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Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion Ensuring Work–Family Balance Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity in North America

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Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion Ensuring Work–Family Balance Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity in North America Confronting family poverty and social exclusion Ensuring work–family balance Advancing social integration and intergenerational solidarity In North America North American Expert Group Meeting Convened as part of preparations for the Twentieth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family (2014) In cooperation with the Focal Point on the Family (United Nations DESA) Mexico City 19–20 May 2014 Revised Version January 2015 The Expert Group Meeting convened in Mexico City on 19-20 May 2014 was held as part of celebrations for the Twentieth Anniversary of the In- ternational Year of the Family. Experts and practitioners from the three countries discussed about the proposals for recommendations of social policies that should be promoted from United Nations. The outcomes, in particular its conclusions and recommendations, will further guide the fol- low-up of the Twentieth Anniversary and will be used as inputs to the up- coming reports of the Secretary-General on family issues. The Meeting was organized International Federation for Family Develop- ment (IFFD), a non–governmental, independent, and non–profit federa- tion, founded in 1978. Its activities consist of family enrichment courses organized in 65 countries of the five continents, with a participative meth- odology based in the case study method. IFFD collaborates in local, na- tional and international institutions to promote and protect family values. It holds general consultative status with the Economic and Social Commit- tee of the United Nations. © International Federation for Family Development – January 2015. Produced by the International Institute for Family Research – The Family Watch CONTENTS INTRODUCTION A. FAMILY POLICY IN THE UN CONTEXT .......................................................................8 B. FAMILY POLICIES ................................................................................................9 C. CONFRONTING FAMILY POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION........................................... 10 D. ENSURING WORK–FAMILY BALANCE...................................................................... 12 E. ADVANCING SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND INTERGENERATIONAL SOLIDARITY ...................... 15 F. OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES .............................................................................. 17 SOCIAL EXCLUSION, SOCIAL CAPITAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC MOBILITY: HOW MICRO–LEVEL PROCESSES OBFUSCATE REDUCTIONS IN POVERTY Linda Burton A. Overview...................................................................................................... 19 B. Spatial inequality and poverty in the U.S. .......................................................20 C. Social exclusion ............................................................................................ 21 D. Social capital and social mobility.................................................................... 22 E. The reproduction of social exclusion: four generic processes............................ 25 F. Othering....................................................................................................... 25 G. Subordinate adaptation ................................................................................26 H. Boundary maintenance................................................................................. 27 I. Emotion management....................................................................................28 J. Context matters ............................................................................................28 K. Thoughts on public policy and social exclusion................................................ 31 L. Some recommendations................................................................................ 33 FAMILIAR STRANGERS: MIGRANT FAMILY REUNIFICATION IN CANADA Denise L. Spitzer A. Introduction..................................................................................................39 B. Migration and familial separation in Canada....................................................40 C. Canada’sLive–In Caregiver Program (LCP) and Filipino families: a case study....43 D. Discussion and conclusion .............................................................................50 E. Policy recommendations ...............................................................................51 Appendix: Overview of Case study ..................................................................... 57 FAMILY AND WORK BALANCE POLICIES IN NORTH AMERICA: A FOCUS ON PARENTAL LEAVE IN UNITED STATES, CANADA AND MEXICO Mihaela Robila A. Parental leave in the United States.................................................................59 B. Parental leave in Canada................................................................................60 C. Parental leave in Mexico ................................................................................61 D. Recommendations........................................................................................62 WORK, FAMILY, & GENDER ISSUES IN THE UNITED STATES: CURRENT PERSPECTIVES AND CHALLENGES Bahira Sherif Trask A. Demographic changes in the U.S. labor force................................................. 69 B. Social class Issues..........................................................................................70 C. Specific gender related concerns....................................................................70 D. An ideological and legal commitment to equality: the ideal vs. the real............. 73 E. The intense American workplace as a challenge.............................................. 75 F. Resistance to supportive work–family policies................................................. 76 G. Conclusion ....................................................................................................77 THE FAMILY IN TRANSITION: SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT DECLINES IN FERTILITY AND MARRIAGE? W. Bradford Wilcox A. Causes of falling fertility and marriage rates ................................................... 85 B. The role of culture.........................................................................................86 C. Economic consequences of the new global demographics ...............................89 D. The Welfare State in an Aging Society ........................................................... 93 E. Appropriate family policy in an aging society ..................................................94 INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONS AND SOCIAL COHESION Donna S. Lero A. Conceptualizing intergenerational solidarity within families ...........................107 B. Incorporating the cultural context as an influence on patterns of intergenerational support................................................................................ 109 C. Investigations of caregiving in context...........................................................110 D. Conclusions................................................................................................ 129 GOOD PRACTICES A. Dealing with poverty through education (Colegio Meyali)...............................131 B. Family orientation for teachers (Instituto de Enlaces Educativos) ....................131 C. Family Enrichment Courses (LAR-IFFD).........................................................132 D. Family Justice Centers (National Family Justice Center Alliance) .................... 133 E. Research Program (The Vanier Institute of the Family)................................... 133 PARTICIPANTS A. Experts....................................................................................................... 135 B. Practitioners ............................................................................................... 138 C. Observers................................................................................................... 138 1. INTRODUCTION The importance of the stability of the family –”the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well–being of all its members”1– becomes in- creasingly evident as the negative consequences of its absence continue to relentlessly manifest themselves. “Stable and healthy families are the foundation of strong societies, when family breakdown, the costs are high, societies suffer and the role of government tends to expand.”2 Since 1978, the International Federation for Family Development (IFFD) has been work- ing to promote and support different kinds of initiatives which aim to bolster and strengthen the family. Our experience in family matters has shown us time and again that the best solution is not to replace families’social functions, either via the state or other institutions, but to try to support and empower families to carry out these functions in their own right. “Governments cannot afford to fully replace the functions families perform for the benefit of their members and for the good of society. The family is the most powerful, the most humane and, by far, the most economical system known for building competence and character. Still, families do better in a supportive policy envi- ronment–one in which, for example, schools actively seek parental engagement; em- ployers recognize that workers are also family members; agencies and organizations are family–centered in their philosophy and operation; and laws support family members’ roles as caregivers, parents, partners, and workers. A vital role remains for government to supplement and complement the private investments families make. Policies and pro- grams, along
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