Utilising Migrant Care Workers at Home: The Comparison between France and Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18295
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 80030:Gender studies-related
• Research Institution: Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: MAKI Yoko 上智大学, 外国語学部, 准教授 (50802451)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ケア / 移住女性 / ケア労 / 保育 / 介護 / フランス / 女性の就業 / ディーセント・ワーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the use of migrant care workers in the domestic setting, specifically in childcare and older person’s care within France. The particularity of France is cares in both fields are based on in-home services: The childcare is predominantly provided by childminders and older person’s care is based on in-home support policies.
One significant finding is that physical care to older persons is outsourced to domestic professionals while adult children’s roles transition primarily to emotional supports. Some local scholars argue that this shift does not necessarily indicate a weakening of the parent-child family bond. The study revealed also that both childcare and older person’s care are primarily assumed by migrant women in Paris. In older person’s care, due to its fragmented nature, they often face difficulties in securing decent working conditions. In contrast, childminders benefit from better working conditions because of public intervention among others.

Free Research Field

社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ケア研究においては子ども・高齢者という二つの領域のケアを同時に考察することの必要性が指摘されているが、これら二つを同時に分析射程に入れた研究は乏しい。そのような中、本研究はフランスという、子ども・高齢者へのケアで在宅ケアを旨とする国をフィールドに、両分野を対象としたことで、ケア労働でディーセントワークが可能になる条件についてそのカギとなる要因に接近することができた。さらに、パリを対象に入れたことで、社会・文化資本が乏しい移住女性が、より良い労働環境で比較的高い報酬を得られる例もあること、またそれはいかなる環境の下で可能なのかについて示唆を得た。移住女性のエンパワーメントにつながる知見である。