Section 1: Comparative Child, Youth and Family Policies and Programs: Benefits and Services
Comparative Policy Regimes and Programs |
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Scope: Clearinghouse coverage includes the topics or regimes usually considered as "Child, Youth, and Family Policy" in the industrialized nations of the world. Education is covered in part. Juvenile justice, culture, recreation, family law are not systematically covered but sometimes are within the scope of particular regimes or are considered as part of child and family policy in particular countries. " Social Protection policy towards the family and children takes three main forms. The first is to compensate, at least in part, for the additional costs of having children by paying child benefits or family allowances or by granting tax allowances. The second is to enable women to take time off work when they give birth and to receive a replacement income for a period of time, though entitlement to leave is being increasingly extended to both parents both immediately after the child is born and during the first few years and when the child falls ill. The third is to provide help with child care and with caring for family members with disabilities or who are elderly and frail, either directly or through allowances. All three forms are important means of improving the income security of people with families. The third form, the provision of help with caring responsibilities, is also an important aspect of ensuring social inclusion for the people concerned." Report on social protection in Europe 1999 (Brussels: The European Commission, 2000) Coverage: We are able to offer multi-country coverage to the extent that systematic data are compiled and made available by a major international organization (sources cited). Sometimes we offer overlapping tables where we have access to tables with varied country or topical coverage. For a few regimes, we draw upon one-time work of individual researchers. Where multi-country data which are standardized are not available and therefore not found here, click to individual countries of interest. In any case, the country profiles may offer helpful context for a policy or program. Policies regarding child abuse and neglect and substitute care for children are not included because of the lack of currently available international systematic data. We plan to develop a section on the policies and programs for lone mothers in the near future. For each regime, as available, we provide:
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