Gender inequalities in the home-care-services: policies, discourses and practices

Abstract

Through the Spanish law on dependency of 2006, public care services have
been encouraged in order to face social needs, which, at the same time, have lead to
the generation of employment. Caregiving in this context has become an occupational
sector characterized by its feminization and job insecurity. A sector, that, in accor-
dance with the privatisation trend of public services, sees private organizations becom-
ing the main employers in that field. Gender stereotypes are reproduced in many of
these working environments, where mainly women are hired and where the few male
candidates face restraints when accessing these occupations. This article analyses the
discourse and practice of agents who work in the management of home-care-services
(organizations and municipal social services), in order to know the cultural divides
and opportunity barriers that hamper gender equality in those services. The metho-
dological strategy used is based on the analysis of qualitative interviews made to ca-
regiving facility managers and on observations made in different public services and
private organizations.