AIFS Research - Research projects
Labour Market Issues for Families
- Duration: Ongoing
- Funding source(s): Appropriation
- Related themes: Economic wellbeing of families**, Families and work**, Social inclusion*, Family transitions and family law*, Children, young people and their families*
- Related project(s): Child Support and Labour Market Participation; Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children; Labour Market and Financial Consequences of Divorce for Families; Time Use in Families; Negotiating the Life Course
- ** Indicates theme(s) to which the project is most relevant
* Indicates theme(s) to which the project has some relevance
This ongoing research stream analyses several work-family policy areas including:
- labour market participation of mothers in the period immediately following childbearing, including timing of mothers’ return to work, their use of leave, and the perceived value of a range of work-family policies;
- impacts of different types of jobs and working conditions on family wellbeing, including whether there are particular work conditions or patterns of work that are associated with mothers continuing breastfeeding; and
- labour market participation of parents with young children and how children are cared for.
The Institute has also conducted work on the impact of recessions on families, particularly those with dependent children, in response to the impact of the global financial crisis on the Australian economy.
Publications
- Huerta, M., Adema, W., Baxter, J., Corak, M., Deding, M., Gray, M. C., Han, W., & Waldfogel, J. (2011). Early Maternal Employment and Child Development in Five OECD Countries (OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers No. 118).
- Alexander, M., Whitehouse, G. and Brennan, D. (2011). Australia - Country note. In Moss, P. International Review of Leave Policies and Related Research 2011
- Baxter, J. & Smart, D. (2011). Fathering in Australia among couple families with young children. (Occasional paper No. 37). Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) .
- Baxter, J. & Renda, J. (2011). Lone and couple mothers in the Australian labour market: Exploring differences in employment transitions. (Research paper No. 48)
Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies. - Taylor, M. and Gray, M. (2010). The impact of child support payments on the labour supply decisions of resident mothers. (Research Paper No. 47). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
- Taylor, M., Edwards, B., & Gray, M. (2010). Unemployment and the wellbeing of children aged 5 to 10 years. A report for the Benevolent Society.
- Alexander, M., Whitehouse, G. and Brennan, D. (2010). Australia - Country note. In Moss, P. International Review of Leave Policies and Related Research 2010, Employment Relations Research Series No. 115, UK Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, London.
- Baxter, J. (2009). Mothers' timing of return to work by leave use and pre-birth job characteristics. Journal of Family Studies, 15(2) 153-166.
- Gray, M., Edwards, B., Hayes, A., and Baxter, J. (2009). The impacts of recessions on families. Family Matters, 83, 7-14.
- Baxter, J., Cooklin, C., & Smith, J. (2009). Which mothers wean their babies prematurely from full breastfeeding? An Australian cohort study. Acta Paediatrica, 98(8), 1274-1277.
- Renda, J., Baxter, J., & Alexander, M. (2009). Exploring the work-family policies mothers say would help after the birth of a child. Australian Journal of Labour Economics, 12(1) 65-87.
- Gray, M., & Hunter, B. (2009). Families through life: Selected issues for labour economists. Australian Journal of Labour Economics, 12(1), 1-4.
- Baxter, J., & Alexander, M. (2008). Mothers’ work-family strain in single and couple parent families: The role of job characteristics and supports. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 43(2), 195-214.
- Baxter, J (2008). Breastfeeding, employment and leave: An analysis of mothers in Growing Up in Australia. Family Matters, 80, 17-26.
- Baxter, J. (2008). Is money the main reason mothers return to work after childbearing? Journal of Population Research, 25(2), 141-160.
- Baxter, J. (2008). Breastfeeding. LSAC Annual Report, 2006-07, 15-18.
- Baxter, J. (2008). When dad works long hours: How work hours are associated with fathering 4-5-year-old children. Family Matters, 77, 60-69.
- Baxter, J., & Gray, M. (2008). Work and family responsibilities through life. Journal of the Home Economics Institute of Australia, 15(3), 9-12.
- Baxter, J., & Gray, M. (2008). Work and family responsibilities through life (Facts sheet). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies (reprinted in Family Matters, 79).
- Gray, M., & Baxter, J. (2008). Financial wellbeing of families. LSAC Annual Report, 2006-07, 22-25.
- Gray, M., & Baxter, J. (2008). Mothers’ labour market participation. LSAC Annual Report, 2006-07, 19-21.
- Gray, M., Baxter, J., & Alexander, M. (2008). Parent-only care: A child care choice for working couple families? Family Matters, 79, 42-49.
