News of Norway, issue 2, 1999
In Norway, the maternity leave act gives mothers and fathers the option of choosing to stay at home without much loss of pay. A new cash benefit scheme passed in parliament last summer aims to give parents with a child between ages 1 and 3 the option of staying at home longer with some compensation. But does this mean that parents take advantage of this option?
According to Norwegian Minister of Children and Family Affairs Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, it is too early to tell.
"I think that the cash benefit scheme needs to be in place for a while before we will see a pattern," she said. She added that a clearer pattern of how the cash benefit scheme is being used should emerge this fall.
Haugland met with News of Norway during a recent visit to Washington, D.C. Her primary reason for crossing the Atlantic was to attend the National Prayer Breakfast. The aim of the cash benefit scheme isn't just to give parents a chance to stay at home, though it is its main intention, according to Haugland.
In Norway, public day care facilities receive subsidies from the government. Each child attending public day care will receive about $5,000 (36,000 Norwegian kroner) each year in government support paid through the institution.
Haugland said that the cash benefit scheme's aim is to give the same support to parents who choose to stay at home or use other childcare options.
Due to a current day care shortage in Norway, some parents already have had to explore other options without getting compensated. Norway aims to be able to offer every child a day care spot by the year 2000.
The third reason behind the cash benefit scheme is to give parents more flexibility in choosing a childcare option for their children the first few years.
The cash benefit is about $300 a month (2,300 Norwegian kroner). Next year, this will be increased to the originally intended amount of $400 (3,000 Norwegian kroner).
In order for the government to pass the budget last year, cuts had to be made and the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs had to do its share.
Parents of twins receive double support.
The cash benefit is not linked to parents' means nor are they taxed. "It is a universal coverage that is given to all parents independent of their income," said Haugland. "In that respect it has an excellent social profile."
The expected annual cost of the cash benefit scheme is around $378 million. The cash benefit scheme gives parents the option of using part time day care without losing any benefits.
Children who attend public day care facilities full-time (31 hrs. or more) are not qualified for cash benefits. A register has been established that keep track of all children in full-time day care facilities.
To receive cash benefits, you have to live in Norway.
Haugland has by many, including the Norwegian media, been coined the champion of the cash benefit scheme, and this hasn't always been an easy task.
Many would say that gender equality has advanced fairly far in Norway. For years, we had a female Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland, who is now the head of the World Health Organization. The President of the Parliament is a woman, and has been for years. About 40 percent of the representatives in the parliament are women. And overall 72 percent of all Norwegian women ages 25-36 have paid work outside the home (83 percent for men).
Haugland said she thinks that one of the reasons why the cash benefit scheme has drawn so much criticism is that it is a social reform that does not aim to increase the percentage of women working outside the home.
In regards to the criticism that the cash benefit scheme is a set back for women's equality, Haugland said she thinks that linking the politics of women's equality to full-time work, only, is a shallow way to discuss gender equality. She said that whether a woman works outside the home or not, shouldn't be the only measure of a woman's success in regards to equality.
The cash benefit scheme has drawn a lot more controversy than even Haugland expected. Another reason why the political debate around the reform has been so loud, she says, is that it has not been a Labor Party reform.
In the post Second World War area, the Labor Party has introduced a number of social changes the Norwegians are benefiting from today. Many would say that the Labor Party has been crucial in creating the Norwegian welfare society.
Haugland underlined that when talking about the cash benefit scheme, we are talking about children that are under the age of three. Norway already grants mothers the option of taking another year's leave of absence from work without pay.
So the idea of having mothers or fathers stay at home for another year or two is not really that revolutionary.
According to Haugland, the cash benefit scheme was only the natural next step.
Information
The cash benefit scheme
applies to children ages 1-3.
applies to children who do not attend a state supported day care facility full-time but use other day care option.
applies to children who attend a state supported day care facility, but only part time (less than 31 hrs. a week).
gives parents $300 a month, regardless of income or work experience outside the home (will be raised to $400 next year).
pays parents of twins double amount.