The intent of the article is both to elaborate the nature of family change in European societies and to interrogate contemporary policy on the family in the light of emerging changes and risks. The first part of the article undertakes an overview analysis of the main changes affecting families, looking at structure, organisation and relations. It then moves on to consider the key risks and challenges posed by recent changes for individuals, states and society. The risks discussed include the seeming lack of readiness to commit to parenthood, a polarisation between parenthood and partnership, overburdening of women and risks around care. The final section of the article turns to the state’s response, in terms of what it has been and what it might (need to) be.only subscribers can see the full article

The article reconstructs how the issue of family responsibility emerged in the discussion on welfare reform. An attempt is also made to indicate how the issue has been linked to the debate on comparative welfare state models. It emerges that the familisation/defamilisation of social policies becomes a crucial area of study, largely unexpexplored, to be considered in paralleò with commodification/decommodification even to plan thedefence or reform ofthe welfare state in new and fit terms in Italy.only subscribers can see the full article

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

Given shortcomings in present low income support measures, possible reforms are presented. The underlying consideration is to implement a joint reform of Irpef and family benefits by introducing tax cuts and benefits for minors regardless of income, and additional measures such as income transfer (negative taxation) in the case of fiscal incapacity; more progressivity of Irpef to obtain the necessary resources from high income earners to finance allowances and tax deductions. The redistributive effects of this reform are highlighted in favour of low and medium income families and the possibility to support young people by funding incentives to enable their entry to the labour market.only subscribers can see the full article

The pensioners’ unions Spi-Cgil, Fnp-Cisl and Uilp-Uil have decided to promote an act on non self-sufficiency. The reasons for this choice stem from the need to prevent, contrast and accompany this phenomenon which is on the rise, involving more than 2,800,000 Italian citizens and their families. The national government has not yet provided a suitable, effective response to requirements stemming from the «risk» of non self-sufficiency, leaving the system of local autonomies and individuals to cover the expenses resulting from the phenomenon. The matter has enormous impact. The act proposes a project to deal with the phenomenon starting from everyday life scenarios; prospecting a definition of non self-sufficiency and assessment modalities, indicating essential rights and guaranteeing their homogeneous application throughout the country; proposing an individualised plan, integrated services and a system to make care workers providing services to the non self-sufficient responsible. The national in-tervention plan proposed is supported by a national fund for non self-sufficiency financed through general taxation and capable of giving a concrete response to social essential levels.only subscribers can see the full article

The paper examines the main effects of the difficulties of reconciling life and work times in Italy. It then goes on to analyse a particular aspect of this difficulty, namely the incapacity of satisfying desired fertility plans. Analysing data from an inquiry on living conditions of families from a well off Italian province, there is empirical evidence of the positive effect of the type of work performed by the woman on the gap between children desired and effective. Some policy considerations are given in the conclusion.only subscribers can see the full article

In the last ten years Italy has seen an exponential growth in private care work, a sector that is to a great extent unregulated, marked by misinformation, uncertainty of labour relations, little correspondence between supply and demand, and dynamics of domestic segregation. In the absence of a national policy on non-self-sufficiency there has been a proliferation of regional and local services to support this sector. These interventions need to be coordinated and integrated with each other, creating a regulated market with a minimum set of rules, accepted by both families and carers.only subscribers can see the full article

The article analyses recent developments in families and social policy-making in Spain. First, the impact that «superwomen» have had in underpinning Spanish welfare arrangements in the last decades is analysed. The latter type of mater familias, that has contributed decisively to the economic prosperity and stability of the country, is gradually vanishing. Rapid societal change has encouraged social policy-making in order to provide with new public benefits and services to support families. In subsequent sections of the article, public programmes and legislation carried out by PP (1996-2004) and Psoe (2004- ). Governments are reviewed contrasting the approaches taken by both main Spanish political parties in recent years. Concluding remarks underline the idea that what was considered to be a «women’s issue» can no longer be coped with «behind-closed-doors».only subscribers can see the full article

The issue of the family has taken on a new dimension in the political debate and in sociological research, given the impact its changing settings have produced on the welfare system and on its redefinition, as well as on labour market conditions. The article analyses the motiva-tions underlying this particular focus from the perspective of the social change involving relations within the family, those between family and labour market and lastly between family and welfare settings. The author assumes a critical sociological standpoint to avoid the risks of redundancy that the sociological analysis is exposed to when guided by policy requirements providing exclusively descriptive and exces-sively simplistic perspectives. However, it is now important to ask new questions and develop new theoretical and methodological approaches.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