1 Family Packages in 11 European Countries: Multiple Approaches

All member countries of the European Union have developed programmes for providing financial support to families. Complete family packages of cash benefits, tax breaks, exemptions from charges, various subsidies, and/or services in kind are all being directed toward assisting parents with the costs of raising children. Moreover, this framework has been developed to favor the long view, guaranteeing the well-being of future generations (Bradshaw, 2006) and serving to reinforce the shared bond between generations. Clearly, the responsible authorities have recognized, more or less explicitly, the fundamental role families play in upholding the social cohesion (Esping-Andersen, 1999). It goes without saying, however, that levels of spending in this domain differ considerably between various EU member states (Bradshaw, 2006). The remarkable generosity of the Nordic countries, for example, contrasts sharply with the modest contributions made by countries in the southern bloc of member states: Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain. These disparities can no doubt be traced back to cultural differences as to what in fact constitutes family responsibility. Where children are concerned, marked differences emerge on how caring responsibility should be divided between State, marke