report reviews the advantages and disadvantages for men of managing the competing demands of work and family, noting that take up rates for Australian men are low. It also gives details of policies designed to encourage men's use of parental leave in ten countries. Barriers to men's use of available provisions are identified.

Burgess, John; Strachan, Glenda; Henderson, Lindy
Equal employment opportunity for women: workplace policies and programs: case study analysis.
Newcastle, NSW: Employment Studies Centre, University of Newcastle, 2005, 34p, (ESC working paper no.2005/13), Online(PDF 230K)

This report results from a series of case studies undertaken in 2004. The research examines operational aspects of equal employment opportunity (EEO) policies for women within workplaces, seeking to identify factors which influence their adoption, implementation and development in Australian enterprises. The six private sector organisations chosen across a spectrum of industries and locations were considered to be 'best practice' organisations in embracing EEO principles and practices. Results indicated that women who can work part time, work flexible hours, job share, work from home or take career breaks in order to accommodate family are more likely to return from maternity leave and to be enthusiastic about their work. Consistent, transparent and demonstrably fair policies and practices (or the lack of them) are noticed by all employees, at all levels of seniority. Where diversity is recognised and valued, women are more likely to feel encouraged to undertake additional training, apply for promotion or seek out new roles.

Campbell, Iain; Chalmers, Jenny; Charlesworth, Sara
The quality of part-time jobs in Australia: towards an assessment.
In: Transitions and risk: new directions in social policy: International Social Policy Conference, 23-25 February 2005. Melbourne, Vic: Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne, 2005, 28p, figures, tables, Online (PDF 519K)

Are part time jobs particularly good in serving the needs of the many individuals with caring responsibilities within the family? This paper argues that the quality of the part time job must be incorporated into any assessment, as poor quality part time work may worsen problems of work and family imbalance. The paper outlines several dimensions that are important in any assessment of part time jobs: number of hours, schedules, flexibility in number of hours and schedules, and the ability to move between full time and part time hours in the one job, wages, employment benefits, employment security, access to training and career progression, employee voice, and content of work.

Workers who are parents, especially women, face difficulties in meeting the demands of work and family. This chapter contends that these stresses will be exacerbated by WorkChoices, which will occur through the reduction of employment protection for all workers as well as specific removal of provisions important for the protection of working parents and of mechanisms for the possible future improvement of their situation. At the core is the threat of increased working hours and wage cuts, which is contrary to the direction taken in most industrialised countries. The situation is compounded by proposed welfare changes which will place further stress on the work family relationship. The author provides a brief background into the work family debate and outlines the working patterns of employed mothers and fathers. She reviews the needs of working parents to accommodate their caring responsibilities, details the WorkChoices changes affecting work and family, considers the broader welfare context of the changes as well as policy settings in taxation of families and provision of child care, and concludes with an argument that markets and individual negotiation cannot provide the necessary conditions for primary carer parents to maintain a reasonable place in the workforce, and that intervention in the form of employment regulation through legislation is necessary. She determines however, that WorkChoices does the opposite.

Hughes, Jody; Gray, Matthew
The use of family-friendly work arrangements by lone and couple mothers.
Family Matters no.71 Winter 2005: 18-23, tables and Online (PDF 248KB)

Access to a range of flexible work arrangements is important in assisting employed mothers to balance their family and work responsibilities. While there has been a substantial amount of research on the use of family friendly work arrangements by Australian mothers, little is known about the use of these work arrangements by lone mothers and how this differs from that of couple mothers. This article addresses the question of whether lone and couple mothers differ in their use of, and unmet need for, family friendly work arrangements. These are questions on which there is little published research.

