Policy packages for families with children in 11 European countries: Multiple approaches

Family policies are for the most part inextricably linked to state intervention in other aspects of public policy. Also, support to families is based on numerous historical and social rationales. These include assisting parents with the costs of raising children, fighting against social inequality, tackling market-driven poverty and unemployment, supporting lone parents, helping parents combine family and working life, and encouraging families to have more children. The hierarchical ordering by level of importance of these rationales can vary considerably according to the country concerned.