1. Change the language
- enlarge definition of work to include unpaid care roles, domestic and volunteer roles
- include unpaid work in terms of worker, working mother, working couple to include those who work in the home
- enlarge definition of childcare to include all care of children regardless of identity of care provider
- expand terms of labor force and productivity to include unpaid roles
- expand definition or GDP to include unpaid roles
- changing the expressions elder care and home care to clarify the diversity of options within each category
- change the use of the term ‘costs’ of care to include not just money spent to pay third parties but also costs incurred of providing care in the home – opportunity cost and salary sacrifice, costs of supplies
2. Change the collection of data
- to include care roles in the GDP, in satellite accounts, making it visible in economic tallies, recognizing the contribution that unpaid care roles make to society by money saved not spent on more costly services later
3. Change the tax system
- ensure that government funding for care of the young goes directly to those who need care, without distinction based on location of care, identity of caregiver, gender, age, race, earning style or income of the caregiver, thereby enabling parents and guardians to freely choose among all legal care options, the one they prefer
- provide maternity, paternity and parental benefits based on the fact of maternity and paternity and the need of children for care and not based on paid labor force activity of the caregiver
- ensure that government funding for care of the frail elderly or disabled flows to the care receiver and they can choose care style
- permit income splitting and household based tax
- recognize household members as interdependent and the care provider as a full economic partner in the household both during marriage or cohabitation and in the event of dissolution of marriage
- include unpaid caregiver time as contribution to government pension plans
4. Change the consultation
- ensure that all current and new legislation considers the effect the laws will have on the unpaid care sector
- consult with the unpaid care sector and the home in framing all new legislation that will affect the home
Equality and Caregiving 