Public Policy

Washington, DC: Center for Economic and Policy …, 2008

Introduction.............................................................................................................................2 Legislative Profiles ....................................................................... ... ... Rebecca Ray is a research assistant at the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR). ... Janet Gornick and John Schmitt ...

2004

Comparative social policy analysis has been shaped by the measurement of policy as a macro phenomenon. However, social policy theories have consistently asserted that policy entitlements vary across class, gender, ethnicity and the life-course. This paper synthesises a number of innovations to produce an approach which allows researchers to explore the policy heterogeneity within populations, across populations and over time. Using the example of maternity and parental leave, policy entitlements are identified through the calculation of financial support an individual would receive if they were to have a child, using a combination of legislative rules with representative survey sample. The results reveal far greater heterogeneity in policy entitlements than existing indicators suggest, with considerable implications for research on maternity and parental leave. This approach is not limited to maternity and parental leave benefits and demonstrates a way to explore comparative social policy in greater depth and detail.

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, 2022

Early Childhood Policies and Systems in Eight Countries, 2016

2024

This report offers an analysis of the application of the ILO (2014) Policy Guidelines on the Promotion of Decent Work for ECE Personnel and provides recommendations for review. It addresses key themes, including the voluntary nature of a commitment level among state and non-state stakeholders, challenges in holding governments accountable without legal obligations, and the difficulties in establishing a standardised and workable monitoring framework. The report highlights the significance of the ILO Guidelines in promoting decent work for Early Childhood Personnel (ECP), while acknowledging the need to address challenges to ensure universal implementation and accountability. The research emphasizes the ongoing global efforts to assess and advance the progress of the ILO Guidelines by Education International, which aligns with the 10th anniversary of promoting decent work for ECP. The significance of non-binding documents, such as the ILO ECE Guidelines, can influence political attitudes toward accountability for implementation. Touseef et al. (2023) discuss how, in nations with a strong cultural emphasis on collective responsibility and societal well-being, even non-binding ILO Guidelines may be more seamlessly integrated into national frameworks. However, in countries with diverse cultural perspectives, the lack of legal obligations might affect political attitudes, creating challenges to integrating the ILO Guidelines with deeply ingrained values. The absence of binding legislation may contribute to a slower progress in implementation, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between cultural contexts, governmental priorities, and international standards to ensure effective integration (Daniell, 2014). This review delves into the complexities of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector, exploring key dimensions and challenges. It addresses the multifaceted nature of ECE, the difficulties in applying standardized ILO Guidelines due to diverse environments, and the impact of public and non- state entities on global and national variations. The review underscores challenges in implementing ILO Guidelines for a diverse ECE workforce, particularly those beyond the reach of unions and, more specifically, teachers’ unions. It also highlights limitations in data and the urgent need for multi-sectoral and integrated data, as well as monitoring and evaluation strategies that are relevant for the complex ECE environment. The intricate interplay of these factors emphasizes the necessity of nuanced approaches for successful Guideline promotion and implementation across diverse regions.

NWSA journal, 2001

NWSA journal, 2001

This article uses data from 2008–10 to analyze parental leave policies in twentyone European countries and their influence on men’s behavior. It examines entitlement characteristics, such as nontransferability, duration, payment, compulsory period, and other policies to assess their effect on the proportion of leave men use out of the total parental leave in each country. The findings, which suggest that a large majority of men take nontransferable and highly paid leave, and a small minority take other types, provide the basis for developing the Parental Leave Equality Index (PLEI). PLEI ranks countries by the degree to which parental leave policies reinforce or diminish the gendered division of labor. Results indicate that although Iceland’s parental leave policies do the most to advance gender equity, no country has equal, nontransferable, and wellpaid leave for each parent. This policy arrangement would be a precondition to men’s and women’s equal participation in childcare.