The aim of this article is to demonstrate the relationship between current legal solutions regarding care services and other forms of community support and historically established regulations relating to these forms of assistance; to illustrate the scale of these services and the costs of their provision in the years 2014–2024; and to analyze the development of multi-sectoral implementation of selected community services. The article is based on an institutional and legal analysis, which primarily draws on current and historical legal acts and statistical reports from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy (Reports 2014–2024).

ABSTRACT Fredrik Backman presents a prism for considering shifts in the cultural representation of family and femininity, specifically focussing on the context of modern-day Sweden. His fiction is deeply invested in depicting the embodied human experience and Swedish nationhood in ways that are both sentimental and satirical, and ultimately work to disrupt utopic visions of Sweden as content, cosy, multicultural, and gender-equal. Indeed, his representations of family and femininity espouse political conservatism around gender-essentialism at times (i.e. through his depictions of pregnancy and normative motherhood); however, they are also reflective of the social realities of the Swedish welfare state through satire. This paper thus endeavours to use Backman’s novels to unpack the ongoing equation of motherhood with parenthood in Nordic fiction and contemporary fiction more generally, while also reflecting on the paradox of Sweden’s exemplary family policies which work to re-naturalize motherhood as an essential part of women’s identity. While Backman unsettles these fetishized visions of Swedish nationhood perpetuated by the broader West, as seen in his satirized depictions of motherhood and his centring of representations of immigrant family models, he still incidentally falls into the trappings of essentialised gender roles within the family, particularly for women.

Background: Women often reduce their working hours after childbirth, or, in some cases, exit the workforce altogether. This adjustment affects their immediate economic independence, with implications for their career trajectory and long-term financial stability. We aim to study the patterns of women's work resumption in the first year after childbirth, including the role of sick leave during pregnancy. We further aim to identify the key factors contributing to women's economic independence one year after childbirth. Methods: Drawing on data from Statistics Netherlands and the Dutch Perinatal Registry, we used descriptive analysis to examine the working hour patterns from onset of pregnancy to one year after childbirth. Additionally, multinomial logistic regression assessed how individual and work-related factors related to having employment with economic independence, having employment without economic independence, or having exited the workforce one year after childbirth. Results: Data on 114,722 Dutch employed women who delivered in 2016 showed a notable shift in employment patterns one year after birth: over half reduced their working hours, with 12.2% leaving the workforce entirely. These patterns were particularly pronounced among women with sick leave during pregnancy. Furthermore, factors such as lower education, fewer working hours, and not cohabiting with a partner were associated with being employed but not economically independent after childbirth. Conclusions: Pregnancy and delivery have a durable impact on women's workforce participation, which affects their economic independence. Strategic workplace and family policies might support retaining employment after childbirth and mitigate adverse economic effects, particularly for those with sick leave during pregnancy.

Neoliberal reforms and welfare cuts have exacerbated social inequalities and increased the vulnerability of single mothers to poverty through reduced benefits, precarious employment and the dual burden of paid and unpaid work. This study compares Germany's conservative-corporatist and Denmark's social democratic welfare models and shows that, despite structural differences, both fail to provide sufficient support. Employment-focused solutions alone are not enough; reforms are needed to ensure financial security, access to childcare and support for caregivers. By critiquing neoliberal family policies, the study highlights alternative, community-based approaches to promoting social justice.

Awareness Study on the 4th Basic Multicultural Family Policy Plan (2023-2027): Focusing on Customized Support for Multicultural Children and Adolescents by Growth Stage

The one-parent-one-language (OPOL) approach has traditionally been considered a widely recommended strategy for heritage-language (HL) maintenance in bilingual families. However, alternative strategies, such as both parents consistently speaking the HL, may be equally or more effective. This study examines families’ language policies and their effectiveness in HL maintenance in Australia, where minority languages often hold lower status than English and receive minimal institutional support beyond the home. Using data from a nationwide survey of 280 families, we analyzed parental language-use patterns and their impact on HL transmission. Most mothers, who more often identified as primary caregivers, reported speaking a HL with their children, while secondary caregivers’ language use was varied. Families were categorized into four language-use approaches: OPOL, mixed-language use from one or both caregivers, HL-only from both caregivers, and single-caregiver only. Comparisons across these categories revealed that families following the HL-only and OPOL approaches reported significantly greater success in maintaining the HL than the other two groups, which showed no significant differences in self-reported outcomes. Follow-up analyses showed that Mixed-language families with high HL use achieved success comparable to HL-only and OPOL policies. Our findings suggest that language input is a central, but not exclusive, contributor to HL transmission. Families who reported higher perceived success showed strong commitment to HL maintenance, with caregivers likely reinforcing each other's efforts beyond direct language input. This study contributes to discussions on bilingual parenting and family language policy, providing empirical insights to inform HL maintenance strategies in diverse linguistic settings.

