Policy, Social Policy, and Family Policy: Concepts, Concerns, and Analytic Tools

Abstract

Although the concept of family policy is ill defined, ambiguous, and emotionally laden, many are advocating efforts to examine the impact of public policies on families. This paper seeks to examine family policy and faimilv impact analysis in relation to concepts such as policy, in general, policy analysis, social policy, social policy analysis, and social impact assessment. It is an attempt to arrive at definitional clarity with respect to each, and thereby contribute to the developing conceptualization of family policy and family impact analysis. The paper concludes by suggesting that faimily impact analysis may be able to facilitate goal consensus regarding familv policy, and thereby contribute to its formulation, i(fsuch formulation is indeed desirable.