People need care across their life course - but how that care is provided matters profoundly in terms of the experience received and the costs born on those who deliver it. The gendered inequalities in delivering care are pervasive and durable - something the welfare state is intended to address. Critical engagement with the concept of 'family' and institutional settings that provide care are never more important as feminist perspectives continue to further our understanding of the impacts of care divisions formally and informally.

The research we carry out in this section includes analysing gender inequalities in caring in Europe, understanding the risks of for-profit provision of social care services, and evaluating parenting interventions in middle and low-income countries.