Parental perceptions and willingness to pay for childhood vaccination experiences in China: a multi-city comprehensive evaluation study.

India is undergoing a rapid demographic transition marked by a growing proportion of older adults. This review synthesizes evidence on the health, social, economic and rights-related problems faced by the elderly in India, with particular attention to elder abuse and neglect. Drawing on national surveys, peer-reviewed research and legal frameworks, the paper describes the prevalence and correlates of physical and psychological morbidity, functional dependence, polypharmacy, social isolation and multiple forms of mistreatment including financial exploitation and neglect, Psychological and mental health problems. These studies highlight that elderly individuals suffering from depression or chronic health conditions are at an elevated risk of neglect and abuse. Elder abuse has profound consequences for physical and psychological health. Victims experience worsening chronic conditions, higher rates of depressive disorders, increased somatic complaints and reduced quality of life. The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE), launched in 2010 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, provides dedicated geriatric healthcare services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Mental health problems, principally depression and anxiety, are frequent and are exacerbated by physical illness, pain and social isolation. The review discusses the role of family change, poverty and policy gaps in shaping vulnerability and evaluates existing legislative protections and community-level interventions. Recommendations emphasize integrated healthcare screening, caregiver support, legal enforcement and culturally adapted community programs to uphold the dignity and rights of older adults. Legal frameworks such as the Maintenance and Welfare Act provide foundations for protection, but effective change will depend on implementing accessible services, strengthening community support and investing in caregiver assistance.

Better mental health service engagement (MHSE) was identified to be an effective way to prevent relapse and worsening of the severe mental disorders (SMDs). There is a lack of evidence on the relationships between family function and MHSE among people with SMD. To understand the current status of family function and MHSE among people with SMD and to explore the associations between family function and MHSE. A cross-sectional study involving 486 people with SMD was conducted in Shandong province, China. Family function (the family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, resolve [APGAR] scale) and MHSE (service engagement scale [SES]) were measured. The results indicated that the family function of the study sample was good, and the MHSE was low. Family function was negatively associated with the SES scores (β = -0.36, p = 0.002), indicating that better family function was associated with high engagement levels (since higher SES scores indicate lower engagement). The findings of this study provided epidemiological evidence for the association between family function and MHSE, and helped us further understand the significance of family in mental disease management. Some interventions for family function are helpful to improve MHSE among people with SMD, and some family-oriented policies may be useful to promote MHSE.

The article analyzes the global demographic transformation, such as a decrease in the birth rate, an increase in life expectancy, urbanization and mobility, highlighting population aging as a key phenomenon. The approach combines an inter-regional review with comparative cases. Descriptive demographic indicators and an overview of policies in the areas of family support, labor market institutions, pension provision, healthcare and long-term care are used. The results show that cash payments and tax benefits alone have a limited impact on fertility without parallel expansion of flexible forms of employment, affordable childcare and housing, as well as real gender equality in career paths. Immigration can mitigate labor shortages, but requires effective integration and recognition of qualifications. Healthcare and long-term care systems show the best results when universal coverage is combined with geographically oriented forms of care and "active longevity" measures that prolong work activity. The cross-country differences are largely explained by the quality of institutional design and managerial ability: in Korea, generous monetary, vacation and housing packages do not compensate for the effects of long working hours and employment dualism; Japan has achieved significant success in healthy longevity and integrated care with limited fertility dynamics; Europe is facing a decline in the share of employed and pressure on pensions, while in Italy fragmented family policy undermines the feasibility of childbearing intentions, and the fall in the birth rate in Finland highlights the role of norms and uncertainty even in a developed welfare state. The policy conclusions suggest intersectoral demographic strategies that simultaneously encompass family policy, labor market institutions, housing measures, migration, and sustainable financing of long-term care, based on clear assessment frameworks and time consistency.