Preston, Alison; Jefferson, Therese; Seymour, Richard
Women's pay and conditions in an era of changing workplace regulations: towards a 'Women's Employment Status Key Indicators' (WESKI) database.
Perth, WA: Curtin University of Technology, 2006, 154p, tables, figure, Online (PDF 652K)

The goal of improving the balance between work and family life, emphasised in the 2006 legislative changes to Australian workplace relations, is highly relevant to many women's workforce experiences. This report looks at available indicators of women's pay and employment conditions, and aims to identify significant gaps in Australia's current data collections. It represents a first step towards a Women's Employment Status Key Indicators (WESKI) database. The report focuses on women working in five 'minimum condition' occupational areas: child care, aged care, hospitality, retail and cleaning. It covers the following aspects of women's employment: women's and men's average earnings and full time, part time or casual status; earnings and different forms of employment contract; patterns of ordinary working hours; working hours and flexibility; casual employment; leave entitlements; superannuation coverage; dismissals, retrenchment and redundancy; and multiple job holding.

Richardson, Chris
What's eating up our time?
About the House no.23 May 2005: 14-17, ill., Online (PDF 127K)

In this House of Representatives magazine, the author reports on some of the issues confronting the House of Representatives Family and Human Services Committee as it began its Inquiry into Work and Family Balance in 2005. He identifies key trends that have eaten into free time, and the policy implications for governments, companies and families of increased pressures on work/life balances.

Saw, Lee-May
Towards a more flexible workplace.
Reform no.88 Winter 2006: 14-17

A sensible work life balance can be achieved in some modern workplaces, but may be unrealistic for many Australians. This article discusses: the concept of flexibility for workers; the benefits of flexibility for employees and employers; and social policy reform, legal reform and workplace reform.

Underhill, Elsa
Winners or losers? Work/life balance and temporary agency workers.
Labour and Industry v.16 no.2 Dec 2005: 29-59, tables

This article focuses upon temporary agency workers' capacity to balance work life needs. Two extremes are identified within the Victorian temporary agency labour market. On the one hand, there are skilled temporary agency workers employed in areas of high demand accompanied by labour shortages. Nurses are one such group. At the other extreme, there are skilled and semi skilled temporary agency workers who face a shortfall in demand for permanent, direct hire employees. Drawing upon a survey and focus groups of temporary agency workers, their potential for achieving a satisfactory work life balance is assessed in relation to control over working time, income and employment security, and a narrow band of employment conditions. The findings differ substantially between the two groups of agency workers, contributing to significantly different perceptions of the personal benefits of working through a temporary employment agency. (Journal abstract)

von Doussa, John; Lenehan, Craig
Barbequed or burned? Flexibility in work arrangements and the Sex Discrimination Act.
University of New South Wales Law Journal Forum v.10 no.2 Nov 2004: 43-50

Why do women continue to experience comparative disadvantage in the area of family responsibilities, causing them to seek flexible working conditions? This article looks at the dimensions of the problem, international legal obligations relating to employment and family responsibilities, federal discrimination law and indirect sex discrimination.

Parental Leave

Baird, M; Litwin, A S
Rethinking work and family policy: the making and taking of parental leave in Australia.
International Review of Psychiatry v.17 no.5 Oct 2005: 385-400, tables

The use of unpaid parental leave and the availability of paid maternity leave in Australia are examined. The article finds that few workers take up their statutory right to 52 weeks unpaid parental leave, particularly men. It compares the experiences of low income and higher income parents, finding that the former have fewer options for either paid or unpaid parental leave. The article argues that, in order to achieve gender equity, it is time to re evaluate all aspects of parental leave policy.

Chatfield, Paula
Baby steps: accommodating lawyer mums at work.
Law Institute Journal v.79 no.11 Nov 2005: 20-23

The realities of a female employee's return to work after maternity leave are discussed in this article. The article contains several suggestions for making the employee's return to work easier. These include dealing with change, being personally involved and letting the employee know she is valued, being willing to experiment, showing compassion, being patient, understanding breastfeeding needs and setting up a buddy system for first time mothers.

Murray, Jill
Labour law: reconciling work and care responsibilities.
Alternative Law Journal v.30 no.2 Apr 2005: 86-87

In many jurisdictions internationally, the capacity of workers to attend to care and other home responsibilities is being extended without threat to their jobs; they are able to request that their employer grant a change to their hours or alter the distribution of their work hours. Various jurisdictions have passed legislation supporting the worker's right to such an arrangement except in special circumstances. This article reviews the international trend towards these developments in industrial relations and discusses the Australian situation in comparison with the developments, looking at maternity leave, quality of part time employment, regulation of industrial awards and agreements, and the recognition of care responsibilities by labour law.

