Abstract

Despite of European family policies that focus on the reconciliation of work and care, a traditionalisation of parenting roles continues to occur after the transition to parenthood. This paper contains a literature study of institutional changes in European welfare states and of the professional field of health care. What stands out is that previous studies neglect the relationship between national family policy and the role of family professionals. We suggest however that professionals in prenatal and postnatal care are able to influence whether family policy works and how. This will be illustrated with expert interviews and observations in The Netherlands, where most mothers work part time and fathers full time. The Dutch professionals appear to utilize an ideal of shared parenting, however at crucial moments they mostly hold mothers responsible for the child’s interest. In this sense, professionals contribute to the reproduction of traditional parenting roles.

How to Cite:

Veltkamp, G. & Grunow, D., (2012) “Zorgverdeling tussen vaders en moeders: de rol van gezinsprofessionals: Nederlandse situatie in Europese context”, Tijdschrift voor Sociologie 33(3-4), 462–483. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86812