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5D. CHILD CARE
50 IFS (2020), 'Family time use and home learning during the COVID-19 lockdown', available at: https://ifs.org.uk/ publications/15038
51 Confederation Syndicat European Trade Union (2020), 'European Social Partners joint statement on childcare provisions in the EU', available at: https://www.etuc.org/en/document/european-social-partners-joint-statement- childcare-provisions-eu
52 Nendre, see at: https://www.nendre.org/home/ 53 Åland Islands Peace Institute (2009), 'Nendre Lessons Learned', available at: https://peace.ax/en/nendre-
erfarenhetsspridning-89812409-en/
Childcare remains an integral part of parents ability to balance the tasks involved in parenthood and paid employment. The EIGE Gender Equality Index from 2021 in the domain of time reveal that women are still disproportionately burdened by household work and childcare, a fact that was only intensified by the pandemic50, and is explored in more depth in chapter 4E of this report.
The unequal distribution of paid and unpaid work among parents is a result of traditional gender roles where men s participation in the paid labour market is an expected fact, whereas women are expected to do the majority of unpaid work. According to the European Union Labour Force Survey, parenthood in general reduces employment possibilities for women, while the opposite is true for men. Only in Denmark and Slovenia is parenthood associated with a small increase in employment for women. Thus, municipal programmes that increase the availability of quality childcare, in particular to families who struggle to pay for private childcare, is not only a way to address socio-economic inequalities but also supports women s financial independence and labour market participation. This is especially relevant
for lone parent families, families without support systems, migrants and refugees, and parents of children with disabilities or with special needs. Childcare arrangements, in addition to supporting parent participation in the labour market, also foster children s development. Good quality early childhood education with well qualified, diverse staff aware of gender norms increases community well-being and reduces future costs to public health, education and crime prevention. The quality of childcare is also very much determined by those that work in the sector. Men are underrepresented in the childcare sector, which contributes to gender stereotypes regarding gender roles in the labour market as well as in society more broadly51. It is important to ensure that workers have the appropriate level of qualifications, good working and remuneration conditions, professional development paths, and that the value of the sector, including the educational value, is well recognised. These aspects are important in attracting and retaining staff and providing quality of service and can be influenced by municipal and national policies.
Gender Equality in Preschool Curricula [Vilnius, Lithuania]
The non-profit kindergarten Nendre, located in Vilnius (Lithuania), was established in 1998 in one of the most marginalised neighbourhoods in the city. The kindergarten is a pioneer in gender mainstreaming in early education52 and one of the first organisations in Lithuania to adopt the Equal Opportunities Methodology in working with children and youth.
Their work with the children in their care, who range from 3 to 6 years old, encourages them to engage in all types of activities, not only those stereotypically assigned to their gender. Staff are engaged in a long-term process of self-reflection and analysis about their communication and work towards gender equality. The spaces, activities and learning materials in Nendre are designed to be gender neutral and free from prejudices and gender stereotypes. The project was seen as so innovative that it was the focus of a knowledge sharing and capacity building project by the Åland Islands Peace Institute in Finland, which was able to transfer Nendre s experiences of social work among marginalised social groups including a specific focus on gender equality to organisations in Russia and Belarus53.
Case Study
