The importance of child day centres in contemporary Maltese society : a case study

Abstract

In the Maltese islands women's participation rate in the labour market has been slowly but surely increasing during these last fifteen years or so. This situation has been a response to economic as well as social and cultural factors. As a result women, especially those who are still rearing young children, are finding it very difficult to combine their work and family responsibilities. Besides other measures, family friendly policies, such as child day centres, in the area of employment are therefore urgently required. This dissertation has tried to analyse what mothers, employed at Zammit Clapp Hospital and who are currently making use of the child day centre being provided by the same organisation, need or expect in order for them to be able to meet both their family and employment commitments, with satisfaction and peace of mind. In addition this dissertation has also very briefly considered the benefits that were gained by Zammit Clapp Hospital as an employer providing such a family friendly policy. Recommendations both for the child day centre in question and for social policy were then proposed, following the analysis of data, in the hope that the situation vis a' vis child day centres in Malta might be improved.