- Baxter, J., Gray, M., Alexander, M., Strazdins, L., & Bittman, M. (2007). Mothers and fathers with young children: Paid employment, caring and wellbeing (Social Policy Research Paper No. 30). Canberra: Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
- Renda, J. (2007). Employment aspirations of non-working mothers with long-term health problems (AIFS Research Paper No. 40). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Submissions
- Baxter, J., & Gray, M. (2008). Submission from the Australian Institute of Family Studies to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Paid Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Presentations
- Baxter, J. (2011, 3 August). Fathers’ involvement in young children’s social and educational activities. Paper presented at the International Association of Time Use Research Conference, Oxford, UK.
- Baxter, J. & Smart, D. (2011, 2 March). Fathering in Australia. Paper presented at the FaHCSIA Social Policy Research Workshop, Canberra ACT
- Gray, M. & Baxter, J. (2011, 1 February). Family joblessness, child wellbeing and labour market and income support policies. Paper presented at the Advancing Child and Family Policy Through Research Conference, Canberra ACT.
- Renda, J. & Baxter, J. (2010, 1-4 December). Lone and couple mothers in the Australian labour market: Using HILDA calendar data to examine monthly employment transitions. Paper presented at the ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference, Sydney.
- Baxter, J., (2010, 2 December). Mothers and fathers as co-parents - does paid work get in the way? Paper presented at the 15th Biennial Australian Population Association Conference, Surfers Paradise.
- Alexander M. (2010, 14 October). An antipodean view of work & family: Recent research developments. Presentation to a seminar, University of Barcelona, Barcelona.
- Alexander M. (2010, 8 October). Recent Australian parental leave policy developments. Presentation to International Network on Leave Policies and Research, Bologna.
- Alexander M. (2010, 29 September). An antipodean view of work & family: Recent research & policy developments. Paper presented at the seminar on Fathers, Parental Leave and Family-friendly work arrangements: Policy developments and research in Australia and Europe Seminar, London.
- Baxter, J., & Gray, M., (2010, 8 July). How do dual-employed couple parents manage without childcare? Can it be explained by fathers' involvement in childcare? Paper presented at the 11th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne (7-9 July)
- Baxter, J., & Renda, J., (2010, 8 July). Lone and couple mothers in the Australian labour market: exploring differences in employment transitions. Paper presented at the 11th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne (7-9 July)
- Renda, J., & Baxter, J. (2009, 16-17 July). Stability of lone mothers’ employment: Using HILDA calendar data to examine work transitions (PDF 472 KB). HILDA Survey Research Conference, Melbourne.
- Baxter, J., Renda, J., & Gray, M. (2009, 8-10 July). International work-family policies: What do they mean for Australia? (PDF 1.9 MB) Australian Social Policy Conference, Sydney.
- Baxter, J., & Gray, M. (2009, 16 June). Parents who don’t use child care: Who provides the care in working couple families with infants? (PDF 1.5 MB) New Zealand Families Commission Research Seminar, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Gray, M. (2009, 10 June).The economic crisis and the wellbeing of families (PDF 601 KB). Melbourne Institute Public Economics Forum: Work, Family and the Economic Crisis, Canberra.
- Renda, J., Baxter, J., & Alexander, M. (2008, 24 November). Mothers’ views on which parental leave policies would be helpful (PDF 1.7 MB).. Parental Leave: Assessing Impacts and Refining Policy Directions Research Forum, Brisbane.
- Baxter, J., Renda, J., Alexander, M., Whitehouse, G., & Baird, M. (2008, 9-11 July). What mothers want: Exploring the policies mothers say would help after the birth of a child (PDF 936 KB). 10th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne.
- Baxter, J. (2008, 30 June - 3 July). Is money the main reason mothers return to work after childbearing? A quantitative analysis of reasons for return to work (PDF 1.4 MB). 14th biennial conference of the Australian Population Association, Alice Springs.
- Gray, M., & Hayes, A. (2008, 24 June). Childcare, outcomes for children and socio-economic disadvantage (PDF 663 KB). Melbourne Institute Public Economics Forum, “Too Little Too Late? Caring for and Preparing Young Children for Life”, Canberra.
- Baxter, J., & Gray, M. (2008, 19–21 June). Parents who don’t use childcare: who provides the care in working couple families with infants? (PDF 2.1 MB).17th Annual Conference of the International Association for Feminist Economics, Torino, Italy.
- Baxter, J., Gray, M., & Alexander, M. (2007, 3–4 December).Working families’ use of child care (PDF 981 KB).. LSAC conference, Melbourne.
- Baxter, J., & Alexander, M. (2007, 11–13 July). Mothers' work-family strain in single and couple parent families: the role of job characteristics and suports (PDF 467 KB). Australian Social Policy Conference 2007, University of New South Wales, Sydney.