Economics Seminar: Solving the Care Crisis with Public Investment

Title:

Solving the Care Crisis with Public Investment

Abstract:

Care needs keep growing, for early years and for middle and later life. Users, providers and governments agree that the present system is overwhelmed. But efforts to ‘fix’ care are constantly stalled by arguments over who should pay, and sidelined by bigger crises over health, environment and employment. In this seminar, Dr Jerome de Henau, Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University, will present research showing that greater public investment in care can complement other urgent policy objectives. Analysis of care’s role in the economy, and micro-simulations for the UK, show that a large rise in care spending can be self-sustaining through its job creation and employee mobilisation. Solving the care crisis is part of the solution to – and not a distraction from – other global challenges of poverty, inequality and environmental sustainability.

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About the speaker:

Jerome de Henau is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University, principal investigator on international projects for organisations including the ILO and FEPS, and co-chair for policy on the Women’s Budget Group.

About the discussant:

Mary-Ann Stephenson is Director of the Women’s Budget Group, and a member of the Women’s National Commission.