Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-132). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

This thesis deals with an implementation of a new public policy tool - child care in the children's group - particularly it examines its origin, evolution and the reasons for its implementation. As the "Children's Group Act" became a new form of the childcare (in the Czech Republic), my participation in the legislation process of the bill adoption served as a motivation for the topic selection of this thesis. The opening part introduces the topic, specifically it studies the past and the present childcare system within the current area of the Czech Republic. Further it acquaints us with tools and remedies allowing for a greater harmonization of a family and work life of parents of infants. In other words, there are discussed theoretical concepts of a private work life harmonization of parents and concepts of equal opportunities of women and men. Moreover, the thesis introduces participants who were entering the negotiation and the adoption processes of the bill in question, either directly or indirectly. The aim of the thesis is to present a case study that would characterize both, the adoption process of the bill and the participants' determination of the final form of the act.