CHAPTER 15 OUTLINE Looking Ahead Helping Families Flourish What do Families Need to Flourish Many aspects of family life from communication to divorce derive from macro level changes in family demographics needs and functions As more women join the labor market family members must find ways to meet both work and family demands Family Resilience Resilience a multi faceted ability to thrive despite adversity Capacity to rebound from adversity misfortune trauma or other transitional crises strengthened and more resourceful We can develop resilience at any point in the life course Among two thirds of high risk children who have learning or behavioral problems at age 18 50 percent of them did not exhibit these problems at age 30 Instead they had satisfying jobs and stable marriages Individual Family and Community Factors To understand resiliency we must consider factors at a number of levels including Individual level protective factors Traits including a positive self concept sociability intelligence and scholastic competence autonomy self esteem androgyny good communication and problem solving skills humor and good mental and physical health Family protective and recovery factors Family Protective factors family characteristics or dynamics that shape the family s ability to endure in the face of risk factors Family characteristics such as warmth affection cohesion and traditions Family Recovery factors Family characteristics or dynamics that assist families in bouncing back from a crisis situation These factors include commitment communication and emotional other family members such as siblings grandparents or aunts and uncles may step in Resilient families generally have reasonable and clear cut expectations for their children They participate in family celebrations share spiritual connections and have specific traditions and predictable routines Moreover resilient families generally share core values for financial management and the use of leisure time even when money and time are in short supply Community strengths Community factors Community features that help promote resilience such as social networks and religious and faith based fellowships Researchers indicate several key strengths A strong community has opportunities for participation in community life extracurricular activities in school religious youth groups or other activities help to bond youth to their schools churches or communities Provide ways for members to contribute to the welfare of others Helping others can foster a sense of inner strength and self esteem Provides opportunities to connect with peers and other adults What is Missing Marco Level Factors Strengthening families requires individuals families and communities to work together Macro level Factors Strong community programs such as clubs and organizations can help children connect with peers and mentors to bolster self esteem Community factors include adequate schools Family policies and programs such as Social Security or maternity leaves offer assistance to help families thrive Mirco level Factors Individual level protective factors include personality traits and disposition such a self confidence Family protective factors such as family warmth include characteristics or dynamics that shape the family s ability to endure in the face of risk factors Sound economic and social policies and programs that are designed to strengthen all types of families healthy as well as vulnerable such as national health insurance livable wages and maternity leaves can provide families and youth with the necessary tools to master resilience Family Policy The government regulates many aspects of family The government prohibits certain people from marrying each other requires people who intend to marry to have a blood test and requires two witnesses for a legal wedding ceremony US adults have no guaranteed maternity leave national health insurance or subsidized childcare These family policies reflect historical cultural political and social factors in the US including norms that favor personal collective responsibility A Selective Approach to Family Benefits Our culture expects people to be in charge of their own destinies and shows little tolerance for those who seem unwilling or unable to support themselves Selective programs programs for which only a select group of people is eligible Ex only elderly or certain categories of poor people qualify for governmental health insurance it is not available to all citizens Likewise only low income parents receive assistance with their childcare costs rather than all parents regardless of income Means tested programs programs for which beneficiaries need to meet some eligibility requirement to qualify These income thresholds are kept relatively low to limit the number of program users and thus control costs On the other hand police and fire protection and public education are available to all persons regardless of income Most developed nations take a universal approach consisting of n interrelated coordinated set of proactive economic and social programs and policies to help strengthen all families Universal programs programs to help strengthen all families without any eligibility requirement They are available to everyone United States thinks of health care and childcare in individualistic terms and expects parents to figure them out on their own other countries have specific policies to ensure that all citizens receive these benefits Other countries have adopted programs of universal health care and childcare because their citizens believe poverty and inequality are caused by the structure of society and therefore they look for structural rather than individual solutions Progression taxation a tax system under which those who earn more pay a A Universal Approach to Family Benefits higher percentage of their income in taxes than those who earn less Building Resilience General Policies and Programs to Support Families National Health Insurance About 60 percent of Americans receive their health insurance from an employer either as a worker or as a dependent of a worker National health insurance a healthcare system for all citizens that considers health care a public right It is viewed as a public good like education police protection and parks and is therefore funded through taxes and general government revenues The United States is the only developed nation without some type of national health insurance that guarantees access to
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