'Doing What is Right': Researching Intimacy, Work and Family Life in Glasgow, 1945-1960

Understanding discursive shifts over the twentieth century in relation to family roles, paid work and care is essential to any critical review of contemporary family theory and policies. This paper charts aspects of these shifts. An analysis of case records of the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC), 1945 to 1960 is presented. Based upon these data we reflect upon the construction of the working-class family in the West of Scotland and draw upon one case study to illustrate issues further. This post-war period was one of rapid social and technological change. It is commonly perceived as a period of segregated gender roles, and in the UK a predominant male-breadwinner family model. The RSSPCC case records suggest that family lives and forms, particularly for those on low incomes, were diverse throughout this period. Although prosecutions for cruelty and neglect are dominant in perceptions of the society, most of its work was in material assistance, advice and surveillance. This latter aspect is considered in this paper.Families, Child Protection, Gender, Paid Work, Care

The moral economy of unemployment: working on & participating in the youth training scheme (CO. Durham 1983-1986)

This thesis is concerned with the initiation, development and operation of the Youth Training Scheme (Y.T.S.) in Co. Durham, 1983-86.Employing a multiple strategy of methodology, comprising participant comprehension, questionnaires and interviews with key informants, the changing nature of the school-work transition and local labour markets, is identified in the attitudes and actions of those working on and participating in the Y.T.S. A major focus of the project was the evaluation of the role of the supervisor working on the Y.T.S. The work of the local Accredited Centre (A.C.) charged with training the trainers was examined as was the work of nine supervisors working on eight selected schemes. As a consequence of this the progression of trainees incorporated in the study from the Y.T.S. was analysed. By identifying and analysing the manner in which a number of individuals managed the rapid change brought about by the Y.T.S. the research concluded that the Y.T.S. both perpetuated and created divisions in local labour markets reinforcing the significance of educational qualifications as a predictor of success both on and of the Y.T.S. A hierarchy of schemes evolved with high status schemes being those with prior involvement in recognised and regarded forms of training. It became apparent that the differing market and work situation (Lockwood, 1966, p. 15) of supervisors represented an image to trainees of their future. Ultimately the Y.T.S. must be regarded as the first shift in training policy, introduced by the post 1979 Conservative Governments, marking the beginning of a broader strategy linked to the management of the economy and unemployment. The state took on a major role in stipulating and directing training policy which was organised on a contractual basis locally. Within that strategy it was the individual who was deemed to be culpable for their lack of skills or unemployment. Please note that the names of the Schemes and individuals that participated in the study have been changed

Early to Mid-Career Women Managers : Experiences of Gendered Age, Care and Work

This chapter considers the impact of age together with gender in the working life and career development of early to mid-career women managers. The authors’ analysis of interview data with women managers in Finland and Scotland/United Kingdom found that direct and indirect discrimination intersected across women’s ages and employment sectors, with similar experiences in both countries. Although many organisations profess to be working towards diversity in the workforce, women were regularly dealing with discrimination, based upon their age and gender. Issues included being a woman supervising men, to potentially becoming pregnant, taking maternity leave, becoming a career, and reconciling domestic, family and working life. The day-to-day and longer-term experiences of early to mid-career women are often ignored, taken for granted or considered to be addressed through human resources policies. Thus, in addition to existing legislation and national and organisational policies, there is a need for transparency in pay and in terms of the issues presenting challenges for women’s careers.Peer reviewe

Care Horizons and Career Choices for Women Managers

In this article, we present an analysis of data from four focus groups conducted in Finland and Scotland with women in managerial roles from a range of employment sectors. Increasing longevity has led to burgeoning care needs while necessitating more years in the workplace given financial challenges and career aspirations. We conclude that gendered presumptions about caring, and flexible working, remain prevalent and impact on the life and career courses of women managers. The article contributes to the literature and debates on the ebbs and flows of caring and working across women’s lives.Peer reviewe

Cold winds and warm attachments:Interrogating the personal attachment to neoliberal work and economy

