Economically inactive mothers and the use of free child care services in Malta

Abstract

Over the past years, Malta’s female labour supply increased, however, female participation in Malta remains much lower than that of males, and is one of the lowest when compared with other EU countries. Throughout the years the role of the woman in Malta has been mainly bound to the household and the care of her children. The traditional family model required women to leave employment upon marriage and take care of the home and children while be solely dependent on their husbands. Until recently the Maltese society used to view the women's position in the family. This has held back highly skilled females from embracing a career and a family. These characteristics are potentially presenting a hostile environment for Maltese women to engage in the labour market despite several incentives. The aim of this qualitative research is to evaluate the relation between the low female participation rate in the labour market and their family responsibilities. It also seeks to identify if free of charge childcare services provided by the government give a solution to this problem. Despite the fact there are free childcare services being offered, the research seeks to find the reasons behind why women still choose to remain inactive as far as employment is concerned. The findings of this qualitative research were based on the information retrieved from interviews with seven different respondents. This study was carried out to evaluate if free of charge and good-quality childcare services can improve the reconciliation of work and family life and thus foster labour market participation and gender equality. It is also important to investigate if cultural norms could also influence the demand for childcare services.