Comparative analysis in family policy: a case study

Sheila B. Kamerman, DSW, is Associ ate Professor, and Alfred J. Kahn, DSW, is Professor, Columbia Univer sity School of Social Work, New York, New York, where they are also Co directors, Cross-National Studies of Social Services and Family Policy. This study here presented was funded by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. More than three years ago, in an mains limited. Value conflicts that article published in social work, the might have remained masked in earlier present authors wrote about a concept discussions now emerge at the outset that they thought had immediate releof family policy debates as the dilem vance for U.S. social policy discusmas of choice become clearer. Emo sions—a concept that had been used tion clouds reason as special interest extensively in Europe but was relagroups assume narrow and intransi tively unknown in the United States.1 gent positions, and successful resolu That concept was "family policy." In tion of differences becomes more and that article, the authors defined the more difficult. concept and illustrated how it could Yet despite all this, family life re be used in social policy analysis. Since mains an appropriate area of concern then, family policy has become an infor government, if only because virtu creasingly popular topic in the United ally all governmental actions affect States and has been discussed by many families—indirectly if not directly, people, including some who are unTherefore, the critical issue is not comfortable with the term. Political whether we should have family policy leaders such as President Carter, Vice(or "families-policies" as the authors President Mondale, and former Secrehave suggested elsewhere), but what tary of Health, Education, and Weikind of family policy to have—a point fare Joseph Califano have talked of that has been stressed by Senator the need to develop policies designed Daniel P. Moynihan and Harvard Uni to strengthen rather than undermine versity political scientist Hugh Heclo.3 family functioning. This is not to encourage the creation National committees, as well as task of one monolithic, uniform policy for forces and seminars, have been orgaone kind of family, but rather to try nized to bring together experts from to bring about an approach that would various fields with the purpose of deallow decision-makers to become more termining which public policies are sensitive to family-related issues, clearly good—or bad—for families. For example, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences established two successive The following summary of a case committees on child development restudy in comparative family policy search and public policy, and a Famanalysis illustrates how such an ap ily Impact Seminar was organized at proach could be implemented. The George Washington University.2 central question addressed is a critical Several universities around the counone for families today and has impli try have established research centers cations for several domains of social in which some academic experts are policy. The method highlights both studying aspects of family life and the knowledge and value choices. The child, while others are trying to demost salient outcome that the study velop a technology for assessing the seeks to measure is the effect that al impact of policies on families or are ternative policy choices have on fam attempting in other ways to improve ilies and children, public policymaking as it affects famThe question is this: Since all adults, ilies and children. This interest conwomen as well as men, are likely to be tinues despite a growing awareness of fully participating, productive mem the problems that are inherent in the bers of the labor force, what actions endeavor. (if any) should the makers of social There seems little doubt that family policy take to make it possible for policy has potential value as an analycitizens to bear, rear, and care for chil tic construct, although it is becoming dren? Or, in other words, which poli increasingly clear that it is difficult to cies can help people to combine work use family well-being as a criterion in and family life? choosing policy. Regardless of the reThis is the central family policy is cent spate of research and writing on sue in much of Europe today. It is the subject, the state of knowledge rediscussed most often with regard to CENTRAL QUESTION