The Notion of Family in Lithuanian and Swedish Social Legislation

Abstract

This study examines the conceptualisation of family in key social legislative documents guiding social workers in two European countries, whose welfare systems have previously been labelled as re-familialised (Lithuania) or de-familialised (Sweden). The focus is on the concept of family as delineated on three legislative levels: the constitutional level, the general family policy level, and the child welfare policy level. ‘Family’ is explicit in Lithuanian law, and the regulation of family formation and responsibility is imperative, while this is much less so in Swedish law. The analysis reveals how general welfare systems (regime-types) are linked to legislative frameworks, which, in turn, provide fundamentally different conditions for social work in different contexts.

“My Whole Family Is Not Really My Family”—Secure Care Shadows on Family and Family Practices Among Young Adults and Their Family Members

“…Family imaginaries and practices are embedded in specific social and structural contexts, and for this study, the specific contexts are situated in Sweden and the Swedish child welfare system and secure care. As a state, Sweden offers a de-familialized framework, meaning individuals are not supposed to be reliant on family support (Nygren, Naujanienè, & Nygren, 2018). Within this framework, child welfare in Sweden has been categorized as a family service system where support of parent-child relationships and care for children are the primary focus (Freymond & Cameron, 2006).…”

The Voice of the Child: An Analysis of the Child Protection System in Lithuanian Family Social Work

“…In Lithuania, child protection units are separated from social work services in child and family welfare (Nygren et al, 2018;Gilbert, 2012). As observed by Anghel et al (2013), the gap between policy and practice has become extremely visible, whilst the child has become invisible or has been named as a group of "children left behind."…”

From Needs to Relationships to Organisations: Transactional Complexity in Social Work in the Swedish Social Services

“…The intentions of welfare policies are both to decrease or eliminate discrepancies in living standards between families with children and without children but also to eliminate power divisions in families by giving opportunities for women to combine family life with work life and men the opportunity to share in parenting (Ahlberg et al, 2008). Policies are individualised with few references to 'family' (Nygren et al, 2018) but are meant to ensure that individuals and families have good living conditions. At the same time, 'Individual and family [emphasis added] care' is a well-established organising concept for large parts of social welfare services.…”