Combining work and family life in slovenia: An ethic of care perspective for normative policy analysis

Taking the ethic of care perspective, the paper deals with the way in which Slovenian family policy conceptualises the relationship between family and work responsibilities. While Slovenian family policy seems to be modern as far as recognition of heterogeneity of family life and promotion of equal opportunities are concerned, the approach through the ethic of care reveals several problems, such as the emphasis on the model of the economically independent individual; reduction of care to a child care within the family and omitting other aspects of care (care for elderly, for the self etc.). The analysis of the normative framework of Slovenian family policy shows that special priority in the work-family relationship goes to work, under the assumption that all adults are actively present in the labour force and are capable of taking care of them, while care is needed only by the really dependent people (e.g. disabled, elderly, children). The article ends up with some proposals for improving policy of reconciliation of family and work.