Lone Mothers, Social Security and the Family in Hong Kong

by Leung,Lai Ching

• ISBN13: 9781840143201
• ISBN10: 1840143207
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-03-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book is the first study with feminist analysis on lone mothers' economic dependency in Hong Kong. The implications of this study are considerable; it challenges both conventional thinking about families and the political and academic debates about social policy.This book sets out to examine the relationship between social security benefits and lone mothers' labour supply in Hong Kong. Two particular aspects of the labour supply behaviour of lone mothers are explored: firstly, the possible effect of social security on lone mothers' employment: and secondly, the knowledge and perception of social security benefits in the decision making processes of lone mothers in relation to taking up paid work. Evidence from this study suggests that there are three structural barriers which hinder lone mothers from taking up paid employment outside their family; inadequate support for child care, the low level of Earnings Disregard Policy which discourages lone mothers living on benefit from being self-reliant and thirdly, the low wages that lone mothers earn in the labour market.

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figure	vi
Exchange Rate	x
Acknowledgements	xi
Introduction	1	(4)
Social Security and Work Incentives	5	(22)
Women's Economic Dependency and the Labour Market	27	(24)
Women and the Family Change	51	(16)
Lone Mothers in Hong Kong	67	(20)
Research Methodology	87	(12)
Claiming Experiences of Lone Mothers	99	(32)
Lone Mothers and Employment	131	(28)
The Views of Officials	159	(16)
Conclusions	175	(16)
Appendix 1 Interview Guidelines	191	(16)
Appendix 2 Background of Respondents	207	(10)
Appendix 3 Social Security System in Hong Kong	217	(10)
Bibliography	227