ABSTRACT The Czech Republic exemplifies a country with a mandatory childhood vaccination system. A child who has not completed compulsory vaccinations cannot be admitted to preschool until age 5. This paper discusses this measure's impact on parental decision-making processes, interactions with healthcare professionals, and activities and discourses employed by organisations that unite vaccine-hesitant parents. The analysis draws on data from 30 in-depth interviews with vaccine-hesitant parents (all of whom intentionally postponed or refused at least one compulsory vaccination), 19 in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals and 60 hours of observation at three paediatrician surgeries during vaccination consultations. The paper departs from the notion of vaccine hesitancy as a state of indecisiveness or a particular behavioural phenomenon and leans towards specific contexts within which decisions are made. It analyses specific effects of indirect sanctions that are part of mandatory vaccination policies on vaccine-hesitant parents’ interactions with healthcare professionals, strategies, public discourses and decision-making processes regarding vaccination. The paper discusses the measures’ impact in the context of family policies in the Czech Republic (availability of preschool facilities, gender division of labour and social expectations regarding the length of paternal leave).

Aim . To substantiate and present the program aimed to cultivate conscious and responsible attitude to their future family life of teenagers in school considering the modern socio-cultural context. It is expected that school graduates should have a high level of spiritual and moral culture, a valuebased attitude to the family, know the rules and laws of family life, and be ready for responsible parenting. The article reveals the theory and practice of organizing the educational process in a comprehensive school in terms of introducing family values to senior schoolchildren. Methodology . The methodological basis of the study was formed by the main provisions of the axiological, systemic, personality-oriented and competence approaches, the combination of which creates a productive basis for developing program to introduce to teenagers traditional spiritual and moral values of Russian society. Methods of studying scientific literature, databases, publications in the media (content analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, comparison, generalization, systematization); prognostic methods (design and schematization), empirical methods (systemic analysis of axiological characteristics of the educational process at school, questionnaires, survey), mathematical processing of the obtained data were used. Results . It was revealed by analyzing the modern socio-cultural situation, psychological and pedagogical literature and educational practice that traditional spiritual and moral values such as family, motherhood and fatherhood, family traditions, respect, trust, love, support, responsibility and honesty should be introduced to high school students in the educational process. That is why developing programs for educating teenagers in the culture of family relations is determined. The educational content of this program is focused on axiological matrices: family and its social role, young family, parenthood, culture of family relations, family and social policy of the state. In the process of implementing the program, it is advisable to use various methods such as the method of problematic presentation, the project method, the research method, and methods of empathy for situations, roleplaying games, training, etc. Research implications. It is revealed that the increase in socio-cultural and organizational-pedagogical knowledge in comprehensive school in terms of transmitting family values and preparing young people for family life is ensured by the definition of axiological foundations for educating adolescents in the culture of family relations. The theoretical conclusions and generalizations obtained in the study create the basis for further study of ways to introduce schoolchildren to the value of family and the culture of family relations. The practical significance of the study lies in educating the younger generation in a valuebased attitude towards the family, as well as preparing high school students for the upcoming family life, which is important for the successful socialization of the younger generation. The developed program will allow adolescents to form a stable system of value guidelines based on traditional ideas and contributing to the socio-cultural development of society. Conclusions . Ability of a person to actively and consciously transform the world and himself in accordance with moral values and moral imperatives is possible due to pedagogical axiology. The axiological approach makes it possible to understand schooling as a process of assimilation by a teenager of traditional spiritual and moral values, which include the value of family, initiating the personal transformation of a high school student in accordance with the moral ideal. The goal of this transformation is the further objectification of spiritual and moral values in the future life. In this regard, the educational process of the school should create conditions for introducing high school students to family values, such as respect, trust, love, support, the culture of motherhood and fatherhood.

