| Abstract [eng] |
The last decade most of the developed countries are facing low fertility, high unemployment rates of young mothers with small children. On the other hand employers are avoiding applying more flexible working time arrangements. In the context of Lithuania, first of all there is a shortage of childcare facilities, lack of more flexible working arrangements and other problems. Taking all these issues into account, countries increasingly focus on one of the most important family policies, i.e. family – friendly policy development, improvement of ability to reconcile family and working life. Scientific problem of this research can be defined by the following questions: How parents with juvenile children evaluate family friendly measures in Lithuania? How and why men and women choose / not choose to take parental leaves? What suggestions for improvement we can formulate for a family – friendly policy development in Lithuania? Purpose of this thesis is to disclose the effectiveness of family friendly policy implementation based on the attitudes of the parents with juvenile children, attitudes of experts in family friendly policy. The research goals are the following: 1) to describe the concepts family and family friendly policy; 2) to characterize support for family in the context of the welfare states regimes; 3) to analyse family social support system in Lithuania; 4) to prepare qualitative research methodology; 5) to carry interviews with parents with juvenile children, attitudes of experts on family friendly policy; 6) to present conclusions and recommendations for the improvement family and working life reconciliation. The research results revealed that there are no considerable differences in both parents and expert’s attitudes towards family friendly policy in Lithuania. Both tend to criticize Lithuanian family friendly policy and indicate more disadvantages than advantages. The results revealed, that due to attitudes expressed by the informants, state should ensure adequate benefits and other social assistance means for families with young children; improve existing maternity, paternity and parental leave schemes, the legal basis; to increase public attention and subsidies to young families by helping to purchase real property; to establish more free future parents education centres. Research methods: analysis of scientific literature, statistical data analysis, qualitative survey (individual interviews), expert’s interviews. |
