Calculations are based on microdata from the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS), coordinated by Eurofound. The survey aims to represent the population of all residents in a survey country aged 18 or older.
The question considered is question Q37a from the 2012 EQLS survey in the EQLS Integrated Data File, 2003-2012: On average, how many hours per week are you involved in caring for your children or grandchildren outside of paid work? ___ hours.
For each response category, the indicator is calculated as the percentage of persons who answered the question using this response category out of all respondents who were asked to respond to this question. This question was only asked to respondents who answered to the preceding question (Q36a) that they had been involved at least once a week in caring for your children or grandchildren.
The selection of relevant questions from the EQLS surveys to be included in the database was based on the following criteria:
Available flags:
| b | break in time series | c | confidential |
| d | definition differs, see metadata | e | estimated |
| f | forecast | i | see metadata |
| m | imputed | n | not significant |
| p | provisional | r | revised |
| s | Eurostat estimate | u | low reliability |
| x | dropped due to insufficient sample size | y | unreliable due to small sample size |
| z | not applicable |