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Flexibility and a holistic perspective
on support for families
Göran Hägglund, Minister of Health and Social Affairs
and Maria Larsson, Minister for Children and the Elderly, Sweden
E
nsuring
W
ork
-F
amily
B
alance
F
amilies play a central role in the well-being of indi-
viduals as well as for society. Becoming a parent
and raising a child is a great responsibility and
a life-changing commitment. A secure and nurturing
upbringing provides the conditions for a good start in life.
In Sweden there are about 1.1 million families with children
and about 2 million children. Around 70 per cent of children
live with both parents in traditional nuclear families, while
approximately 19 per cent live in single parent families and 11
per cent in reconstituted families in which, for example, one
or both parents have a child with a previous partner.
The concept of family goes beyond the parent-child rela-
tionship, although that is usually at the heart of family policy
development. Relationships with grandparents and other
extended family members also play an important support role for
families, emotionally as partners in child-raising and in solving
the work-family puzzle. As parents increasingly see responsibil-
ity for their children as a joint obligation and an opportunity
to form lasting bonds, more men are taking parental leave than
ever before. Living arrangements are also changing after sepa-
ration, with more children alternating between parents’ homes
instead of staying with one parent only, thus forming new family
patterns and creating challenges for the design and effects of
family policies. As family patterns and views about parenthood
change, support for the well-being of families must constantly be
developed to suit all kinds of family types and changing needs.
The Swedish Government’s objective is that financial family
policy should contribute to better conditions for good finan-
cial living standards for all families with children, and increase
their freedom of choice and their control over their own lives.
Family policy should support opportunities for both parents
to take part in working life while being able to look after their
children when they are young. In addition, it should improve
the conditions for equality between men and women.
As Minister of Health and Social Affairs and Minister for
Children and the Elderly, we would like to emphasize that
the best interests of the child should be at the heart of family
Finding a work-family balance is important for child well-being
Sweden has a flexible parental leave system that encourages both parents to
spend time with their children
Image: Etsabild AB
Image: Johnér bildbyrå