Field Of Family Policy Research Articles

The Discourse of Family Policy in Sociological Research

The subject of the study is approaches to assessing the effectiveness and principles of implementing family policy in developed countries such as the United States of America, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Finland, etc. The main objective of this article is to compare the views of foreign authors and discourses of family policy, taking into account the diversity of approaches to family policy. Priority directions of family policy research in selected publications of foreign researchers were considered. For the analysis, the principles that allow to represent the discourse of family policy are identified. In this regard, the tasks were set to identify the concepts of family policy in the reviewed foreign articles for the formation of tools that allow: 1) to determine the general characteristics and features of various approaches to family policy of the modern welfare state, highlighted in the works of foreign authors, 2) to assess the unity of positions in the field of family policy. A methodological model called "semantic-structural" analysis was used, which is based on a combination of content analysis and the method of information-target analysis. The analysis of scientific articles by foreign authors allows us to conclude that there is a unified approach to family policy in the welfare states of Western Europe, Asia and North America. A common place in modern studies of family policy is the emphasis on the importance of economic measures associated with the work of family members, the possibility of strengthening the relationship between parents and children through the implementation of social policy measures. The conclusions of the study showed the ambivalence of family policy due to the lack of opportunity to form a unified doctrinal idea of evaluating the effectiveness of family policy measures. The question of assessing the effectiveness of appropriate measures, the priority of a "broad" approach in relation to solving problems within the family remains debatable.

Государственная семейная политика в современной России

The family is the most important social institution, which is crucial both for the individual life of a person and for the social, cultural and economic development of the members of society. It determines the inner life of an individual (family member): his views, interests, values and understanding of himself as a person, which in turn affects the value system of the institution of the family as a whole. It follows that in order to study the interaction of the family and the state, an analysis of the improvement of mechanisms for the implementation of family policy is necessary. For this purpose, tasks are being developed, in which the results of surveys, project activities, innovative technologies and best practices in the field of family policy are actively used. The article analyzes the issues of interaction between family policy and the state.

2021: A year of transition for social security and welfare policies in Italy?

ABSTRACT The key question addressed by this article is whether the pandemic might represent one of those ‘critical conjunctures’ capable of altering the direction of development of the Italian welfare state. Having reviewed the main explanations found in the literature for the difficulties in modernizing the Italian welfare state, we provide an answer by analysing what happened in 2021 in three policy areas: that concerning families with children, and early childhood education and care (ECEC); that concerning the support of dependent old people, and that concerning minimum income policies, looking at the role played by party competition as well as by civil society. We find that while in the field of family policy and ECEC there has been a clear shift towards greater investment, in the area of care for dependent old people, developments have been more hesitant and more ambivalent. With regard to minimum income provision, political conflict has for the time being impeded any attempt at reform. The answer to the research question therefore is only partially positive

Understanding the moral economy of state-civil society relationships: Islam, women’s NGOs and rights-based advocacy in Turkey

ABSTRACT The implementation of neoliberal welfare frameworks since the ascendancy of the Justice and Development Party in 2002 has led to a fundamental reorientation of the state-civil society relationship, where non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been given wide-reaching roles in the delivery of welfare. In the field of family policy, the NGOs benefitting from such policies are largely faith-based organizations with close relationships with the AKP government. Based on interviews with Turkish women’s NGOs (WNGOs), this article studies the intersections of gender, family, civil society, and the state to shed light on the development of contemporary welfare policy in Turkey.

Family Policy as a Power Source of Political Stability: The Experience of Kazakhstan

Abstract This article is based on an analysis of the results of a survey conducted among 106 experts in the field of family policy in Kazakhstan in March 2020. The study results provided an expert assessment of family policy effectiveness in Kazakhstan and civil society’s role in it. The results show that experts assess the effectiveness of the civil sector in implementing the national family policy above the state: the level of efficiency is two times higher, and the level of knowledge and competencies is three times higher. In this regard, the government should interact more intensively with non-governmental organizations.

