Nursery World - To the point... (79)

Our weekly columnist Beatrix Campbell notes a study suggesting that childcarers are exploited by parents working long hours Britain's premier researcher into how men, women and children spend time with each other has come up with a challenging prognosis for the future of adults' relationship to children's time. Professor Jonathan Gershuny has been studying the ways that work, skill and the gender division of labour have been changing since the 1960s.

Britain's premier researcher into how men, women and children spend time with each other has come up with a challenging prognosis for the future of adults' relationship to children's time. Professor Jonathan Gershuny has been studying the ways that work, skill and the gender division of labour have been changing since the 1960s.

There's been a dramatic reversal. The lower skilled working class have historically worked the longest hours, and leisure was the badge of the upper classes. Now, says Gershuny, 'busyness' is prized. Our labour market is polarised between the people with 'human capital' - the university educated with special skills to sell, who are working the longest hours, and the least skilled, who are often 'time rich' and underemployed. They're poor, and they are increasingly marginalised.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included