Pocock, Barbara
Mothers: the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In: Poole, M. ed. Family: changing families, changing times. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin, 2005, p113-134, figures, table

The main carers in Australian families are mothers. This chapter discusses the pressures on some mothers, usually single mothers, to go out to work, and on others, usually married women, to stay home and look after the children and other dependants. It then describes patterns of labour market participation and working conditions for women, the sexual division of labour, and the burden of unpaid work and care undertaken chiefly by women. It explains work care regimes and their outcomes within a cultural habitus of motherhood that has failed to adjust to the significant changes in the range of duties undertaken by mothers. The chapter discusses ways of achieving better work care regimes to support the reality of working mothers through, for instance, paid maternity leave, and concludes that such innovations could minimise the mother wars that divide working mothers from stay at home mothers.

Raffin, Luke
Baby steps in the right direction: does the new maternity payment realise the aims of paid maternity leave?
Australian Journal of Labour Law v.18 no.3 Nov 2005: 270-291

The aims of the Federal Government's universal maternity payment are contrasted with those of a paid maternity leave system. The article explains the current Australian legal provisions for maternity leave entitlements, why there is no paid maternity leave, and the proposal of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission for paid maternity leave. It considers whether the Howard Government's universal maternity payment does the same thing as paid maternity leave. It discusses the reasons for preferring the paid maternity leave option, and argues it would: equalise employment opportunity for all mothers; respect the experience of childbirth; consolidate labour force attachment for mothers; strengthen the economy; and improve the plight of poorer women and their families.

Rey, Sarah; Sweet, Robyn
Work and the caregiver.
Law Institute Journal v.78 no.5 May 2004: 43-45

This article presents an overview of the way in which discrimination law is interacting with industrial relations to protect the right of employees with family responsibilities to participate as fully as possible in the workforce. Recent discrimination and unfair dismissal cases are summarised.

Child care

Australian Bureau of Statistics
Child care, Australia, June 2005.
Canberra, ACT: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006, 62p, (ABS catalogue no.4402.0), Online(PDF 1.5MB)

This document (re-issued in June 2006), shows that, in June 2005, 1,553,400 (46%) children aged 0-12 years received some type of child care in the reference week. Findings relate to use of formal and informal care, age of children in care, hours of care and days of the week, reasons for using care, couple and one parent families and care provided by grandparents, cost of care, child care benefit, demand for additional formal care, work and child care, and preschool attendance - now separated from formal child care. Statistics were obtained from the 2005 Child Care Survey.

Baxter, Jennifer
Increasing employment of partnered mothers: changes in child care use.
In: Population and society: issues, research, policy: Australian Population Association 12th Biennial Conference, 15-17 September 2004, Canberra. Canberra, ACT: ACSPRI Centre for Social Research, Australian National University, 2004, 28p, tables, figures, Online (PDF 1045K)

Women's employment has changed significantly since the 1970s. More mothers of young children are employed and there has been a large increase in the number of women working part time. That more women seem to be finding ways of fitting work around the care of their children is likely to be due in part to the increased availability of formal child care. This paper analyses Australian Bureau of Statistics Child Care Survey Unit record files from 1984, 1993, 1996 and 1999 to explore how child care patterns changed in the 1980s and 1990s, and how those changes have affected the employment of women. The findings show that the growth in employment has been associated with significant growth in the use of formal and informal care, and the sustained use of no care by families able to manage their child care arrangements within the home.

