Care Work in Europe: Current understandings and future directionsClaire Cameron and Peter MossWith an aging population, increasing numbers of working parents and growing attention to the rights of children and of people with disabilities, 'care work' is of more political and public interest than ever before.Care Work in Europe provides a cross-national and cross-sectoral study of care work in Europe today. It covers policy, provision and practice, as well as how care work is conceptualised and understood. Drawing on a study that looks at care work across the life course in a number of European countries, this book: Explores the policy context and emerging policy agendas. Provides an analysis of how different countries and sectors understand and structure care work. Examines key issues, such as the extreme gendering of the workforce, increasing problems of recruitment and turnover, what kinds of knowledge and education the work requires and what conditions are needed to ensure good quality employment. Considers possible future directions, including the option of a generic professional worker, educated to work across the life course and whether 'care' will or should remain a distinct field of policy and employment. This ground-breaking comparative study will provoke much-needed new thinking about the current situation and future direction of care work, an area essential to the social and economic well-being of Europe.

It will interest students and researchers of social policy, social work and health studies, as well as childcare and social care policy-makers, trainers and professionals.Claire Cameron is a senior researcher at Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.Peter Moss is Professor of Early Childhood Provision, at Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.Social Work / Social Policy / Health Studies.