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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Families, Children and the Welfare State

Family definitions

Family functions

A European comparison of family formation and family values

Family, children and welfare state

Wim van Oorschot

Tilburg University

24-02-2006

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

The traditional extended family

…a social institution, found in all societies and based on kinship ties, that unites individuals into cooperative groups that oversee the bearing and raising of children

The modern nuclear family

…a family of two married adults with their biological children, living under one roof

The post-modern family

“…people doing family things “

Family definitions

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

The diversity in post-modern families

• married, unmarried

• different sex, same sex

• one, two, three…adults

• biological children, non-biological children

• first, second,…cohabitation

• one, two,…roofs

Note: regional, class and ethnic differences

Family definitions

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Family functions

• Socialisation

• Regulation of sexual activity

• Identity and social placement

• Material security

• Emotional security

Problematic aspects

• Reproduction of inequality

• Intra-familial violence

• Suppression of females

Functional alternatives

• Clubs, peergroups, neighbourhoods

• The state takes over: day care, schools, corrective institutions

Family functions

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

0

0 , 5

1

1 , 5

2

2 , 5

3

1 9 6 0 1 9 7 0 1 9 8 0 1 9 9 0 1 9 9 9

F e r t i l i t y E U 1 5

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0

2 5

1 9 6 0 1 9 7 0 1 9 8 0 1 9 9 0 1 9 9 9

B i r t h s o u t s i d e m a r r i a g e E U 1 5

Trends

Fertility rates and births out of wedlock(source: Eurostat)

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

0

2

4

6

8

10

1960 1970 1980 1990 1998

Marriages/1000, EU15

0

0,5

1

1,5

2

1960 1970 1980 1990 1999

Divorces /1000, EU15

Trends

Marriages and divorces per 1000 inhabitants(source: Eurostat)

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

10

Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

SW NL BE CH PT GR

Marriage rate - 0 - - 0 0 -

Age of women at marriage

++ + + + - -

Divorce rate 0 0 ++ 0 + - -

Fertility rate + + + 0 0 -

Age of women at first birth

++ + 0 + - -

Extra-marital births

++ 0 - - 0 - -

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

European comparison

1. If someone says a child needs a home with both a father and a mother to grow up happily, would you tend to agree or disagree?

2. Do you think that a woman has to have children in order to be fulfilled or is this not necessary?

3. A marriage or a long-term stable relationship is necessary to be happy

4. A working mother can establish just as warm and secure a relationship with her children as a mother who does not work

5. A pre-school child is likely to suffer if his or her mother works

European Values Survey 1999/2000(lower score is higher agreement)

0

1

2

3

4

Sweden Netherlands Belgium Portugal Greece

1

2

3

4

5

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Welfare State

Reasons for welfare state support to families

• Anti-Poverty

• Promote general well-being and living standards

• Good parenting

• Pro-Fertility

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Welfare State

Instruments

Income

• child benefits, family allowances

• child additions in social security benefits

• tax credits for (working) families with children

• local support by municipalities, charities, churches

Work

• day care institutions

• leave schemes: maternity leave, parental leave, care leave

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Welfare State

Instruments: Different models in Europe

Scandinavia

Universal state benefits and services, especially day care

Western Europe

State family allowances, child benefits, family additions in

social security schemes

Southern Europe

Family support, low state welfare

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Welfare State

New families, new welfare problems?

• Families have become less stable and therefore less reliable sources of social and income support to their members

What to do?

• Individualize welfare rights

• Equal treatment of married and unmarried couples

• Child benefits and family allowances to prime carer

• More state services and schemes supporting work-care combination: day care, leave schemes

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Welfare State

Discussion

Family support vs women’s emancipation?

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Families, Children and the Welfare State

Welfare State

Suggested reading

• Gornick, J., & Meyers, M. (2003). Families that work: Policies for reconciling parenthood and employment. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

• Hantrais, L. (2004). Family policy matters: Responding to family change in Europe. Bristol: Policy Press.

• Hantrais, L., & Letablier, M. T. (1996). Families and family policies in Europe. Essex: Longman.

• Kangas, O., & Rostgaard, T. (2005). Preferences or care context: Opinions on family and employment in seven European countries. Paper presented at the Third Annual Conference of ESPAnet, 22-24 September, Fribourg University (CH).

• Kaufmann, F. X., Kuijsten, A., Schulze, H. J., & Strohmeijer, K. (2002). Family life and family policies in Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Montanari, I. (2000). From family wage to marriage subsidy and child benefits: controversy and consensus in the development of family support. Journal of European Social Policy, 10(4), 307-323.

• Popenoe, D. (1988). Disturbing the nest: family change and decline in modern societies. New York: Aldine De Gruyter.

• Voicu, M. (2004). Work and family life in Europe: Value patterns and social policy making. In W. Arts & L. Halman (Eds.), European values at the turn of the Millennium. Leiden: Brill.