What Drives National Differences in Intensive Grandparental Childcare in Europe?

<span class="paragraphSection"><div class="boxedTextSection"><div class="boxTitle">Research Problem</div>Grandparents play an active role in the lives of their grandchildren, with around half of grandparents across 10 European countries having looked after at least one of their grandchildren in the preceding year without the presence of their parents. Nevertheless, there are striking national differences in the frequency of grandparental childcare with grandparents in Southern European countries more likely to provide childcare almost daily (see <a href="#F1" class="reflinks">Figure 1</a>). This study asks whether cross-national variation in patterns of intensive grandparental care in Europe can be explained by national demographic and socioeconomic differences between individuals, or whether structural and cultural factors are more important.Figure 1.Percentage of grandparents looking after grandchildren by frequency and country. <span style="font-style:italic;">Source:</span> SHARE, 2004/2005. Weighted Data. For those grandparents who provided care for more than one grandchild, the highest frequency of care is considered. Own calculations.<div class="boxTitle">Data and Methods</div>This study used cross-national data from 10 European countries using the 2004/2005 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We analyzed grandparents aged 50 and older with adult children living in a separate, private household, and with at least one grandchild younger than 16. Using multilevel logistic regression modeling, we examined the extent to which variation in intensive grandparental childcare (defined as looking after grandchildren almost daily or at least 15hr each week) can be attributed to country-level variations in individual-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, or national-level female labor force participation, childcare provision, and cultural attitudes.</div></span>

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