Bear, Harold; Lovejoy, Frances; Daniel, Ann
How working parents cope with the care of sick young children.
Australian Journal of Early Childhood v.28 no.4 Dec 2003: 53-57, tables

Previous research has documented that the failure of institutional child care to deal with the care of sick children is a widespread source of stress and dissatisfaction amongst working parents. Questionnaires distributed to working parents of young children through some Sydney child care centres netted 489 responses. The survey determined which parent generally cared for sick children, the impact on their job, and their feelings about combining work and parenting. Responses indicated that the gap in institutional child care services for sick children persists and remains a considerable source of parental dissatisfaction. Mothers in particular saw disruption to work to care for sick children as a particular problem in demonstrating commitment to their career and as a major source of guilt in their role of working parent. (Journal abstract)

Biddulph, Steve
Raising babies: should under 3s go to nursery?
London, England: HarperThorsons, 2006, 194p

The use of full time day nursery care for very young infants and toddlers has increased in recent years. This book argues that the resulting reduction in one to one child care is very harmful for young children. It sees this move as part of the increasing materialism of society, which threatens caring, community and family intimacy. The book discusses research on the way babies' brains develop, how they learn to love and think, the role of parents, how childhood has changed, the needs of children, the effects on children of being in full time day care, what nursery staff think of nurseries, the health consequences of distant parenting, and how to give your baby emotional intelligence. It tells the stories of three families with young children in the United Kingdom, focusing on how they managed work family balance issues.

Brennan, Deborah
Children and families: forty years of analysis and commentary in the Australian Journal of Social Issues.
Australian Journal of Social Issues v.40. no.1 Autumn 2005: 73-90

Articles relating to children and families in the Australian Journal of Social Issues over the last 40 years are reviewed with a focus on three prominent themes: maternal employment, child care and work family issues; divorce, child custody and adoption; and child welfare and child abuse. The article looks at the content of, and changes to, debates on these issues. It examines how the balance of concerns has shifted from the needs of parents towards the needs of children.

Cassells, Rebecca; McNamara, Justine; Lloyd, Rachel; Harding, Ann
Perceptions of child care affordability and availability in Australia: what the HILDA Survey tells us.
In: Families Matter: 9th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, February 2005 - proceedings. Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2005, 22p, Online only

Balancing work and family life has become one of the biggest issues in Australian social policy today. Child care is an essential tool that aids workforce and educational participation of those families that use it, employs thousands of persons within the industry, and hopefully provides an environment that is safe, educational and beneficial to our children. Relatively little research has been conducted into child care affordability and availability, leaving a gap in information for public debate and decision making. This paper aims to lessen this gap by assessing the affordability and availability of child care within Australia using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics survey (HILDA) and the Child Care Census. The paper seeks to determine who is looking after our children, the problems that households may have with accessing and affording child care and whether or not these problems have continued into the second wave of the HILDA survey. (Author abstract)

Gibson, Megan; Rooney, Tricia
From juggling to balancing: early childhood centres as family-friendly workplaces.
Every Child v.12 no.1 2006: 18-19

Work and family issues for early childhood educators are seldom discussed. This article looks at the example of Campus Kindergarten at the University of Queensland, a community based early childhood centre that has developed several family friendly policies and practices. The motivation for the development of these policies and some outcomes are discussed.

Gray, Matthew; Hughes, Jody
Caring for children and adults: differential access to family-friendly work arrangements.
Family Matters no.70 Autumn 2005: 18-25, and Online

The importance of parents having access to work arrangements that enable them to adequately care for their children is widely recognised and accepted. Much less attention has been given to the importance of creating work places that allow employees to provide care for elderly, disabled, or ill parents, spouses or other adults. As the population ages over the next few decades, increasing numbers of employees will be providing care for their parents or other adults. This paper presents evidence on the use of flexible work arrangements to provide adult care and how this compares to the use by those caring for children

Grimshaw, Patricia, ed.; Murphy, John, ed.; Probert, Belinda, ed.
Double shift: working mothers and social change in Australia.
Beaconsfield, Vic: Circa, 2005, 251p, figure, table

Changes in social norms and attitudes about working mothers are explored in this book. The authors look at the history of working mothers and examine issues such as improved child care and the vexed question of maternity leave pay. It goes on to propose major changes to the existing family payments system.

Hand, Kelly; Hughes, Jody
Mothers' reflections about work and family life.
Family Matters no.69 Spring - Summer 2004: 44-49, and Online (PDF 209K)

Drawing on data from the Family Work Decisions Study, a research project undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the authors report that mothers have diverse views about combining paid work with raising children. In addition, many mothers acknowledge that the decisions of other mothers may be different from their own and made in response to individual circumstances and decisions.

