Polítiques familiars a Catalunya: una primera aproximació

Abstract

This article explains the conclusions of a study which analyses the family policy in Catalonia, both the Spanish State policy as well as the Autonomous Catalan Government of the Generalitat, through the Integral Programme of Support for Families (PISF) passed in 1993. The research answers the following question: is the Generalitat Government carrying out a coherent model of family policy in Catalonia? The familiy police of the Generalitat, though it claims to be universal in its measures is, in practice, clearly charitable and selective. In general, it has lacked direction and political will in the implementation of the PISF proposals. The formation of new, young ,families has been slowed down not only by the precarity of labour contracts in Spain and Catalonia but also by the inexistence of state housing policy. Nor do young couples have universal subsidies for children, which has also contributed to the low birthrate in Catalonia. The measures to help the reconciliation of work and family life apart from the maternity and parental leave which depend on the Spanisch State have not been implemented. That is to say, the family in Catalonia is (above all the women), at this moment in time, the main source of welfare.