Work, leisure and well-being of families with children with disabilities

Abstract In this paper, we examine how parental employment arrangements and household income shape leisure time and well-being in families raising children with disabilities, compared to families with typically developing children. Using newly collected data from Italy in the spring of 2023, we find that parents of children with disabilities are more likely to engage in remote work and reduce their working hours. Despite sharing similar socio-economic characteristics with families of typically developing children, they report less leisure time during work and school weeks, yet exhibit a strong tendency to take summer holidays. The well-being of parents of children with disabilities appears to be tied to opportunities for shared leisure time and the possibility to work.