FLOWS: The impact of local welfare systems on female labour force participation and social cohesion

Start date: 1 September 2011
End date: 31 March 2014
Funder: EU Framework 7 Science in Society
Primary investigator: Sue Yeandle
Co-investigators: Victoria Joynes (2011-13), Dr Erika Kispeter (UK team)

This major European study was led by Prof. Per Jensen at the University of Aalborg and was a partnership project involving 11 EU states.

The partners studied women’s labour force participation, local welfare systems and social inclusion in a selected city in each country with CIRCLE studying the city of Leeds.

The project analysed how local provision affects the labour market participation of women and how female employment affects the life-course (of women and men), impacts on structures of inequality and social cohesion.

At CIRCLE, the project was led by Professor Sue Yeandle and involved:

detailed analysis of statistical data on the Leeds economy and the gendered effects of the financial and economic crisis
description and analysis of national and local policies relevant to childcare; caring responsibilities and lifelong learning
interviews with people involved in providing jobs, training and support services in Leeds
a survey of 800 women resident in the Leeds area completed in 2012

Project Publications

Yeandle, S. and Joynes, V. (2012) ‘Challenges in combining work and care: evidence from investigating women’s work in Leeds’ in Local Economy. Special Edition: Women and the Local Economy December 2012 Vol. 27 pp 816-830.

Exploring the impact of local welfare systems on female labour force participation and social cohesion in Leeds: This policy brief document provides initial messages and key observations from the results of the FLOWS study into women’s labour force participation, local welfare systems and social inclusion.

Work, Care, Welfare & Women: This policy brief looks further into the results of the FLOWS project to pinpoint policy issues arising from the results of this study of local welfare systems and the impact they have on women balancing work and care.

Work, Care, Welfare & Women: a Care-Connect Policy Alert. The Policy Alert is based on discussion at a November 2013 Care-Connect Round Table with policymakers, representatives from the voluntary, education, training and skills sectors and commissioners of care services in Leeds.

Kispeter, E and Yeandle, S (forthcoming, 2015) ‘Local welfare policies in a period of rapid change in Leeds – Centralised governance’ in Kutsar, D and Kuronen, M (eds.) Local Welfare Policy Making in European Cities, Springer.