The article draws on four qualitative studies of fatherhood in Slovenia performed over 15 years (2005, 2008, 2015, and 2020) to analyse factors shaping the involvement of fathers in child‐rearing through a diachronic perspective, situating the empirical findings within broader socioeconomic and policy transformations. The period under study included several ambivalent developments. On one hand, the intensification of work, flexibilisation, and precarious employment added to the primacy of paid work and men’s caregiving roles being given limited recognition in organisational cultures. On the other hand, family policy measures— notably the introduction of paternity leave, parental leave reforms, along with other work–life balance reforms—gradually supported fathers taking on greater roles as parents. The findings reveal that by 2005, the traditional model of uninvolved fatherhood was already in decline, giving way to new practices in the form of supportive fatherhood. Although men did participate in childcare and domestic work, their roles were chiefly to assist their female partners. Over time, practices of involved fatherhood also emerged, characterised by more active and egalitarian caregiving. Despite strong aspirations for active participation, empirical evidence shows a persistent gap between ideals and practices. Nevertheless, in Slovenia, fathers are now typically present during pregnancy and childbirth, make use of paternity leave, and engage ever more in everyday childcare, signalling a gradual shift toward the involved fatherhood model.

This study investigates masculinities among middle-aged men in first-tier Chinese cities using qualitative methods. It explores how these men enact caring masculinity, how hegemonic norms permeate their lives, and how family relations shape their masculine identities. Findings show that participants express caring masculinity through emotional engagement (e.g., intentional domestic labor), altruism (e.g., supporting extended family), and negotiation of intergenerational care conflicts. Yet they continue to internalize hegemonic norms such as economic status anxiety, emotional restraint, and the publicprivate division of masculine roles. Family dynamicsincluding parental expectations and in-law evaluationsstrongly influence their gendered self-understanding. This study contributes to culturally grounded masculinity research by highlighting the coexistence of care-oriented and hegemonic elements within Chinese mens lived experiences. It also offers implications for mens mental health and family policy, while acknowledging limitations related to sample size and geographic scope.

Cervical cancer incidence in China has risen to 13.83/100,000, particularly affecting younger women. Following recent family policy changes, reproductive concerns among cervical cancer patients have intensified. While fertility-sparing treatments show good survival rates, many patients still experience significant anxiety about future fertility. This study aims to examine distinct reproductive concern profiles and their influencing factors in cervical cancer patients of childbearing age. We studied 247 patients from a Nanjing tertiary hospital between October 2023 and October 2024. Participants completed surveys including a demographic questionnaire, Reproductive Concerns After Cancer Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Benefit Finding Scale, and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify reproductive concerns. Latent profile analysis revealed three distinct reproductive concern profiles: (1) a low-concern group with reproductive expectations (27.94%), (2) a moderate-concern group with self and child health preoccupations (49.39%), and (3) a high-concern group with impaired reproductive adaptation (22.67%). Significant influencing factors included age, number of children, residential location, depressive symptoms, and fear of cancer recurrence. These cross-sectional findings emphasize the need for careful consideration of individualized, multiple-disciplinary care for young women with cervical cancer. Benefit finding was associated with lower reproductive concerns.

Numerous studies have explored the influences of family policies, such as formal childcare use, and migration on fertility, with mixed findings. However, limited research has examined how formal childcare use (or the lack thereof) affects both fertility intentions and behaviours among native and migrant women. This study uses Italy as a case study, where the familistic welfare system creates challenges in work–family reconciliation and female workforce participation, particularly for migrant women facing precarious jobs and higher fertility. This results in employment disparities between migrant and native women, especially among mothers. Using the 2012 Birth Sample Survey from the Italian National Institute of Statistics, we address two research questions: (i) Does formal childcare use for one child positively influence mothers' fertility intentions and behaviours to have another? (ii) Does this effect vary according to migration background? We apply multinomial logistic regression models to analyse the relationship between mothers' fertility intentions and behaviours and childcare use by migration background, migratory generation, and partner's nationality. Our results show that mothers using formal childcare—either stable or occasional—are more likely to have positive fertility behaviours than those with unmet needs, with differences by migration background. Among mothers using formal care, natives show higher positive short-term fertility intentions than migrants, while natives with unmet childcare needs are less likely to have another child than migrants. While formal childcare has limited effect on fertility, unmet childcare needs emerge as a crucial factor, highlighting the need for policies addressing broader socio-economic and cultural factors shaping fertility decisions.

