Partnership, parenting and protecting children’s best interests : implications for policy and practice

Abstract

The impetus for the book developed from shared beliefs that family life is central to the psychological, emotional, social and economic wellbeing of adults and children living in all types of society and in all corners of the globe, that families can provide protection and stability for their members, and that strong, stable families form the bedrock for strong, stable societies. Family structures have always evolved and changed, but immense technological advances, greater gender equality and increased globalisation have prompted widespread shifts in patterns of family formation, living arrangements, parenting practices, social attitudes and public policies. In many countries, life expectancy is higher than ever before, birth rates are lower and, increasingly, more people live in non-traditional family structures. In Western countries in particular there is more cohabitation; marriages end in divorce more often and remarriages are increasing; greater numbers of children are born outside wedlock; and parenthood is no longer the preserve of married couples. Indeed, children may spend much of their young lives in a variety of family forms and be looked after by a range of ‘parental’ figures. In other parts of the globe, traditional structures and institutions and gendered approaches to partnership and parenting are being challenged on a daily basis. These shifts have been accompanied by a range of complex challenges for individuals, families and societies, and have served to draw attention to the need for sensitive, supportive family policies that protect vulnerable families and enhance child outcomes, particularly during a period of sustained global recession and widespread fiscal constraints. Different countries have developed different priorities and policies and there is much to be gained from a better global understanding of the strategies that work in different cultural contexts. The contributors to this book have examined the changes and challenges, drawing on research from around the world in order to consider the implications for policy and practice in the future. In this final chapter we reflect on the key themes and summarise the learning within each of the four parts of the book, which we believe has global relevance in our fast-changing world.