UK ranks 28th in UNICEF study of family friendly policies in wealthy countries

Date: 15th July 2019
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

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A study from Unicef argues children get a better start in life and parents are more able to find the right balance between work and private life in countries that have family-friendly policies.

In the study, 41 high- and middle-income countries were compared (including the 28 EU member states). The report looked at four factors:

1. the duration of paid leave available to mothers
2. the duration of paid leave reserved specifically for fathers
3. the share of children below the age of three in childcare centres
4. the share of children between the age of three and compulsory school age in childcare or preschool centres.

The study finds that some of the world’s richest countries fail to offer comprehensive solutions for all families. The Unicef study concluded ​​Sweden (1^st), Norway (2^nd) and Iceland (3^rd) have the most family-friendly policies. Meanwhile, the UK was ranked in 28^th place, making it the third lowest ranking EU member state.

• Read the full report here