The marketisation of care: Rationales and consequences in Nordic and liberal care regimes

The use of markets and market mechanisms to deliver care services is growing in both liberal and social democratic welfare states. This article examines debates and policies concerning the marketisation of eldercare and childcare in Sweden, England and Australia. It shows how market discourses and p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of European social policy 2012-10, Vol.22 (4), p.377-391
Main Authors: Brennan, Deborah, Cass, Bettina, Himmelweit, Susan, Szebehely, Marta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Australia
care markets
Care of the aged
Child care
Child Care Services
childcare
choice
Competition
Discourses
Efficiency
Elder care
eldercare
Empowerment
England
Free markets
History
Liberalization
marketisation
Marketization
Markets
Politics
Public welfare
Services
Social democracy
Social policy
Sweden
Traditions
Welfare
Welfare State
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Summary:The use of markets and market mechanisms to deliver care services is growing in both liberal and social democratic welfare states. This article examines debates and policies concerning the marketisation of eldercare and childcare in Sweden, England and Australia. It shows how market discourses and practices intersect with, reinforce or challenge traditions and existing policies and examines whether care markets deliver user empowerment and greater efficiency. Markets for eldercare and childcare have developed in uneven and context specific ways with varying consequences. Both politics and policy history help to shape market outcomes.
ISSN:0958-9287
1461-7269
1461-7269
DOI:10.1177/0958928712449772