Publication

In characterizing the care regime and reconstructing the care diamond in Nicaragua, this paper first presents the general features of the Nicaraguan social policy regime, including changes in social spending, based on existing data sources. Second, using available institutional documentation and secondary sources, it addresses the main components of the social policy regime that relate to care—namely, education, health care, social protection and care services. Third, based on focus groups, it examines the social practices involved in childcare, and relates them to the care diamond by triangulating the qualitative study with the institutional analysis and statistical data on time use studied by Espinosa (2008). Finally, based on these findings, it discusses the nature of the care diamond in Nicaragua.