Swedish Social Insurance Agency Ann-Zofie [email protected] Work and Parenthood in Sweden...

Swedish Social Insurance Agency

Ann-Zofie [email protected]

Work and Parenthood in Sweden

Ann-Zofie DuvanderStockholm University and




Outline of presentation

• Parental insurance

• Child care

• New reforms

• Conclusion



Parental Benefit

Introduced 1974

Goals:

• Combine family and working life

• Gender equality

• Children’s right to both parents



Parental Insurance

• Pregnancy Benefit

• Parental Leave Benefit

• Temporary Parental Benefit



Parental Leave Benefit

• 240 days for each parent – 480 per child

• 60 days non-transferable

• 390 days income related, 80%

• 90 days flat rate

• Time frame: 8 years

• Flexibility – full / part time



Parental Benefit Days

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1974 1985 1996 2007

Men Women

Women (%)

Men (%)



Why did you share the parental leave as you did? (percent)

Mothers Fathers

Mother’s wish to be home 27 14

Father’s wish to be home 1 6

We wished to share equal 3 4

Mother’s work 7 5

Father’s work 18 21

Economy 25 29

Others reasons 19 22



Percent of all mothers receiving parental leave at the low flat rate (not earnings-related)

Mother’s country of birth Percent

Sweden 3,6

Nordic countries 6,2

EU 15 17,9

Europe outside EU 15 45,7

Africa 62,8

Asia 55,2

North America 33,8

South America 28,2



Temporary Parental Benefit

• Introduced 1974

• Sick children 0-12 years

• 120 days

• Income related compensation

• 10 days – newborn



Temporary parental benefit

• Average 6 days/year• Usually 2-3 years child• 60 or more days/year used for 0.2 % of the

children • 36 % days used by men • 77% new born babies had a father who used

”10 newborn days”



Swedish day care

• Assistance for working parents

• Pedagogic activity

• Guaranteeing social conditions for children in marginalized groups

Expansion mainly in 1970-80s

Goal: All children should be offered place



Childcare participation 2007by children’s age, percent of all children

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years



Age at day care start and preference among parents to children born 1999

0

20

40

60

80

100

9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 39 47

child's age in months

Start

Preference



New reforms 1st of July 2008

• Gender Equality Bonus

• Child Home Care Allowance



Development associated with the Swedish family policy

• High female labour force participation

• High male parental leave use

• High fertility

• Low child poverty



…but Swedish family policy may also lead to…

• Women’s disadvantage in the labour market

• Postponement of childbearing

• Marginalization



Thank you for listening!



Pregnancy benefit

• For women with physically hard work• Can be used 2 last months of

pregnancy• 20% of pregnant women use on

average 40 days• Many women use sick leave or parental

leave during pregnancy



Parental Benefit Number of days

180210

270

360

450

480

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006

Children born from 1995 - 30 days can not be transferred to the other parent.Children born from 2002 - 60 days can not be transferred to the other parent.

Swedish Social Insurance Agency Ann-Zofie [email protected] Work and Parenthood in Sweden...

Documents

Transcript of Swedish Social Insurance Agency Ann-Zofie [email protected] Work and Parenthood in Sweden...