Family burden has not been studied in relation to alcohol and other drug harms from others. We adapted a family burden scale from studies of caring for those with mental health conditions for use in the US Alcohol and Drug Harm to Others Survey (ADHTOS). We investigated associations between a seven-item summative burden scale and different types of harms attributed to someone else's use of alcohol, cannabis, or another drug: (a) being assaulted/physically harmed; (b) having family/partner problems; (c) feeling threatened or afraid; and (d) being emotionally hurt/neglected due to others' substance use. A survey of adults aged 18 years and over conducted between October 2023 and July 2024 (n = 8,311), involved address-based sampling (n = 3,931 including 193 mail-backs) and web panels (n = 4,380), oversampling Black (n = 951), Latinx (n = 790) and sexual or gender minority (SGM) respondents (n = 309). Data from seven items on types of burdens experienced from other people's alcohol or drug use were provided by those harmed by someone else's alcohol or drug use and were used to create a burden scale. Analyses used negative binomial regression on burden sum adjusting for covariates, such as age, gender, race and ethnicity, marital status and years of education. The single factor burden scale showed good internal consistency (α = .91). Components assessing being emotionally drained/exhausted and family friction/arguments were endorsed by 38-39% of participants; finding stigma of the other's substance use upsetting was affirmed by 33%. Fewer endorsed feeling trapped in caregiving roles (22%), problems outside the family (26%), neglect of other family members' needs (16%), and having to change plans (14%). In adjusted regression models, seven of eight harm exposures were significantly associated with burden scores. People reported substantial burden from others' use of alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. Family support interventions and policy remedies to mitigate these burdens are needed.

Abstract This study examines the relationship between fertility and social policies across countries within the European Union. Using European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU‐SILC) data from 2005 to 2020, the research investigates how increases and reductions in family allowances are connected to the likelihood of subsequent births in the short term. Based on the social investment hypothesis and a general expansion of family policies in the European Union since 2005, we investigate if and how increased family support contributes to birth events within families. The novel contribution of the analysis is to assess asymmetric fertility reactions to changes in family‐related social benefits. We present the first comparative study that not only analyses expansive policy changes but also retrenchments. Specifically, we look at changes in benefit generosity and universalism from one year to another. Findings indicate that enhancing the generosity of cash benefits is positively related to an increase in the likelihood of having a child. However, reductions in generosity are associated with larger declines in fertility responses, highlighting a negativity bias. In contrast, changes in universalism exhibit more symmetric behavioral responses, with expansions and retrenchments linked to comparable effect sizes regarding subsequent births. Similarly, the combined indicator of generosity and universalism reveals balanced associations in both directions.

Québec retains a unique set of social and health policies which distinguishes it from other Canadian provinces. Québec’s welfare state, distinct within Canada and North America more generally, is the product of the province’s history of secularization and detachment from traditional institutions, all tenets of the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s (D. Béland and Lecours 2008; Rocher 2002). Examples of unique policy initiatives include generous family policies (parental leave including paternity leave, universal daycare programs), as well as the democratization of education through generous government subsidies for higher education. Québec’s health care system, like those of other provinces, guarantees publicly funded physician services and hospital care. But the province has also used its jurisdictional autonomy to pioneer innovative health and social programs that expand beyond universal coverage, addressing broader determinants of health and embedding equity considerations across all sectors of policy-making. Examples include the Local Community Service Centres (Centres locaux de services communautaires; CLSC), a cornerstone of primary care in Québec; embedding the responsabilité populationnelle (accountability for population health) into health and social programs; a publicly subsidized drug insurance plan introduced in the late 1990s; and the integration of health and social care under the same governing authority, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux; MSSS) — with the latter two innovations unique in Canada. This orientation was further institutionalized with the adoption of Article 54 of the Public Health Act, which facilitated the adoption of the Health in All Policies framework by requiring ministries to assess the health impacts of their proposed legislation. (continued in full text PDF / HTML)

Studies focusing on how the migrant population understands and utilises family policies are scarce in Southern European countries. We focus on the use of paternity leave by American and European migrant fathers in Spain. This work is based on an online survey of parents (QUIDAN, 2021), which is nationally representative with a sample of 3100 respondents. We have conducted descriptive statistics and explanatory multivariate models. The main result shows that American-born (but not European) fathers take paid paternity leave less often than Spanish fathers. This outcome raises new questions about migrant parental roles and the shortcomings of public policies.