Howe, Brian; Pidwell, Ruth
Single parents and paid work.
Australian Journal of Social Issues v.39 no.2 May 2004: 169-181

Lee, Julie
The work-child care interface: how working women with young children combine work and child care.
Newcastle, NSW: Employment Studies Centre, University of Newcastle, 2005, 17p, tables, figures (ESC working paper no.2005/4), Online (PDF 304K)

The decision by mothers of young children to participate in the labour force is influenced by a large number of co-determining factors. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, this paper examines the extent to which employment benefits, child care arrangements and domestic arrangements influence mothers' decisions to enter paid employment. The paper considers differences in family background, personal characteristics, job characteristics, domestic arrangements and attitudes to parental roles.

Manne, Anne
Motherhood: how should we care for our children?
Crows Nest, NSW, Allen and Unwin, 2005, 379p

The author reflects on the concept that women were told that they could have it all: children and a full family life combined with a successful career. But she asks, who had time to wonder at what price and who pays. The author presents a new argument for an inclusive maternal feminism. She argues that there are better ways to support mothers than the extremes on offer - either staying at home and suffering reduced career opportunities or working and being forced to rely on an inadequate child care system. She offers an accessible account of the debates over parenthood in general and early child care in particular.

Mitchell, Deborah
Making families work.
In: Wilson, Shaun et al, eds. Australian social attitudes: the first report. Sydney, NSW: University of New South Wales Press, 2005, p30-41 tables

How do different kinds of families deal with work balance problems in the areas of child care, working time and living standards? This chapter examines data from the 2003 Australian Survey of Social Attitudes on: single parent households; households with both parents working full time; households with one parent working full time and one part time; and households with one full time employed parent and the other stay at home. The chapter examines ideas about identity, family and child rearing; working hours and family life; and family living standards and coping.

Mitchell, Karen
Careers and motherhood, challenges and choices: how to successfully manage your career through pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
Sydney, NSW: McGraw-Hill, 2004, 348p

Drawing on the experiences of a broad range of women with professional backgrounds, this book is intended as a practical guide for women managing the issues and choices associated with balancing parenting and career. It covers topics such as planning for pregnancy, managing a career through pregnancy, preparing for the birth, adapting to motherhood, relationship and sex life, flexible work options, resuming a career after childbirth, childcare options, travelling for business with children, having a career without guilt, making the parenting choice.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Babies and bosses: reconciling work and family life. Volume 3, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland.
Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2004, 218p, tables, figures

Policies that help parents achieve a better work family balance are beneficial for individuals, society and the economy. This study considers how a range of work and family reconciliation policies in New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland affect parental labour market outcomes and family formation. It explores the socio economic environment of each country and looks at gender differences in employment outcomes and child care systems and policies. The book considers options for family friendly policy reform in these countries.

Pocock, Barbara
Work and family futures: how young Australians plan to work and care.
Canberra, ACT: The Australia Institute, 2004, 38p, tables (Discussion paper no.69)

In late 2003 in 21 small focus groups, the perceptions, views and plans of 93 young people were collected in relation to their future paid and unpaid work and child care plans. Also explored were their own experiences in child care and how this affects their plans, and their plans and perceptions in relation to housework. This paper sets out the methodology of the research, major findings, and implications of the job and parenting plans of the young participants for family type and child care.

Power, Katherine
Parents under pressure.
About the House no.25 Nov 2005: 23-25, ill., Online (PDF 127K)

Qu, Lixia; Wise, Sarah
Multiple child care arrangements in Australia.
Family Matters no.69 Spring - Summer 2004: 56-61, and Online (333K)

The majority of Australian children will use some form of non parental child care before entering school. However, little attention has been paid to the combinations of care types that children use across early childhood and the reasons why parents make these child care decisions. In this article, the authors focus on one aspect of children's child care experiences that has only recently received attention in empirical research in Australia, namely the phenomenon of multiple child care, or 'multicare'. Multiple child care arrangements or multicare refers to the situation where children are using two or more different child care arrangements in a given week, for example long day care and care by a grandparent.

