This article reviews Swedish family policy from a gender equality point of view. Family policies and gender equality policies in Sweden are not two separate entities, but are closely interwoven and constructed to mutually support each other. Swedish family policy comprises three parts: 1) child and family benefits, 2) parental insurance, and 3) high quality day-care, which are discussed in the paper. Back-ground information on the societal context of Swedish families is also provided. It is argued that gender-equal family policy in Sweden has been successful, both in promoting a gender-equal society, in keeping up the birth rate and in providing support for families and children.only subscribers can see the full article

Sweden has a well-developed system of long term care, based on taxfunded services that are mainly publicly provided. This system has changed significantly in the last few decades. Following the way in which the policy agenda is structured in Sweden, this paper focuses on elderly care, but some of the key interactions between the disability and elderly care systems are discussed, as well as the boundaries between elderly care and health systems. The main trend in provision of elderly care has been, counter to most other European countries, reduced expenditure and coverage of services, but also a very low and falling coverage of cash benefits for family carers. As a consequence of this trend, there has been an off-loading to unpaid family care (informalisation) as well as to privately financed and privately provided market care (marketisation).only subscribers can see the full article

The essay analyses men’s and women’s choices in the labour market and care work in different national contexts. Starting from the prem-ise that there is an ongoing change in the condition of parenthood and fatherhood, the analysis considers the differences between Euro-pean countries in the compatibility between work and care of children both for men and women, and particularly men’s capabilities and right to care work. The article considers in detail proactive policies that encourage men to increase their care work concentrating on parental leave in Sweden.only subscribers can see the full article