Countermeasures to Japan's declining birthrate: history, current situation and problems

PurposeSince 1974, Japan's total fertility rate has been constantly below replacement level. The purpose of this paper is to focus on Japan's low fertility issue and countermeasures that were adopted, in order to explore the reasons why the countermeasures were unable to solve the problem?Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyzes both the historical changes and the current situation of Japan's countermeasures. It also focuses on how in Japan marriage behavior and couples' fertility behavior changed during the implementation of the countermeasures from both objective and subjective perspectives. Based on results of the analysis, the paper explores the inherent problems regarding the countermeasures.FindingsThe paper shows that there is no sign that Japan's low fertility could be overcome, and puts forward three problems regarding the countermeasures. The paper suggests paying greater attention to the contradictions in the current policies and to go beyond the field of family policy and population policy to consider the following questions from a more macro perspective: (1) how to make fertility more desirable and meaningful and (2) how to encourage the related social systems to promote people's spontaneity both in marriage and childbearing.Originality/valueThe paper uses the latest data and focuses on analyzing the countermeasures from a more macro perspective rather than discussing specific problems of the countermeasures. Based on both objective data and subjective views and, given the characteristics of Japanese society, the paper explores in depth the problems regarding the countermeasures. By improving empirical knowledge, the paper seeks to contribute more generally to low fertility countries' “fertility revival”.

МИССИЯ НЕКОММЕРЧЕСКИХ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЙ В ФОРМИРОВАНИИ СЕМЕЙНОЙ ПОЛИТИКИ И В СИСТЕМЕ РАЗВИТИЯ ТАЛАНТЛИВЫХ ДЕТЕЙ И МОЛОДЕЖИ

The article discusses the process of interaction between non-profit organizations and public authorities in the area of the development of talented children and youth, and the role of this process in the formation of family policy. A comprehensive system of measures is proposed to support the development of talent of children and youth, and recommendations for all participants of cooperation: state authorities, non-profit organizations, social protection agencies, talented children and youth, their mentors and parents. The necessary measures are shown to ensure the practical implementation of family policy for State authorities on the basis of the socio-economic potential of the regions and the fundamental role of the third sector of the economy, which implements social services in the field of development of talent of children and young people, is considered. The article proposes recommendations to managers for the introduction into the state family policy of activities to support families where talented children are raised, recommendations to increase the effectiveness of non-profit organizations in the field of family policy. Special attention is paid to the need to create a single information platform, which will focus information on the activities of non-profit organizations of different directions in one information context so that all participants of the interaction can learn about their activities and opportunities: talented children and youth, mentors, parents and state authorities.

Toward Theoretical and Methodological Innovations in the Evidence Base for Family Policy: A Commentary

Ooms () points to the importance of having a conceptual framework that would enable family policy scholars to resolve past tensions in the field and create an opportunity to advance research and its applications. We discuss that a now‐predominant metatheoretical orientation in the study of human development, relational developmental systems metatheory, provides concepts that enable issues in the field of family policy (e.g., individualism vs. familism) to be resolved and also to point to theory‐predicated methodological innovations advancing research pertinent to family policy. This linkage among metatheory, theory, and method may enable family policy scholars to generate an evidence base about how to enhance the quality of life of diverse families.

Modern problems of evaluation of the family policy effectiveness in the Russian Federation

