Welcome!

Purpose

The purpose of this site is to present information on the work-family situation in the Netherlands. It was compiled as a collaborative research project by three undergraduate sociology majors at Tulane University over the course of one semester. Our research is inclusive of reputable sources and the most current data we could obtain, however limited to sources in English. 

Introduction

Topics presented on this website include:  

• Policy
• Employment 
• Childcare
• New Fatherhood 

                                                                                                                                                                                                   Image courtesy of flickr.com

In the past, the Dutch followed a traditional family model, with a male breadwinner and a female homemaker. However, as the European Union began to change into a more women-friendly organization, Dutch policies began to evolve the same way. The Dutch government even adopted a combination model, also known as a dual-earner dual-caregiver model, in hopes of creating a more equitable division of labor for men and women. However, Dutch citizens have turned this idea into their own model: the one and a half earner model. This is where one parent, usually the father, works full-time and the other parent, usually the mother, works part-time.

With the benefits of part-time paid employment, women in the Netherlands have many more opportunities than in the past. Dutch men have also taken a more involved approach to fatherhood. Additionally, the Dutch government has proposed a new childcare system to improve the current problematic system, making childcare more accessible and affordable. 

References:

• Abrahamson, Peter and Cecilie Wehner. 2006. "Family and/or Work in Europe?" Journal of Comparative Family Studies 37(2):153-171.

• Devreux, Anne-Marie. 2007. "New Fatherhood" in Practice: Domestic and

  Parental Work Performed by Men in France and in the Netherlands." Journal of

  Comparative Family Studies 38(1):87-103.

• OECD. 2002. Babies and Bosses: Reconciling Work and Family Life Volume 1
  Australia, Denmark and The Netherlands: OECD.

• Plantenga, Janneke. 2002. "Combining Work and Care in the Polder Model: An

  Assessment of the Dutch Part-Time Strategy." Critical Social Policy 22(1):53-71.

• Stratigaki, Maria. 2004. “The Cooptation of Gender Concepts in EU Policies: The Case of ‘Reconciliation of Work and Family’.” Social Politics 11(1):30-56.