Restructuring Family Policies : Convergences and Divergences.

Intro -- Contents -- List of Tables -- Preface -- 1 Restructuring Family Policies -- The Focus of This Book -- Methodology -- Chapter Outline -- Defining Key Terms -- Defining 'Families' -- Defining 'Family Policy' -- Defining 'Restructuring' -- Globalization and Restructuring -- Conclusion -- 2 Socio-demographic Changes and Family Policy Restructuring -- Rising Cohabitation Rates -- Gay and Lesbian Cohabitation -- Declining Fertility but More Births outside Marriage -- Influences on Family Demography -- Work Patterns Influence Family Patterns and Practices -- Changing Technology Influences Family Patterns -- Changing Ideas Influence Family Patterns and Practices -- Conclusion -- 3 Welfare Regimes, National Politics, and Family Policies -- Conceptualizing Welfare Regimes -- Liberal or Residual Welfare Regimes -- Corporatist or Conservative Regimes -- Social Democratic Welfare Regimes -- Welfare Regimes as Ideal Types -- Debates about Welfare Regimes -- Feminist Critiques of Welfare Regimes -- Alternative Welfare Regimes Focusing on Caring and Family -- Comparing State Support for Women as Mothers and Workers -- Comparing State Support for Families in General -- The Influence of National Politics on Policy Debates -- Conclusion -- 4 Growing Internationalization and Family Policies -- The Growing Internationalization of Labour Markets and Trade -- Increased International Migration, Travel, and Communication -- Pressure from International Organizations to Reform Family Policies -- Freer Trade, Neoliberal Restructuring, and Families -- Conclusion -- 5 Reproductive Health and Childbirth -- Basic Indicators of Well-being -- Reproductive Health Policies and Services -- Contraception Programs and Sexuality -- Access to Abortion -- Fertility and the State -- Maternity Care Policies and Practices -- The 'Medicalization' of Childbirth.

Breastfeeding Policies and Practices -- Medically Assisted Conception -- Conclusion -- 6 Work, Gender, and Parenthood -- Parenthood and Paid Work -- Concerns about Maternal Employment -- Making Adaptations for Earning and Caring -- Policy Approaches to Working Parents -- Differing Models of Maternity/Parental Benefits -- Targeting Benefits to Mothers -- Targeting Benefits to Parents -- The Laissez-Faire Model -- Whose Interests Are Protected by Various Leave Policies? -- Reforming Parental Leave Policies -- The Gendered Division of Domestic Work -- Conclusion -- 7 The Care and Welfare of Children -- Childcare Policies for Employed Mothers -- Funding and Regulating Childcare -- Cross-national Variations in Childcare Programs -- The Growing Demand for High-Quality Childcare -- State Support for Childcare at Home -- 'Legitimacy' and Adoption -- From Foster Care to Kin Care -- Children's Rights and Programs to Counter Abuse -- Conclusion -- 8 Social Housing and Income Support -- Recent Arguments about Family Income Support -- The Need to Reduce 'Child Poverty' -- Preventing 'Social Exclusion' Is More Important Than Reducing Poverty -- Benefit Recipients Should Become More Employable -- Investing in Children -- Social Housing and Family Well-being -- State Income Support -- Restructuring Family Income Support in Canada -- Restructuring Income Support for Australian Families -- Comparing Canadian and Australian Reforms -- Conclusion -- 9 Divorce, Child Support, and International Migration -- Changing Attitudes to Divorce -- Comparative Divorce Rates -- Separation, Divorce, and Children -- Lone Parenthood and Re-partnering -- Legal and Policy Issues -- The Division of Family Assets and Spousal Support -- Guardianship, Custody, and Access to Children -- Awarding and Enforcing Child Support -- International Agreements on the Enforcement of Child Support.

Child Custody, Domestic Violence, and the Hague Convention -- Child Custody, Domestic Violence, and Border Crossings in Specific Countries -- Conclusion -- 10 Strengthening and Reducing Family Support -- Which Family Programs Have Been Strengthened? -- The Expansion of Paid Parental Leave -- The Expansion of Childcare Services -- Child Benefits and Child Support -- Improvements to Child Welfare Practices -- New Ways of Dealing with Violence against Women -- Relationship Rights for Same-Sex Couples -- Better Pay for Part-time Workers in Some Jurisdictions -- Which Family Benefits Have Been Eroded? -- Cuts to Income Support -- Reproductive Services -- Waiting Lists for Family Services -- Changing Employment Protections -- Which Governments Best Protect Family Benefits? -- Family Policy and Future Convergence -- Works Cited -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.

Drawing from nation-based research, cross-national studies, and international data bases, Restructuring Family Policiessuccessfully integrates mainstream academic debates about restructuring welfare states with feminist research findings and current policy concerns.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.