
SOCIAL POLICY FOR SINGLE MOTHER FAMILIES
LUMEN – Copyright © 2005 – SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Book Series
FORMAT: Paperback
PAGES: 54
LANGUAGE: English
ISBN: 973-7766-19-9
AVAILABLE ON: Google Books
Description:
The multiplication of alternative forms of family life is one of the social phenomena directly associated with the process of modernization of society. In this sense in the last decades we have assisted to the proliferation of single mother families. They are one of the most vulnerable demographic groups today in many countries including the Netherlands and Romania. Their situation was described as “feminization of poverty”. They challenge the traditional assumptions of welfare state regimes i.e. the male breadwinner model of family. This paper seeks to explore comparatively the Dutch and Romanian welfare states with regard to single mother families. Both countries have experienced neo-liberal reforms in the past years. The main analytical tool is the asset vulnerability framework that comprises the tangible assets of single mother families as labor, human capital, housing and also intangible assets as family relationships and social capital. The Dutch welfare state, in spite of retrenchment measures, still belongs to the most generous ones in the western world. On the contrary, in Romania after communism collapsed in 1989 the state completely withdrew from its social protection role. Family took the role of safety net but in some cases it has difficulties or even fails to fulfil it. The most feasible target for government’s intervention seems to be housing. Consolidating this asset would reduce the vulnerability directly and indirectly, contributing to the consolidation of the other assets as well. (The author)
Topics of interest:
- social politics
- social work
- mono-parental families