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Reassessing the ‘Social Investment Perspective’ for ‘Inclusive Growth’: Where do Older Workers Fit?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Christopher Deeming  and
Paul Smyth
Christopher Deeming
Affiliation:
School of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Strathclyde, Scotland E-mail: [email protected]
Paul Smyth
Affiliation:
School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The notion of building welfare around work poses fresh challenges from a life-course perspective, where the situation of older workers has largely been neglected by policymakers committed to the ‘social investment perspective’ – typically constructed as a policy paradigm for ‘human capital’ development in children and young adults (Esping-Andersen, 2002). This article seeks to re-focus attention on the policy challenges relating to the needs of older workers within the new ‘inclusive growth’ agendas that seek to advance equitable opportunities for all. Social investment policies pose a range of issues and challenges for ageing populations that are discussed and examined in detail in this article. If social investment policy is to succeed in ageing OECD societies, it will mean broadening the investment perspective to include the (neglected) education and training needs of older workers to ensure that everyone can contribute to and share in economic prosperity.

Keywords

social investmentinclusive growthhuman capitalactive labour market policyageing populations
Type
Themed Section on Policy Responses to Ageing and the Extension of Working Lives
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , October 2016 , pp. 659 - 674
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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