Abstract
In Finland, family policy is based on universal child benefits, parenthood allowances, and a publicly supported day care system for small children. The present system is a result of a long evolution throughout the 20th century, for in Finland, modern family policy started slowly. Nowadays Finland differs from countries with a conservative and liberal model in that it has made investments in measures to reconcile work and family life. The aim of this paper is to describe the historical development and the main elements of the Finnish family policy system and to evaluate how changes in family policy have affected the well-being of families with children. The recession in the 1990s changed the favourable development of family policy system in Finland. Cuts had to be made in every social policy sector. The largest cuts in the family policy field were made towards the end of the depression. The reductions in family support indicated a clear change in the direction of family policy. Changes in family policy had an influence on the well-being of children. Social trends in the 1990s strained the livelihood of parents with small children in terms of their income, working life and services at their disposal.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bardy, M., Salmi, M. & Heino, T. (2001). Mikä lapsiamme uhkaa? Suuntaviivoja 2000-luvun lapsipoliittiseen keskusteluun. Raportteja 263. Helsinki: Stakes.
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Forssén, K. (1998). Children, families and the welfare state. Research Report 92. Helsinki: Stakes.
Forssén, K. (1999). Family Policies and the Economic Well-Being of Children in some OECD Countries. In: Kangas, O. & Myhrman, R. (eds.), Social Policy in Tandem with the Labour Market in the European Union. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, 177–194.
Fritzell, J. & Ritakallio, V.-M. (2004). The new social patterning of poverty in Europe: Cross-national and crosstemporal changes. Paper for the Centre of Future Studies at Stockholm.
Gauthier, A. H. (1996). The State and the Family. A Comparative Analysis of Family Policies in Industrialised Countries. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Haataja, A. (2003). Yksinhuoltajien työssäkäynti. In: Forssén, K. & Haataja, A. (eds.), Yksinhuoltajuus Suomessa. Käsikirjoitus.
Haataja, A. (2005). Outcomes of the two 1990s family policy reforms at the turn of the 2000s in Finland. Yearbook of population research in Finland 41, 5–27.
Hiilamo, H. (2000). Suomen perhepoliittisen linjan kehittyminen vuosina 1990–1999. Sosiaalipolitiikan Laitos, Turun Yliopisto, 10. Helsinki.
Hiilamo, H. (2002). The Rise and Fall of Nordic Family Policy? Research Report 125. Helsinki: Stakes.
Hiilamo, H. (2006). Akantappolaista isäkiintiöön. Perhepolitiikan pitkälinja Suomessa ja Ruotsissa. Helsinki: Stakes.
Julkunen, R. (2003). Women’s rights in Finland-The ascendancy of citizen’s rights. http://virtual.Finland.fi. Accessed on 25/07/2006.
Jäntti, M. & Ritakallio, V-M. (2000). Income Poverty in Finland 1971–1995. In: Gustafsson, B. & Pedersen, P. (eds.), Poverty and Low Income in the Nordic Countries. Aldershot: Ashgate, 66–103.
Kangas, O. & Ritakallio, V-M. (2005). Different Methods — Different Trends. Poverty in Finland in the 1990s. University of Turku, Department of Social Policy, Publications A: 15.
KELA (2003). Kelan etuudet 2003. Kansaneläkelaitoksen julkaisuja.
Kuusi, P. (1964). Social Policy for the Sixties. A Plan for Finland. Helsinki: Finnish Social Policy Association.
Myrdal, A. & Myrdal, G. (1934). Kris i befolkningsfrågan. Stockholm: Bonnier.
Nordlund, K. (2005). Saman kokenut ymmärtää parhaiten? Turun yliopisto, sosiaalipolitiikan laitos.
OECD (2001). Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Finland. Paris: OECD.
Save the Children (2002). Children’s rights: Equal rights. Diversity, difference and the issue of discrimination. London: International Save the Children Alliance.
Salmi, M. (2003). Combining work and family: A key issue for gender equality. http://virtual.finland.fi. Accessed on 25/07/2006.
Sauli, H., Bardy, M. & Salmi, M. (2004). Families with small children face deteriorating circumstances. In: Heikkil M. & Kautto, M. (eds.), Welfare in Finland. Helsinki: Stakes, 20–37.
Siaroff, A. (1994). Work, welfare and gender equality. A new typology. In: Sainbury, D. (ed), Gendering welfare states. London: Sage, 82–100.
Socius (2005). Socius Finland 2/2005. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
Statistics of Finland (2003). Tulonjakotilasto.
STM (1999). The Finnish Family Policy. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
STM (2000). Social Welfare and Health Report 2000. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
STM (2002). Trends in Social Protection in Finland 2002. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
STM (2005). Trends in Social Protection in Finland 2005. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
STM (2006). Lapsiasiavaltuutetun toimintakertomus vuodelta 2005. Sosiaali-ja terveysministeri. Selvityksiä 2006: 36.
Taskinen, S. (2001). The Situation of Families in Finland in 2001. Helsinki: Stakes.
Sukselainen, V. J. (1950). Perhekustannusten tasaaminen. Porvoo: WSOY.
Therborn, G. (1993). The Politics of Childhood: The Rights of Children in Modern Times. In: Castles, F. (ed.), Families of Nations. Patterns of Public Policy in Western Democracies. Aldershot: Dartmouth, 241–291.
Vuornos, M. (1971). Lapsen asema Suomessa. Tutkimus lapsen aseman ja oikeuksien kehittymisest. Helsinki: WSOY.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften | GWV Fachverlage GmbH, Wiesbaden
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Forssén, K., Jaakola, AM., Ritakallio, VM. (2008). Family Policies in Finland. In: Ostner, I., Schmitt, C. (eds) Family Policies in the Context of Family Change. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-90895-3_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-90895-3_4
Publisher Name: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften
Print ISBN: 978-3-531-14564-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-531-90895-3
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Science (German Language)