Who Cares?

This book examines the time spent by co-residentfathers on childcare, across the European Unionduring the period 1994-2001. It is argued thatindividual level factors and institutional factorswill both impact on a father's ability to spend asmuch time with his children as he would like to. Thisbook combines descriptive comparison with explanatoryanalyses. Where household data are usedlongitudinally, the basic approach for the analysisis panel data modeling. Estimates show cross-nationalvariation in paternal time and in the proportion ofchildcare done by fathers (as opposed to mothers).Intrinsically linked to levels of paternal time isthe issue of the gender division of labour. Withregard to the latter, the dominant sociological andeconomic theories are particularly interested in explaining how parents combine care and financialduties towards their children. Two competing modelsin this context are those of specialisation andnon-specialisation. Whilst the book routinely observes theemployment of both strategies, the keyfinding is that they are defined not only by themother's financial contribution, but also by thefather's contribution to care.