Care and other unpaid work provides an important contribution to the welfare of individuals, families and society. Yet in contrast to paid work, participation in these activities and the time people spend on them is rarely measured. While the need for care is universal, labour market trends and demographic trends have changed the shape of these demands. For example, increased life expectancy increases the need for care of older people, while growing female participation in employment over the last two decades in Ireland has altered the availability of someone in the home to provide care. The division of paid and unpaid work is strongly gendered, but comparative analysis shows how the extent of gender equality in unpaid work varies across countries and is influenced, in part, by the policy configuration in place. Comparative studies suggest that Ireland is closest to the ‘modified male breadwinner’ policy regime, where there has been a shift from the traditional male breadwinner approach, particularly in terms of women’s increased participation in paid work. However supports for caring are comparatively low; combining paid work and caring remains challenging; and policies to encourage men to take on caring responsibilities are underdeveloped
