This article reviews Swedish family policy from a gender equality point of view. Family policies and gender equality policies in Sweden are not two separate entities, but are closely interwoven and constructed to mutually support each other. Swedish family policy comprises three parts: 1) child and family benefits, 2) parental insurance, and 3) high quality day-care, which are discussed in the paper. Back-ground information on the societal context of Swedish families is also provided. It is argued that gender-equal family policy in Sweden has been successful, both in promoting a gender-equal society, in keeping up the birth rate and in providing support for families and children.only subscribers can see the full article

Social policy researchers usually agree that the availability of formal childcare has a positive effect on women’s employment. In contrast, the impact of family leave schemes like maternity leave, parental leave, care leave and child allowance schemes on women’s integration in the labour market is a contested issue. While some authors argue that generous family leave schemes provide women or parents of small children in general with the option to maintain links with the labour market even in periods of family care, others think that generous family leave has a negative effect on women’s employment in that it jeopardizes their long-term integration into the labour market. In this paper the author analyses the relationship between the degree of generosity of family leave schemes and the employment rate of mothers with young children in a cross-national perspective. The results suggest that generous family leave schemes in most cases are provided in welfare states with relatively generous family policies that offer parents different options for childcare. only subscribers can see the full article

The essay deals with some family policies in Europe, trying to set them in the debates on the most recent models for welfare states and on the transformation of social risks. In this way it defines the specific features of women’s citizenship and underlines some gaps in the Italian debate on the welfare state.only subscribers can see the full article

The pensioners’ unions Spi-Cgil, Fnp-Cisl and Uilp-Uil have decided to promote an act on non self-sufficiency. The reasons for this choice stem from the need to prevent, contrast and accompany this phenomenon which is on the rise, involving more than 2,800,000 Italian citizens and their families. The national government has not yet provided a suitable, effective response to requirements stemming from the «risk» of non self-sufficiency, leaving the system of local autonomies and individuals to cover the expenses resulting from the phenomenon. The matter has enormous impact. The act proposes a project to deal with the phenomenon starting from everyday life scenarios; prospecting a definition of non self-sufficiency and assessment modalities, indicating essential rights and guaranteeing their homogeneous application throughout the country; proposing an individualised plan, integrated services and a system to make care workers providing services to the non self-sufficient responsible. The national in-tervention plan proposed is supported by a national fund for non self-sufficiency financed through general taxation and capable of giving a concrete response to social essential levels.only subscribers can see the full article

Childhood and family were important issues in the 20th century for public authorities, with various connotations in each country. Yet it is difficult to precisely define the notion of family policy especially from the perspective of an international comparative analysis. Firstly this paper gives an overview of the obstacles to reach a definition of this area of public action. Secondly, it shows, from the French case, how a strategy of genealogical interpretation of family policy can bring about an understanding of the modalities through which national history participates in its progressive definition. Lastly, the role of the European debate in the structuring of these public policies will be discussed.only subscribers can see the full article

The researches on social needs of families can be of greater use to policy makers if conducted with specific methodologies aimed at cognitive requirements of social planning for interventions and services. The article illustrates a proposal of a social survey model, already applied in various regional experiences. The peculiarity of the inquiry model is the fact that it is based on an approach on women cohorts.only subscribers can see the full article

The article analyses recent developments in families and social policy-making in Spain. First, the impact that «superwomen» have had in underpinning Spanish welfare arrangements in the last decades is analysed. The latter type of mater familias, that has contributed decisively to the economic prosperity and stability of the country, is gradually vanishing. Rapid societal change has encouraged social policy-making in order to provide with new public benefits and services to support families. In subsequent sections of the article, public programmes and legislation carried out by PP (1996-2004) and Psoe (2004- ). Governments are reviewed contrasting the approaches taken by both main Spanish political parties in recent years. Concluding remarks underline the idea that what was considered to be a «women’s issue» can no longer be coped with «behind-closed-doors».only subscribers can see the full article

The article reconstructs how the issue of family responsibility emerged in the discussion on welfare reform. An attempt is also made to indicate how the issue has been linked to the debate on comparative welfare state models. It emerges that the familisation/defamilisation of social policies becomes a crucial area of study, largely unexpexplored, to be considered in paralleò with commodification/decommodification even to plan thedefence or reform ofthe welfare state in new and fit terms in Italy.only subscribers can see the full article