Australian Women Workforce Participation and Childcare from birth to 5 - Essay Example

Formerly developing from feminine labor movements in North America & Europe, female involvement in politics and the labor force provides a great emphasis of IWD (Council of Australian Governments, 2013). The literature review seeks to review current female participation in the Australian workforce. The paper will include peer reviewed studies and an exploration of the popular and the critical view of the topic. This paper further explores the steps by the authorities to support the Australian women in the workforce.

The rate of Australian women’s participation in the workforce has increased rapidly in recent years (Baxter, Renda, & Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2011). Research indicates that women, especially expectant mothers and those with children up to the years of five have had various experiences in regards to working and childcare (Boyd, Walker, & Thorpe, 2013). Many women have found it difficult to work while having small children needing childcare (Broderick, 2012). The difficulties led to parental leaves for expectant mothers in order to have ample time to take care of their children (Walters, & Whitehouse, 2012; Adams, & Security4Women, 2010).

Research further adds that women required the government to cater for paid parental leaves and childcare costs instead of the mothers having to leave their work to take care of the children (Cooklin, Rowe, & Fisher, 2012). The government initiated the Paid Parental Leave (PPL) and child care costs programs meant to support working women while on maternal leaves raising the children following the recommended health and nutrition standards. Unfortunately, not all women benefit from these programs (ONeill & Johns, 2009).

Research also adds that women’s participation in the workforce is not only a barrier to appropriate childcare but also an obstacle to family care