Grandparental Child Care across Europe

Isabella Buber-Ennser, Wittgenstein Centre (IIASA, VID/ÖAW, WU)

Using recent data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and the Generations and Gender Survey grandparent-provided childcare is studied in 23 European countries. Descriptive and multivariate methods are applied which distinguish between occasional and regular care. Countries are grouped in low, medium and high level of grandmaternal childcare. Provision of childcare is highest in Northern and Western Europe as well as in Russia and lowest in Southern and Eastern Europe. Conditioned on the provision of childcare, Southern and Eastern Europe as well as Russia exhibit the highest, Northern and Western Europe the lowest propensity of regular grandchild care. Eastern European countries are – despite substantial variations – similar to Southern European countries, with low levels of prevalence and high levels of intensity, Estonia being a notable exception. Coresidence, local proximity, labor market participation and age of the grandchild are important predictors for providing grandparental childcare.