Rammohan, Anu; Whelan, Stephen
Child care and female employment decisions.
Australian Journal of Labour Economics v.8 no.2 Jun 2005: 203-225, tables

The extent to which maternal employment is influenced by the affordability of child care is the subject of empirical ambiguity in Australian studies. This paper examines the relationship between maternal employment decisions and child care costs using the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey dataset. The analysis finds that the use of child care for both employment and non employment purposes is extensive in Australia. A key result of the analysis is that for married mothers the cost of child care is relatively unimportant in both the decision to participate in the labour market and, given the decision to work, the number of hours worked. (Journal abstract, edited)

Willis, Karen; Natalier, Kristin
Good mothers and good workers: a case study exploring the 'seamless' approach to work and child care responsibilities.
Just Policy no.39 Mar 2006: 39-44

Discourses on women's expected priorities in relation to work and family responsibilities are explored. The article presents a case study of Janie Dickinson, mayor of Launceston, who brought her child to work rather than making use of other child care options. It argues that child care services are based on conceptual distinctions of worker and mother, and that those who do not keep these identities separate are regarded as problematic. The article discusses the role of the media and three key themes in the debate: role conflict, the imposition of individual choice, and equality in the workplace. It considers how the idea of family friendly is conceptualised in our society.

Family friendly workplaces

Campbell, Iain; Charlesworth, Sara
Background report: key work and family trends in Australia.
Melbourne, Vic: Centre of Applied Social Research, RMIT, 2004, 68p plus appendices, tables, figures, Online (PDF 2.77MB)

This report was prepared for the ACTU Work and Family Test Case. It provides a descriptive overview of key trends in Australian society affecting work and family. There are four sections: paid work and the paid workforce; families, households and caring responsibilities; combining paid work and family caring responsibilities; and preferences and attitudes. The report suggests that caring responsibilities entail significant pressures on participation in paid work. The provision of family friendly benefits in Australia is identified as differentiated and inadequate, and there are worrying signs about the spread of 'family hostile' measures.

Gibson, Megan; Rooney, Tricia
From juggling to balancing: early childhood centres as family-friendly workplaces.
Every Child v.12 no.1 2006: 18-19

Hughes, Jody; Gray, Matthew
The use of family-friendly work arrangements by lone and couple mothers.
Family Matters no.71 Winter 2005: 18-23, tables and Online (PDF 248KB)

O'Neill, Steve
Work and family policies as industrial and employment entitlements.
Canberra, ACT: Parliamentary Library, Department of Parliamentary Services, 2004, (Research Paper no. 2 2004-05), Online

This research paper reviews some of the political and industrial factors behind the push for greater acceptance of work and family policies in Australian workplaces; canvasses the types of family- friendly policies which workplaces provide and the spread of such policies across workplaces; and looks at key instruments (legislation, corporate policies, awards and enterprise agreements) which facilitate access to such policies by employees. Likely future developments are canvassed, including elder care and 'father friendly' workplaces; options for pregnancy notification are discussed, and an appendix sets out pregnancy advices to employers.

Quinlan, John
Minding the family.
Law Institute Journal v.77 no.12 Dec 2003: 96

Many legal firms have introduced family friendly policies in response to losses arising from workers trying to maintain a balance between career and family. The author argues that it is important for firms, particularly those employing a large number of women, to be flexible in this area. He considers the financial benefits that arise, through employee satisfaction and through cutting the costs associated with recruiting, training and replacing employees.

Walker, Jacqui
Overworked and overlooked.
Business Review Weekly v.26 no.38 Sept - Oct 2004: 44-45

More than half of law graduates are women, but only a small fraction of law firm partners are women. This article looks at the reasons why many women don't achieve seniority, the juggling of work and family commitments, and considers whether women get the same treatment and opportunities as men do. It also looks at the financial impact on firms of the exodus of women and at the efforts to offer family friendly practices.

Willis, Karen; Natalier, Kristin
Good mothers and good workers: a case study exploring the 'seamless' approach to work and child care responsibilities.
Just Policy no.39 Mar 2006: 39-44

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