Use of informal childcare and decisions on work by income support recipients

With the expected increase in workforce participation of parents on income support it will be important to examine the decisions on the use of child care services and work by income support recipients. Of particular interest is the use of informal care and part-time work, number of hours, times of work, and earnings. The empirical question to be answered is to what extent informal care assist in parents' decision to move from welfare to work or to increase hours of work and if this varies with the age of children, number of children, family type and other demographic and socio economic characteristics.

Funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

The Melbourne Institute contact person for this project is Dr Hielke Buddelmeyer

This project is at the very early stages.