Volume 22 - Article 34 | Pages 1057–1096  

Understanding the long term effects of family policies on fertility: The diffusion of different family models in France and Germany

By Anne Salles, Clémentine Rossier, Sara Brachet

Abstract

European countries in which mothers are encouraged to remain in the labour market have higher fertility levels. It is difficult, however, to link specific policies to fertility increases. We hypothesize that policy changes do not affect fertility decisions in the short term as long as external childcare is not seen as an acceptable option, although policy does have an impact upon childcare attitudes in the long term. Using a comparative qualitative approach, we find that attitudes towards childcare are strikingly different in France than in Western Germany, reflecting long-standing policy orientations. Attitudes act as an intermediate variable between access to childcare and its use in both countries, and are strongly homogenous within countries.

Author’s Affiliation

• Anne Salles - Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris 4), France EMAIL
• Clémentine Rossier - Université de Genève, Switzerland EMAIL
• Sara Brachet - Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED), France EMAIL

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