Working Group 1 (WG1)
Theoretical understanding of PPL policies in the context of social sustainability
Challenges of WG1:
With WG1, the Action addresses the current challenge to systemise PPL research employing a social sustainability perspective, which has not yet been done. This overarching and interdisciplinary perspective of PPL policies and PPL policy design as a core dimension of social sustainability aims at enriching recent research on PPL in terms of an explicitly normatively informed perspective to uncover possible dimensions of inequalities arising through PPL policies.
Tasks and Activities of WG1:
- Develop a theoretical framework for PPL and social sustainability.
- Initiate collaboration for a book publication on a theoretical framework for PPL policies and their significance for sustainable societies with chapters provided by various academic disciplines.
- Make a session proposal for an international conference in 2023, together with WG4.
Working Group 2 (WG2)
PPL policies and social inequalities
Challenges of WG2:
With WG2, the Action addresses the dimension of inequalities arising through PPL policy design. One main issue of this WG is to detect the to date understudied dimensions of inequalities arising through PPL policies with an overarching and interdisciplinary perspective on PPL policy as an instrument of social sustainability and to identify key PPL policy design elements that contribute to (in-)equality in societies.
Tasks and Activities of WG2:
- Identify gaps in PPL research regarding inequalities.
- Report these gaps to the other Action members at an Action meeting.
- Produce a report on knowledge gaps in PPL and social inequalities research.
- Organize a Workshop for PhD students.
Working Group 3 (WG3)
PPL policies and their significance for children’s development and well-being
Challenges of WG3:
WG3 corresponds to the past Action A19 ‘Children’s Welfare’, which was dedicated to understanding the relationship between welfare states and children’s rights. The Action expands the findings and discussions of Action A19 by focussing on PPL policy design and its consequences for children’s development and well-being. This focus is innovative and aims at filling a current research and discussion gap.
Tasks and Activities of WG3:
- Contact European child protection / children’s rights organisations and seek collaboration.
- Identify PPL policy design dimensions and characteristics relevant to children’s development and children’s rights.
- Collaborate on a proposal for a research project investigating the significance of PPL for children with members from at least 4 European countries and participation of at least 50% ITCs.
Ongoing activities:
A team of 8 people was put together to develop a research proposal within the framework of WG3. The team represents different research areas and different countries. Some members of ITCs were specifically approached to participate. There has already been a two-day face-to-face meeting (WG3 meeting, May 2024, Barcelona, Spain) dedicated to this project, as well as several online meetings. Research project proposals (for Horizon Europe calls) will be submitted for two calls in spring and autumn 2025. A systematic literature review is currently being prepared by two members of the Action to support the application.
Working Group 4 (WG4)
Sustainable PPL Terminology
Challenges of WG4:
With WG4 the Action brings added value to the harmonisation of PPL terminologies across scientific disciplines and stakeholders. PPL policies have been studied and documented by supranational organisations like the EU, the OECD, the WHO, UNICEF, the EIGE and the ILO or the International Network on Leave Policies & Research. The Action aims at harmonising PPL terminologies used by these organisations and networks to foster a common understanding of the description of PPL in the future. The harmonisation of PPL terminologies is important for the assessment of PPL policy design and the consequences of PPL policies for European societies in international comparison. The Action brings these different networks and organisations together and makes an important contribution to PPL research in and beyond Europe.
Tasks and Activities of WG4:
- Create a comprehensive terminology for PPL policies and their uptake.
- Publication in a Scientific Journal concerning the measurement of PPL in PPL research.
- Create a comprehensive report on PPL policy design elements in European countries.
- Make a session proposal for a sociological conference in 2023, together with WG1
Working Group 5 (WG5)
Sustainable PPL Data
Challenges of WG5:
With WG5 the Action seeks to expand existing European cross-sectional and longitudinal data to include data essential for precise and in-depth PPL research. Thus, the Action ensures the development of data sets towards future challenges. The variety of expertise in the Action ensures the identification of data gaps and the united efforts to overcome these gaps. Filling these gaps is crucial to understanding the effects of specific PPL policy designs for sustainable societies.
Tasks and Activities of WG5:
- Write a short report on currently available PPL data and the PPL data gap.
- Identify stakeholders of quantitative survey data and invite them to the WG5 Workshop.
- Workshop: Methodological challenges in PPL research.
- Develop PPL data enlargement proposals for selected European surveys.
Ongoing activities:
Relevant stakeholders for quantitative survey data were identified by an organizing committee building on established contacts and known policy experts. In October thirteen were invited to participate in the two-day workshop “Methodological Challenges in Paid Parental Leave Research and Policy” (22-23 May 2025) hosted by the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER). Invited stakeholders include: International Network on Leave Policies & Research | ILO | EIGE | OECD, Gender Equality, Child Well-being Data Portal| UNICEF | EU Cohort study | WORLD Policy Analysis Center | Nordic Statistics Database | Eurostat, LFS, Indicators | European Commission JUST-DG3 | COFACE.
WG5 has organized a two-day workshop “Methodological Challenges in Paid Parental Leave Research and Policy (22-23 May 2025) to be hosted by the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER). Invitations have been sent to key stakeholders.
The planned workshop will bring together policy experts from academic, government and practitioner organizations to identify the data needed for a thorough examination of parental leave data and policy outcomes. Workshop participants will share recent progress in filling data gaps, challenges in data collection, and future policy evaluation.