Abstract
Norway has an advanced welfare system that aims to ensure the equality and well-being of its citizens. The United Nations Human Development Index has for the past ten years ranked Norway as “the best country to live in” (United Nations 2012).1 National and international media celebrate Norway as the “professional women’s paradise” (Bergens Tidene 2008) and “the best place to be a mother” (Save the Children 2012); universal kindergarten coverage, generous parental leave schemes and a family-friendly labor market enable the reconciliation of work and family life. Despite the existing flexible welfare arrangements, an increasing number of Norwegian families are turning to private solutions and hire au pairs to assist them in childcare and housework. As a result, Norway has, since the beginning of 2000, become a receiving country for au pairs from around the world.
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© 2015 Mariya Bikova
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Bikova, M. (2015). Au Pair Arrangement in Norway and Transnational Organization of Care. In: Kontos, M., Bonifacio, G.T. (eds) Migrant Domestic Workers and Family Life. Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137323552_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137323552_3
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