Heng-Hao Chang

Difficulties of care–work reconciliation: Employed and nonemployed mothers of children with intellectual disability

Abstract Background Whether employed and nonemployed mothers of children with intellectual disability (ID) have different experiences with reconciliation between care and work has rarely been explored. Method A survey was conducted in a county in Taiwan and 487 mothers aged younger than 65 and having a child with ID were interviewed face to face at their homes to explore whether there are different factors related to the reconciliation between care and work among employed and nonemployed mothers. Results Except for the common ground of mothers’ health and care demands, logistic regression revealed work flexibility and care support were important for employed mothers. In contrast, the success of reconciliation for nonemployed mothers was determined by their individual characteristics (i.e., age, marital status, family income). Conclusions Reconciliation policies for mothers with different employment statuses need to use different strategies.

Making Work Fit Care: Reconciliation Strategies Used by Working Mothers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.

BACKGROUND This study explored the experiences of working mothers with an adult child with intellectual disabilities to understand how they reconcile paid work and care responsibilities. METHODS Fifteen working mothers in Taiwan with an adult child with intellectual disabilities were interviewed, and an interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted for data collection and analysis. RESULTS All included mothers prioritized their caregiving role over paid work. The strategies used by these mothers to make paid work fit with caregiving included having strong social networks and informal support for their care work, use of formal services, personal religious beliefs and positive attitudes towards care, as well as having flexible working hours due to self-employment, good relations with employers, working positions and work locations. CONCLUSIONS Formal systems, which include both welfare and labour policies, need to be responsive to and involved in supporting these working mothers, especially those who lack good personal networks.

Working but not employed: Mothers of adults with intellectual disability as hidden workers

Abstract Background Earlier research shows that nonemployed mothers of children with intellectual disability (ID) have lower wellbeing than employed mothers. This study explored why and to what extent these mothers did not participate in the labour market. Method An in-depth interview was employed, and 18 working-age and nonemployed mothers in Taiwan who had an adult child with ID were interviewed in their homes between July 2009 and May 2010. Results The mothers left the labour market at different stages of the family life cycle due to a lack of formal/informal support for the care needs of their young children, and the continuing intensive care needs of their child with ID. Mothers were officially nonemployed; however, to meet their familys financial needs, they were hidden workers in practice. Conclusions Policies are required that support these hidden female workers, who are also lifelong carers, by offering financial support and affordable social services.

Qui s’intéresse aux syndicats ?. Opinion et syndicats à Taiwan (1995-2005)

Cet article analyse l’evolution de l’opinion publique taiwanaise a l’egard des syndicats, en cherchant plus particulierement a determiner quels sont les groupes de population favorables a une plus forte syndicalisation. Nous comparons tout d’abord l’evolution de cette opinion a travers les dynamiques macro-economiques et politiques. A partir de quatre enquetes sur le changement social a Taiwan, realisees entre 1995 et 2005, nous analysons ensuite les effets directs de quatre variables independantes (le sexe, l’âge, l’appartenance ethnique et le niveau d’education) au niveau individuel ou collectif, a court ou long terme. Nous montrons une augmentation des attentes, entre 2000 et 2005, pour une syndicalisation plus forte, ce qui revele une conscience accrue du role des syndicats dans les relations de travail, en particulier dans un contexte de crise economique ou de ralentissement de la croissance.