The article is devoted to the multifaceted and complex problems, associated with comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the state family policy. A significant stage in the development of state family policy is the adoption of the concept of state family policy in 2014. Evaluation of measures’ effectiveness in the field of family policy is the subject of many publications. However, most authors pay their attention to the individual events. It appears that the effectiveness of implementation of strategic documents is defined by the detailed development of the documents, objective approach to formation of system of target indicators. The aim of the article is the analysis of the structure of the Concept of family policy, adopted in 2014, and implementation plan of its first stage. It allows identifying whether the ineffectiveness of family policy is determined by the logic strategic documents in the field of family policy. The possibilities for monitoring the effectiveness of the action plan and the first results of the implementation of the Concept, consistency of the logic in these documents are considered. Materials and methods . The conclusions of the article are based on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative indicators of family policy. The data of statistical monitoring of family policies based on official statistical reporting and representative sample surveys of ROSSTAT, and the experience of monitoring the National strategy of actions in interests of children served as the information base of the study. Results. Currently, the performance evaluation is conducted formally; complexity evaluation for the implementation of the Concept of family policy is largely related to the logic of formation of the Concept and its expected results, the disadvantages of the formation of plans for its implementation, the lack of necessary information and special monitoring in the framework of the implementation of the Concept. In the framework of the Concept in accordance with the objectives, nine areas are highlighted, for which a list of indicators of the results has defined. The proposed indicators were not assigned to specific sections of the Concept. A number of them do not have specific quantitative measurements, which poses a substantial problem associated with the inability to conduct an objective assessment of the effectiveness of specific measures. The analysis of the logic of the Concept and implementation plan of its first stage showed that in many respects goals, objectives, indicators and financial support do not balance them. Conclusions . The problem of the ineffectiveness of large-scale conceptual and strategic documents is often linked with the logic of the document, a formal approach to the formation of a system of indicators. A number of measures, provided in the Concept, are not reflected in the implementation plan. The analysis allowed formulating proposals for clarifying the mechanism of implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Concept. The most important of the proposals are the definition of the desired level of performance, projecting performance indicators of family policies in view of conflicting demographic and socio-economic dynamics; the need to develop the integrated statistical indicator of the effectiveness of family policy, covering activities in all areas.

ANALISYS OF THE AXIOLOGICAL - SOCIAL, INSTYTUTIONAL AND LEGAL SPHERE OF THE FAMILY POLICY IN SELECTED EU COUNTRIES

The article presents the European models of family policy divided into 5 models - the Scandinavian model, southern European model, conservative, liberal and post-socialist. In each of these the characteristics of policy for families are presented and divided into: axiological conditions, demographic, institutional family support, legal and family policy instruments. An overview of the various issues in the field of family policy is so important that the implementation of the effective family policy contributes to increased fertility, and thus of human capital, social and creative of the country. The article concludes with a summary and recommendations by individual models.

Civil Society and Biopolitics in Contemporary Russia: The Case of Russian “Daddy-Schools”

This article deals with civil society organizations active in the field of family policy and demographic issues in contemporary Russia. This article uses Michel Foucault’s concepts of biopolitics and governmentality and later developments discussing technologies of citizenship. More specifically, using interviews, documents, and participant observations, so-called “daddy-schools” that have emerged in and around Saint Petersburg since 2008, are studied as a mode of governmentality. The analysis shows how the civic initiative studied attempted to empower fathers and how it has altered demographic discourses while approaching similar societal goals as the state does in its biopolitical strategies. Thus, the daddy-schools provide a complementary discourse concerning fatherhood while approaching the same perceived demographic crisis that the Russian state is challenged by.

Деятельность Русской Православной церкви в сфере воспитания молодежи и семейной политики в 2000- х гг.: тенденции и противоречия

The article discusses the main activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of education of children and youth in the 2000s. The position of the main aspects of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of family policy is characterized. The key issues and trends in the context of socio-political processes are examined.
 In particular, the initiation of cooperation with public organizations, private time preventive programs for families and protection of motherhood are considered.

Законодавче забезпечення державної сімейної політики в Україні

У статті розглянуто особливості державної сімейної політики в Україні та проаналізовано чинні національні документи у цій сфері. Обгрунтовано потребу вдосконалення законодавчої нормативно-правової бази у сфері сімейної політики. Автор робить висновок, що державна сімейна політика має бути переорієнтована з сімейного неблагополуччя на стимулювання сімейного благополуччя. Завдання держави - створити умови для виконання сім’єю її соціальних функцій, пов’язаних з турботою і вихованням дітей, формуванням особистості, доглядом за непрацездатними батьками. При такому підході сім’я і держава стають партнерами, взаємно розділяють ризики і відповідальність за благополуччя як окремої родини, так і держави в цілому. Благополучні сім’ї стають зацікавленими у збереженні економічної, політичної, соціальної, демографічної стійкості держави не менше, ніж держава в благополуччі і соціальній та економічній стійкості українських сімей. Ключовим фактором оптимізації державної сімейної політики має бути пропагування та формування у суспільстві пріоритету сімейних цінностей та відповідального батьківства.

