Hildegard Theobald, University of Vechta

Care responsibility in elderly-, child- or disability care is often allocated to different social sectors – family, state, market, civil society – and their interactions in a welfare mix. Countries differ significantly in the involvement of the different sectors, their importance and their interactions. As a further dimension, country differences in the welfare mix are determined by the institutional embeddedness of the various sectors. A central role in institutional framework conditions is played by social rights for those to be cared for and those providing care. At the same time, transforming processes often refer to individual sectors, their interactions and its institutional embeddedness. The configuration of the welfare mix of care and its embeddedness in institutional regulations will be decisive for its effects on carers and care receivers.

In this session, papers on the welfare mix in elderly-, child-, or disability care will be discussed, which deal with the questions of the organization and responsibility of care, its embedding in institutional framework conditions including social rights and/or the effects also in transforming processes. Theoretically-oriented or empirically-oriented papers can be submitted. The papers can refer to the situation or possible changes in one country or to a cross-country comparison.