The question of personal attachment to work in neoliberalism is subject to debate. Some scholars postulate that personal attachment to work based on durability, collectivity and predictability is weakening because of changes in its organisation; work ceases to provide the basis of subjectivity and identity. Conversely, others claim work, and neoliberal economic logic generally, pervades ever deeper into our lives, shapes our subjectivity, and incites personal and individualised attachments. This article describes four ways social scientists have understood personal attachments: entrepreneurship discourse; biocracy; approaches emphasising desire, lack and affect; and approaches highlighting the normative justifications and ethics of the self. It interrogates their theoretical underpinnings, empirical focus and points of confluence and difference

Women in management: gender, age and working lives

The project reported in this briefing paper explored how age and gender inter-weave and impact on the working and home lives of women managers working in two EU member states, namely Finland and Scotland. The proportion of women in middle management jobs has increased, but few reach leadership or corporate board positions. There are structural problems, such as omissions in work-life balance, and gendered practices of old boy’s networks and men recruiting men (referred to as homosociality), which pose obstacles for the career progress of women. At the same time, women undertake a large portion of home/unpaid work and organising of family life more generally. This limits the time available to achieve equilibrium between paid work, career development and home life. In many organisations, an ethos of long-hours and a culture of presenteeism* impact negatively on efforts to ensure well-being and career progress. The challenge is how to address the multifaceted nature of gendered practices against the backdrop of ageing workforces and economic downturn

Workplace policies and practices of care

Workplace policies and practices of care are designed to support workers’ caring responsibilities outside of the workplace as well as their general wellbeing. A previous CRFR briefing (McKie et al 2004) detailed the ‘carescapes’ framework for evaluating an individual worker’s caring practices. This briefing looks at how the framework can be extended and used to consider workplace policy, services and structures and how these combine to support care

Veterans and their families

This briefing paper reports on the outcomes of a range of activities undertaken with a number of veterans, veterans’ families, and third and public sector organisations located in Scotland. Our aim was to explore the resettlement experiences of veterans and their families. This work culminated in a workshop with over 30 veterans in June 2011, organised in conjunction with Veterans’ Scotland.1 Participants represented a diverse range of veterans of all ages, services, jobs and experiences, including those who served in conflict and peacekeeping zones from Malaya to the Balkans, the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan sometime between 1950 to 2010. Some participants had been deployed to a zone of conflict and experienced battle or guerrilla and civil conflicts. Others served in technical and logistical jobs in specialist trades and jobs

Understanding and Reducing the Psychosocial Impact of Coronavirus Social Distancing and Behavioural Changes on Families of Care Home Residents in Scotland

Project Report Aims This project examined the impact of social distancing on care home communities as a result of lockdown to minimise threats of COVID-19 with a particular focus on the health and well-being of family carers and investigated measures taken by care home staff to help families to stay in touch with their relatives in care homes. Key findings The Importance of visits: The experience of being unable to visit their loved ones during the pandemic had a negative impact upon the emotional well-being of the study participants. In our interviews, the inability to touch and see their loved ones caused multiple negative emotions. This was supported by the survey data in which 76% of participants gave responses indicating mental distress. Significance of prior trust: The pandemic has heightened the significance of prior trust in care home staff and management, and the importance of frequent effective communication building trust and confidence when relatives are no longer in the building and able to see good practice in action. COVID-19 led to creative changes in care home practices: Care home staff instituted greater pro-active communication with relatives, and staff reported enhanced confidence in their communication with families. Staff also made great use of digital technology to facilitate communication between residents, family carers and themselves. There was a widely expressed belief that many of these changes could be built on to improve care home practices in the future. Maintaining communication is crucial. Analysis from the survey suggests that respondents who felt they were kept well-informed by the care home on average experienced less mental distress than those who did not. Lack of insight into the impact of lockdown on family carers. Most policy makers and leading figures in the sector had a superficial understanding of the impact of lockdown on family carers. In particular, there was little acknowledgement of family carers as partners in providing care and the importance of that relationship to both care-giver and care-receiver. Human rights. There was a widely expressed concern that the human right to a family life had not been adequately balanced against the risks of infection. Impact on marginalised communities. There was a recognition the pandemic has revealed how little we value older people with dementia within our society and the needs of black and minority ethnic communities. National Guidance. The mixed economy of care home providers meant that it was extremely difficult to implement national guidance in a manner which was consistent, equitable and appropriate across the whole sector