Average Happiness and Dominant Family Type in Regions in Western Europe around 2000

Research on the relation between family and happiness has focused on the micro level and considered the effects of an individual’s place in the family system, such as whether or not one is married and exchange of support with kin. Macro level differences in the family system as such have received little attention as yet. In this paper we consider regional differences in family types in Europe and explore the relationship with average happiness. Data on dominant family type in regions are taken from Todd (1990), who distinguishes five family types: 1) absolute nuclear; 2) egalitarian nuclear; 3) communitarian; 4) stem family; and 5) incomplete stem family. Data on average happiness in regions are taken from the Eurobarometer surveys. Average happiness appears to be highest in regions where family pattern of “absolute nuclear” prevails and lowest in the regions where “egalitarian nuclear” family dominates. Control for economic prosperity in regions does not change this picture. A possible interpretation of these findings is that freedom adds more to happiness than equality does. It is not true for types of freedom. If horizontal freedom (intragenerational freedom) seems to be important in terms of well-being, the results are much less convincing as far as vertical freedom (intergenerational freedom) is concerned. The findings might have some far reach contribution in the field of family policy.

The rise and fall of cash for care in Norway: changes in the use of child-care policies

The cash-for-care scheme was introduced in 1998 in Norway. During the first period after its introduction, the percentage of users was high at 91 per cent. Since 2005, however, the use has decreased substantially year by year. Thus, the use of cash for care has changed over the 15 years it has existed. In this article we take these changes as our point of departure and analyse more closely what we might call ‘the rise and fall of the cash-for-care scheme’ in Norway. Over the last 15 to 20 years, Norway has become a multicultural society and we need to include ethnicity when conducting research in the field of family policy. The focus is therefore on the intersection of gender, class, and ethnicity in parents’ use of cash for care over this period. Our analysis is based on different sources of data. We have used data from the evaluative programme undertaken by the Norwegian Research Council, including two surveys conducted before and after the reform (Gulbrandsen & Hellevik, 1998; Hellevik, 2000), and a qualitative case study focusing on fathers and mothers working in three different workplaces (Bungum et al. 2001). We have also used three other statistical studies which were carried out at two different points in time (Pettersen, 2003; Hirch, 2010; Bakken & Myklebø, 2010). Our findings indicate that cash for care is a scheme that mainly encourages mothers who have low income and a low educational level and who are to a large degree from immigrant backgrounds to remain outside the labour market. By distinguishing between three phases, we have aimed to illustrate how the intersection of gender, class, and ethnicity enters in different ways into both the discourse and the practices connected to the cash-for-care scheme since it was introduced in 1998.      

The rise and fall of cash for care in Norway: changes in the use of child-care policies

The cash-for-care scheme was introduced in 1998 in Norway. During the first period after its introduction, the percentage of users was high at 91 per cent. Since 2005, however, the use has decreased substantially year by year. Thus, the use of cash for care has changed over the 15 years it has existed. In this article we take these changes as our point of departure and analyse more closely what we might call ‘the rise and fall of the cash-for-care scheme’ in Norway. Over the last 15 to 20 years, Norway has become a multicultural society and we need to include ethnicity when conducting research in the field of family policy. The focus is therefore on the intersection of gender, class, and ethnicity in parents’ use of cash for care over this period. Our analysis is based on different sources of data. We have used data from the evaluative programme undertaken by the Norwegian Research Council, including two surveys conducted before and after the reform (Gulbrandsen & Hellevik, 1998; Hellevik, 2000), and a qualitative case study focusing on fathers and mothers working in three different workplaces (Bungum et al. 2001). We have also used three other statistical studies which were carried out at two different points in time (Pettersen, 2003; Hirch, 2010; Bakken & Myklebø, 2010). Our findings indicate that cash for care is a scheme that mainly encourages mothers who have low income and a low educational level and who are to a large degree from immigrant backgrounds to remain outside the labour market. By distinguishing between three phases, we have aimed to illustrate how the intersection of gender, class, and ethnicity enters in different ways into both the discourse and the practices connected to the cash-for-care scheme since it was introduced in 1998.

