Investing in care: Recognising and valuing those who care
The Australian Human Rights Commission is focused on addressing
sex discrimination and promoting gender equality in Australia – and
ensuring the economic and financial security of all women.
The Investing in care: Recognising and valuing those who care
report examines the impact of unpaid caring responsibilities on
workforce participation and retirement incomes and savings.
sex discrimination and promoting gender equality in Australia – and
ensuring the economic and financial security of all women.
The Investing in care: Recognising and valuing those who care
report examines the impact of unpaid caring responsibilities on
workforce participation and retirement incomes and savings.
Background
In 2009, the Commission examined the gender gap in retirement savings
in the report, Accumulating poverty? Women’s experiences of inequality
over the lifecycle. The report identified three strategies to redress women’s
disadvantage in the current retirement income system including recognising
and rewarding unpaid caring work in the retirement income system.
in the report, Accumulating poverty? Women’s experiences of inequality
over the lifecycle. The report identified three strategies to redress women’s
disadvantage in the current retirement income system including recognising
and rewarding unpaid caring work in the retirement income system.
The research aims to expand on the findings made in the Accumulating poverty?
report by:
Examining the nature of unpaid caring work in Australia and the barriers it report by:
creates for women’s equal participation in the workforce;
Identifying and analysing the different models and measures of valuing
unpaid work and assessing the possible impact of such measures on the
gender gap in retirement savings; and
Identifying and assesses the contemporary mechanisms in the workplace
that support caring work.
responsibilities including caring. Introducing mechanisms like carer
assessments to determine a carer’s support needs and carer cards for
accessing services and entitlements which would allow unpaid carers to
participate in society on a more equal footing.
Research Partners
The Australian Human Rights Commission engaged the Social Policy
Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of NSW to undertake the
research. The SPRC conducts research on all aspects of social policy
and contributes to policy development and evaluation.
Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of NSW to undertake the
research. The SPRC conducts research on all aspects of social policy
and contributes to policy development and evaluation.
Why recognise and value unpaid carers?
There are nearly 5.5 million unpaid carers between the ages of 15 to 64 years
in Australia.[1] They can be divided into two main groups - parents (who include
biological, step, adoptive, or foster parents, and grandparents or guardians
with caring responsibilities for a dependent child); andcarers (who include
people caring for a family member or friend with disability, chronic illness or
frailty due to older age).
in Australia.[1] They can be divided into two main groups - parents (who include
biological, step, adoptive, or foster parents, and grandparents or guardians
with caring responsibilities for a dependent child); andcarers (who include
people caring for a family member or friend with disability, chronic illness or
frailty due to older age).
In Australia, it is more common for women to provide care in all age groups
between the ages of 18-74. Women are also more likely than men to have
care responsibilities involving greater time and intensity. In the 15-64 years
age group 72.5 per cent of primary carers were women.[2] As women undertake
the largest share of unpaid caring work, the undervaluing of unpaid caring work
has had the greatest impact in economic terms on women’s retirement income
and savings.
between the ages of 18-74. Women are also more likely than men to have
care responsibilities involving greater time and intensity. In the 15-64 years
age group 72.5 per cent of primary carers were women.[2] As women undertake
the largest share of unpaid caring work, the undervaluing of unpaid caring work
has had the greatest impact in economic terms on women’s retirement income
and savings.
Average (mean) superannuation payouts for women just over half (57%) those
of men.[3] While this gender gap is also the result of gender inequalities over a
lifetime, a significant contributor to the gap is reduced workforce participation
due to unpaid caring work. Women who are unpaid carers have considerably
lower rates of employment and are more likely to work in part-time and casual
jobs. Less than 23 per cent of female primary carers were in full-time employment
at any point across the age groups. [4]
of men.[3] While this gender gap is also the result of gender inequalities over a
lifetime, a significant contributor to the gap is reduced workforce participation
due to unpaid caring work. Women who are unpaid carers have considerably
lower rates of employment and are more likely to work in part-time and casual
jobs. Less than 23 per cent of female primary carers were in full-time employment
at any point across the age groups. [4]
Unpaid care work is essential to families and communities and a
valuable part of Australia’s social and economic fabric.
Meaningful recognition of the importance of unpaid care work to
society as a whole, is vital to the well-being and quality of
life those who receive care and those who provide it. Investing in care
will also help to generate significant social and economic benefits,
including ensuring quality care is accessible, generating greater efficiency
and productivity in businesses, improving gender equality and increasing
the workforce participation and financial security of unpaid carers.
valuable part of Australia’s social and economic fabric.
Meaningful recognition of the importance of unpaid care work to
society as a whole, is vital to the well-being and quality of
life those who receive care and those who provide it. Investing in care
will also help to generate significant social and economic benefits,
including ensuring quality care is accessible, generating greater efficiency
and productivity in businesses, improving gender equality and increasing
the workforce participation and financial security of unpaid carers.
Reform options for investing in care
The research examined models and mechanisms used to valued unpaid care
in 24 countries. Based on the research the report identified a number of potential
reform options for recognising and valuing unpaid caring work.
in 24 countries. Based on the research the report identified a number of potential
reform options for recognising and valuing unpaid caring work.
The report proposes a combination of mechanisms for adoption in Australia,
including:
Strengthening legislation to recognise discrimination based on family including:
responsibilities including caring. Introducing mechanisms like carer
assessments to determine a carer’s support needs and carer cards for
accessing services and entitlements which would allow unpaid carers to
participate in society on a more equal footing.
Ensuring that unpaid carers have the right to request flexible work
arrangements and that employers are obligated to reasonably accommodate
their requests.
does not penalise unpaid carers for engaging in education and training or
participating in the workforce.
that they can maintain their attachment to the workforce while also undertaking
their care responsibilities.
jurisdictions and care sectors to ensure that unpaid carers and those they
care for receive the benefits of these services.
unpaid carers undertake their work and care responsibilities.
the age pension and superannuation that is tied to paid work, to account for
the age pension and superannuation that is tied to paid work, to account for
the inequity of retirement incomes and savings that leaves many women in
poverty in older age, especially women who are or have been unpaid carers.
Download
The Investing in care: Recognising and valuing those who care report
comes in two volumes:
comes in two volumes:
Volume 1 outlines the main findings of the research;
Volume 2 contains technical papers on specific aspects of unpaid care.
There is also a Community Guide which summarises the issues and
options for reform.
options for reform.
The Commission has also produced Supporting carers in the workplace:
A toolkit. The Toolkit provides practical examples of mechanisms that
workplaces can use to support unpaid carers and help them to meet their
caring responsibilities.
A toolkit. The Toolkit provides practical examples of mechanisms that
workplaces can use to support unpaid carers and help them to meet their
caring responsibilities.
Volume 1: Research report
Volume 1: Research report
[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers,
Australia 2009, Basic CURF, Version 3, CD-Rom (2009). Findings based on
SPRC’s analysis of ABS CURF data.
Australia 2009, Basic CURF, Version 3, CD-Rom (2009). Findings based on
SPRC’s analysis of ABS CURF data.
[2] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Caring in the Community, Australia,
Catalogue no. 4436.0 (2012), p 21, Table 8. At http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4436.02009?Open
Document
(viewed 14 September 2012).
Catalogue no. 4436.0 (2012), p 21, Table 8. At http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4436.02009?Open
Document
(viewed 14 September 2012).
[4] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Surveys of Disability, Ageing and
Carers (SDAC);Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population
and Housing (from 2006 onwards).
Carers (SDAC);Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population
and Housing (from 2006 onwards).
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