| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of this study is to investigate whether the European Union Directive on work-life balance for parents and carers, which came into force at the beginning of 2023, has an impact on the ability of parents to reconcile their family and professional roles in Lithuania. To answer the research question, the study examines family policy documents, family models, family policy measures to support the reconciliation of family and professional roles, their implementation, and the challenges parents face in reconciling these responsibilities. The results of the quantitative research revealed that young people are facing conflict between family and work. This finding is also supported by the experts' statement that families face a number of challenges in balancing family and professional roles, such as lack of access to pre-school education, unfriendly perceptions of employers, lack of infrastructure etc. The aims of family policy and their implementation should respond to these challenges. Experts identify the following as the most important: representation of the family voice, assistance to young families, financial support and services for families, and strengthening the family institution. Experts agree that non-transferable period of parental leave are useful for families seeking to reconcile family and professional roles. Nevertheless, there are also weaknesses in the system, the most notable of which is the reduction in the period of parental leave without the use of non-transferable parental months. Experts suggest that, in order to improve family policy and create favorable conditions for reconciling family and professional roles, parental allowance should be increased, tax benefits for families should be applied, access to pre-school education should be improved, flexible forms of work should be expanded, and fathers should be encouraged to get involved in childcare by giving them an additional month of non-transferable period of parental leave after the first two months. The analysis also reveals that one of the biggest shortcomings of family policy in the eyes of the experts is the practical and continuous implementation of the policy. |
