Childhood and family were important issues in the 20th century for public authorities, with various connotations in each country. Yet it is difficult to precisely define the notion of family policy especially from the perspective of an international comparative analysis. Firstly this paper gives an overview of the obstacles to reach a definition of this area of public action. Secondly, it shows, from the French case, how a strategy of genealogical interpretation of family policy can bring about an understanding of the modalities through which national history participates in its progressive definition. Lastly, the role of the European debate in the structuring of these public policies will be discussed.only subscribers can see the full article

In 2003, with the publication of the Green Paper on childhood, under the slogan «Every Child Matters», the British government announced the reform of the social assistance for children, young people and families. The policy is still at the initial stage of , implementation so it is not yet possible to assess its effects. In any case, the analysis of discourses constructed around it allows ascertaining the type of relationship created between value systems and policy mechanisms, beliefs behind the policies and hypothesised implementation tools. The arti-cle analyses, on the basis of documents available on the net, the intentions of the policy-makers responsible for the introduction of the new UK policy on childhood, focusing mainly on the conceptual and theoretical premises.only subscribers can see the full article

The article presents the main results of a study conducted by Ires on childcare targeted at under3-year-olds. After outlining information currently available on this issue, the following aspects are analysed: a) the diffusion of care services at the regional level; b) an estimate of expressed and unsatisfied demand; c) an overview of the functioning of such services with respect to family requirements. In conclusion, an analysis is conducted on the link between the difficulty in activating infant care services and the fragmentary and residual nature of local welfare systems in Italy.only subscribers can see the full article

The paper states the necessity for substantial investment in policies to support childhood. Children, considered both in quantitative and qualitative terms, are identified as the focus for the definition of the new welfare balance. First of all, the article considers the reasons that influence the reproductive choices of women and the reasons behind the low fertility rate, analyzing the negative effects on growth and development resulting from present circumstances. In the light of the importance of human capital as a strategic factor of economic growth, the author supports the necessity to invest in a mix of policies which, on the one hand, allows people, especially women, to satisfy their reproductive desires without them becoming an obstacle to participation in the labor market; on the other hand, it aims to support the growth and development of children by overcoming the social and cultural inequalities inherited from their parents, allowing them to acquire skills that can be put to use in the labor market when they are adults.only subscribers can see the full article