Family policies and low fertility in Western Europe

Abstract

This article examines current family policies in Western Europe against the backdrop of fertility decline in Europe. Its objective is to depict the nature of family policies from a cross-national perspective in order to illuminate potential relationships between them and demographic patterns. The article concentrates on those family policies that constitute the core of welfare-state policies related to childbearing and the rearing of children: Maternity policies, parental-leave policies, childcare services, and child benefits.