WORKCARE: Social quality and the changing relationship between work, care and welfare in Europe

The Workcare project is funded under the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Commission. 
The research project explores the relationships between, structural changes labour market, demography, welfare and economic policies at the macro level and at the micro level changes in individual orientations to work and care. At the macro level we are concerned to measure the quality of society and at the micro level the quality of life by analysing them in terms of Social Quality in Europe. The project develops an analytical framework that takes into account the orientation, actions, capabilities and satisfaction of actors within the work and care systems in constructing a work-life balance. The project would look at the different actors involved in balancing work and care: the household, individuals and the state. The work would be based on the analysis of relevant indicators from existing sources but would be supplemented by qualitative interviews from five countries: Austria, Italy, the UK, Hungary and Denmark. The project combines policy analysis, qualitative and quantitative research to understand models of change and hence the development of different European Social Models. It contributes to European policy debates by providing a better understanding of the impact of social policies on work and care, the effects of the competing demands of work and care on fertility decisions and the consequences of flexibility and working times on the organisation of work, care and welfare.
The project is co-ordinated by Professor Claire Wallace of the University of Aberdeen.
WORKCARE: Partners
University of Aberdeen (Co-ordination)
Economics University, Austria
University of Roskilde, Denmark
University of Sussex, UK
London School of Economics, UK
Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
TARKI, Hungary
ISCTE Portugal
University of Florence, Italy
Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna