The right family-work balance is one of the most significant challenges Austrian family policy is currently faced with. It is a priority for young people to have a family whilst at the same time, it is also important for them to advance in their careers. Studies have shown that there is a clear gap between the wish to have children and the actual number of children that are born. Much has been done and achieved in family policies in the past few years to make it easier for couples to make their wishes for children materialise.
A number of legislative measures were taken to improve the balance between family and work, e.g. childcare allowance, which was introduced in 2002. Since January 2010 parents have the choice between two schemes: a flat-rate childcare allowance that they can claim whether they were employed prior to the birth of the child or not and an income-related childcare allowance. The latter is designed to give parents who earn more the opportunity to withdraw from the labour market for a limited period of time to look after their child. Statistics show that since the implementation of the new system the number of fathers who receive the allowance has increased.
Further relevant measures are the crediting of child-rearing periods to pensionable years, more flexible parental leave until the child starts school and the right to part-time work for parents, which was introduced in 2004.
The adequate and flexible provision of child care facilities which fulfil the demands made upon them makes an important contribution to the reconciliation of family life and work. From 2008 to 2010 the Austrian government invested €45 million towards the expansion of childcare services. In 2011 the coalition partners agreed to continue the expansion of childcare facilities - especially for children aged up to three years - via a mix of in-kind and monetary spending. The goal is to create 5,000 additional childcare places annually. To this end, the government will invest €15 million per year until 2014.
To initiate new forms of external child care, innovative providers of child-care are granted special subsidies.
The Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth also subsidises a number of societal and particularly awareness-raising measures designed to support mothers and fathers in their jobs. These include the "Work and Family Audit" which enterprises can run in-house to glean economic benefits from family-friendly measures, or the State Award “Most Family-Friendly Enterprise” in which prizes are awarded to undertakings for their innovative efforts to create women- and family-friendly work environments.
In order to support municipalities to further develop their child- and family-friendliness in their own interests, the "Family-friendly Municipality Audit" was developed.
To meet the special needs and requirements of scientists, university employees and students the "University and Family Audit" was introduced 2011.
The body responsible for the implementation of the Audits and the State Award “Most Family-Friendly Enterprise” competition is the Family and Work Management Ltd.