Introduction: change and continuity in recent family policies

Families have become a focal point in debates of ‘new risks’ and much needed ‘new policies’ for Western welfare states. Family policy responses to the new challenges and even the goals associated with welfare policies designed to aid families have, however, varied across countries, and there is much uncertainty about the sources of this variation and the future development of the policy field. This special issue takes stock of recent developments in the field of family policy. It brings together a range of countries that, taken together, map the full spectrum of advanced industrial countries’ family policy dilemmas, responses, and intervening institutional and ideational variables. Its goal is to take a first step towards explaining the varied degrees and forms of family policy activism in mature welfare states of Western liberal democracies. The introduction to the special issue first sketches the changing nature and social roles of the family, as they evolved along with public law and welfare policies. It then presents family policy regimes which allow for a systematic account of possible intervening factors in the formulation of country-specific responses. Most importantly, the introduction provides a brief outline of plausible causal approaches to the question of family policy change and comments on their strengths and the potential hazards and describes how the papers assembled here may collectively contribute to a better understanding of what drives and shapes family policy development and how these potential causes are interrelated.

Family Policy Matters: How Policymaking Affects Families and What Professionals Can Do

Bogenschneider, K. (2002). Family Policy Matters: How Policymaking Affects Families and What Professionals Can Do. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 279 pp. Cloth ISBN: 0-8058-3535-0 $69.95; 279 pp. Paper: ISBN 0-8058-3536-9, $29.95. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the United Nations' International Year of the Family (1994) and close in on the 25th anniversary of the first and only White House Conference on Families (1980), we must remind ourselves that the field of family policy is relatively new. Prior to 1980, there was little written about families from a public policy perspective, and there were few centers and institutes devoted to families. Today, most major research universities support such centers, family policy can be found in most university curricula, numerous articles on the subject now appear in some of the most prestigious professional journals, the National Council on Family Relations maintains both a section on family policy and its Public Policy Committee, and more books are written on the topic with each passing year. A recent and significant contribution to the field is Karen Bogenschneider's Family Policy Matters: How Policymaking Affects Families and What Professionals Can Do. Presented in a well-organized and readable format, the book stands as a carefully constructed bridge between theory and practice and between policy and programs. It is appropriate as core reading for graduate seminars and upper division undergraduate courses. Divided into four major sections, the work will be useful as a reference book for educators, researchers, policy makers, extension specialists, service providers, and advocates. Although three chapters are not authored solely by Bogenschneider, continuity and style are maintained. In Part I, Rationale for Family Policy, Bogenschneider posed many important questions and then responded to each. For example, questions include: Do we need a family perspective in policy making? Is policy making focused more on families than individuals? What is family policy and what is meant by a family perspective in policy making? Do families matter and are family issues a legitimate focus of policy making? Not only are these questions important but Bogenschneider also did an excellent job answering them through the use of practical and meaningful examples. She was particularly skilled in addressing controversial issues without being controversial. In Part II, Applying a Family Perspective to Current Policy Issues, Bogenschneider focused on parenting, health care, and a list of issues most likely to be debated in the early part of the new millennium. These include work and family conflict, long-term care of the elderly, family poverty, the future of marriage, and family diversity. all of these issues are currently at the top of most political agendas, and they should certainly be included in any syllabus designed for a family policy course. The discussions of parenting in chapter 6 and health care in chapter 7 were particularly informative and thought provoking. Although major issues of the future were identified in chapter 8, selective supplemental reading will be necessary if the text is adopted for classroom use. …