Time to Care?: Carework, Gender, and Cash Transfers

Background and Purpose: Unpaid carework is an integral part of what makes us human - a life-sustaining practice that is foundational to society but often invisible in public discourse. ‘Time to Care’ examines the impact of guaranteed income (GI) on economic and time scarcity among unpaid caregivers. The project’s aim is twofold: to identify ways in which GI encourages increased agency and self-worth for caregivers; and to explore the promise of GI as a policy intervention that responds to the needs of caregivers and their families. This research has a critical gender dimension: our sample predominantly consists of women, reflecting the broader population of unpaid caregivers and prevailing societal narratives around carework. Female caregivers in particular experience overlapping time demands within a framework of oppressive gendered expectations.

Methods: We explore the intersection of carework, time use and GI using an innovative mixed methods mobile app. Researchers initially worked with community members to ensure the app was user-friendly and inclusive. The final app included video diaries, voice memos and a time use log. The exercise of tracking time through the app provided space for participants to reflect on their unpaid caregiving as quantifiable labor; the research process therefore served as a consciousness-raising activity. ~150 unpaid caregivers receiving GI across the country took part, completing surveys through the app once a week for four weeks at the beginning of the pilot, and again halfway through the pilot. Researchers used mixed methods to conduct holistic thematic analysis

Results: Data from the app provides insight on dimensions of structural violence for unpaid caregivers. This includes how caregivers navigate the boundaries of unpaid and paid labor; experience conflicting demands on their time; and define time to care for self within an often impossible framework of caring responsibilities. We present ways in which the receipt of GI mitigates or shifts those pressures. Findings illustrate how time afforded by GI can become a tool of resistance, providing space for caregivers to identify, own and act on their own desires. This is of particular note for the female caregivers in our sample, many of whom are mothers, and who operate within multiple gendered and oppressive systems that dictate their decision-making. Findings also suggest that receiving GI may bolster unpaid caregivers’ sense of worth and appreciation. Carework is an intrinsic aspect of our society, yet the contributions of unpaid caregivers are broadly undervalued.

Conclusions and Implications: The paper contributes to research practice, public discourse and policy. Social structures and government policy have evolved without much consideration for family and caregiving responsibilities in ways that pose significant constraints for individual choice. Identifying these tangible and intangible constraints and how GI may or may not mitigate them offers important implications for social work research. It also invites discussion on how government can better support those engaged in critical carework: for instance, investing in social services for individuals and families, like paid leave and affordable childcare, as well as a wider recognition of the value of unpaid labor.