The free childcare scheme : analysing the implications on the Maltese accountancy profession

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the Government policy of free childcare facilities with respect to the Maltese Accountancy Profession. In particular, the study analyses the implications of such policy on accountancy professionals and on the labour turnover of Maltese accountancy firms. Design: The convergent parallel design was followed for the first objective. A questionnaire was distributed to accountancy professionals, while eight semistructured interviews were conducted with accountancy professionals benefiting from the Free Childcare Scheme. A qualitative design was adopted for the second objective; whereby nine semi-structured interviews were held with Maltese accountancy firms. Findings: The availability of free childcare facilities assists accountancy professionals in their professional lives, but not on its own. Flexible working arrangements and informal childcare arrangements were found to be important requirements for accountancy professionals to achieve a work-life balance. Family responsibilities cannot be considered as the sole and main determinant of labour turnover. In fact, the Scheme did not contribute to significant improvements in labour turnover of Maltese accountancy firms. Accountancy professionals with financial commitments and/or career aspirations would have still returned to work after childbirth; irrespective of the Scheme. Nonetheless, the Scheme has reduced the financial burden on Maltese accountancy firms which contributed towards their employees’ childcare costs. Conclusions: The Scheme with flexible and informal arrangements assist accountancy professionals not to interrupt their career during the childrearing period. This is of utmost importance in the Maltese Accountancy Profession as professionals can keep abreast with the continuous changes in rules and regulations governing the profession. Thus, the Scheme indirectly affects labour turnover of Maltese accountancy firms as it complements family-friendly measures offered by employers to encourage employee retention. Implications/Value: This study seeks to shed light on the change in childcare responsibilities from the traditional cultural values, which allows dual-career families to have both a career and a family.