ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the relationships between ideas and realities for the dual breadwinner family in Sweden from the perspective of gender and class. The development of the welfare state is closely linked to female employment, not only in Sweden but also in the other Scandinavian welfare states. Women and men in Sweden are highly segregated on the labour market. The pedagogical goals of childcare in Sweden emphasized the social aspects of care, social integration and various aspects of social training. The Swedish model has been classified as a "Social democratic regime" linked to an "Equal status contract" based on the idea that both women and men should have equal status on the labour market, in family life and in political life. The development of the labour market will be crucial for the future of the functioning of the Swedish model.
