Expanding Choice in Long Term Planning for Family Futures

Abstract

The need for families to plan for their futures has become more important as the task has become increasingly complex. Families today need to become more effective in influencing society at large and its bureaucratic institutions and must deal with a new awareness of the precepts of generational equity. This need is discussed in terms of opportunities and necessities for planning within the personal family community and work domains paying particular attention in each case to how choice can be expanded whose interests need to be included in cost-benefit analyses what resources are available and how each domain impinges on the others. Requirements for planning and developing the skills to adapt to changing circumstances meet the challenge of unknown consequence and make the most of unexpected opportunities are discussed in terms of each domain and in terms of integrating the various domains in the planning process. Social and demographic trends have opened the door to opportunity and security for more generational interaction and long-range planning but they demand a reexamination of the relationship between the individual and the course of family life as well as a renewal of formal and informal support systems. Social and demographic trends which are discussed are 1) changing relationships among generations (adolescent parents and care giving AIDS care giving elder care by the elderly and youth caring for a dysfunctional parent) 2) the impact of demographic shifts on planning 3) changing life course trajectories 4) diversity of family structure and 5) the impact of social change on planning (targeted social policy stable relationships and family empowerment). Economic trends highlight the necessity for more individual and family planning as well as the complexity of the task; therefore the impact of economic changes on planning is considered. Technological discovery and innovation mean that the climate in which planning must take place is constantly changing and that a constant reassessment of plans is necessary in light of new findings and theories. The implications for research and theory and for practice and professional education are explored. It is concluded that the time has come for professionals to deal with family concerns along the life course rather than by labeling families and categorizing them according to external divisions of age class region of the country etc. Long-range planning must take into account changing economic situations and government family policy the relationship between risk-taking behavior and success the impact of traumatic events and the public and private sector community resources available to help families.