Introduction

This chapter discusses that task construct a series of composite indices on the relative quality of the social rights attached to paid work, care-giving and transitions in each country. It outlines the method of index construction. The chapter examines the index values and country rankings, assessing in the first place, whether the countries within each of the four groupings exhibit similar policy logic. It also examines whether each grouping displays a distinctive policy configuration. The chapter explains whether the index values and country rankings point towards an alternative classification of the twenty countries. It also examines why a typology constructed on the basis of the patterning of lone mothers' activity status and poverty rates appears unable to capture adequately the observed patterns of convergence and divergence in the configuration of social rights attached to paid work, care-giving and transitions. The chapter addresses a number of the limitations imposed on our study by the adoption of a group-by-group approach.