Browsing by Subject "työssäkäyvät vanhemmat"

The goal of the study is to examine the experiences of parents' in arranging childcare outside of their work hours. The study investigates what kind of needs the families with small children have for child care during other times than work hours when the care is provided by others than family members themselves. Additionally, the research finds out what the childcare network consists of, and how parents experience asking for and receiving help. The group covered by the study was confined to families with two parents, in which both parents are either in work life or full-time students. The subject of study was chosen based on personal experiences and topical discussions. There exists a clear need for help in child care, but the networks of families are insufficient. On the other hand, society does not offer explicit services that would contribute to the arranging of help in childcare matters. The empirical portion of the study consisted of half-structured interviews of 13 mothers of families with small children. The participants of the study had 1-5 children and lived in the same household together with their spouse and children. The research is a qualitative case study. Analysis has been conducted by theming. Immediate relatives are the most significant provider of childcare outside of working hours of the studied families. It is the easiest to approach one's parents' and subsequently one's siblings to help with childcare. Also friends were found to provide help occasionally, but the families did not want to bother their friends with their needs for help. Some of the interviewed mothers experienced that only the parents and siblings were potential sources of help. In addition to biological relationship, also an emotional closeness, geographical distance and the potential helper's situation in life were considered meaningful for a childcare relationship to emerge. In an optimal environment, parents would receive help with childcare much more often than what was available during the time of the interviews. The most essential reason for the need was to enable the parents to have their own time and time as a couple. Hiring a helper to come to the home was seen as the optimal alternative, for this would reduce the feeling of bothering someone as well as reduce the feeling of debt of gratitude. Nevertheless, finding and hiring caregivers was seen to be laborious. The use of hired childcare help ought to be made simpler and services should be better made available to families with children.