Australian women make decisions about returning to paid work and care for their child within a policy environment that presents mixed messages about maternal employment and childcare standards. Against this background, an investigation of first-time mothers' decision-making about workforce participation and childcare was undertaken. Four women…

Labour force participation maybe particularly problematic for single-mothers. By working, mothers increase their family's financial capital and consequently make more money available for educational resources. However, employment often results in the parent having less time to interact with their child and participate in school activities. This is…

This paper examines three periods in the history of child care: nineteenth-century creches, World War II day nurseries, and the 1970s Community Child Care movement. It argues that, in each of these periods, the services were shaped by three sets of competing interests: those of the mothers who needed or wanted to work; their children; and the…

Based on a survey of legislation relating to full-day care for preschool children of working mothers and a study of records, this report: (1) covers the number of registered child care centers in Australia and the number of children being served, (2) sets the conditions applying to registration of centers, (3) indicates the extent and levels of…

Due to the entry of large numbers of married women, the female work force in Australia has grown greatly and continues to grow at a faster rate than the male work force. With the increase of working mothers, communities and industry need to consider child care centers for young children, after-school and holiday projects for school-aged children,…

Of major importance to many married women seeking employment in Australia is the availability of part-time work. To describe the economic aspects of part-time employment for women, a review was made of statistics published by the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics and of research on part-time employment in overseas countries, and a…

Describes derivation and use of an index representing mothers' attachment to workforce, based on proportion of time the mother worked since her first child was born. Examines relationships with the mother's work status and with demographic characteristics. More education and smaller family distinguished between women's high versus low work…

This anthology contains 22 articles published in the "International Labor Review" between 1996-2000 on many dimensions of women, gender, and work. Part I is an introduction called "Women, Gender, and Work--An Overview" (Martha F. Loutfi), sets the framework in terms of the value of work, rights, and goals. Part II on concepts…