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Sustainable Family Life and Child Welfare: A Conceptual Framework

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  • Juha Hämäläinen

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
    Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, 70200 Ostrava, Czech Republic
    School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China)

  • Kaisa Pihlainen

    (Philosophical Faculty, University of Eastern Finland, 80100 Joensuu, Finland)

  • Riitta Vornanen

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland)

Abstract

Although there have been developments in family and child welfare services, these have not been prioritized from a sustainability perspective. This article aims to provide a framework for supporting sustainable provisions for family and child welfare. We demonstrate how the need for a socially sustainable stance on family and child welfare arises from the recognition of global changes that constantly influence families as well as children’s rights, which ground child- and family-centered actions. The conceptual framework includes three overarching dimensions and four levels of actors that provide a body for 16 conceptual entities in providing socially sustainable family and child welfare. The analysis showed that functional child welfare and family policies, systems, and practices appear essential elements, even necessary preconditions, of sustainability and sustainable development in general. Leaning on the concept of children’s rights, we conclude that the idea of child welfare promises citizens that society has committed to promoting all children’s wellbeing. Implementation of this requires a shared understanding that the conceptual framework provided in this paper urges to actualize.

Suggested Citation

  • Juha Hämäläinen & Kaisa Pihlainen & Riitta Vornanen, 2020. "Sustainable Family Life and Child Welfare: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:9112-:d:438920
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Efrat Eizenberg & Yosef Jabareen, 2017. "Social Sustainability: A New Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Emanuele Ferragina, 2019. "The political economy of family policy expansion," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(6), pages 1238-1265, November.
    3. Moyer, Jonathan D. & Hedden, Steve, 2020. "Are we on the right path to achieve the sustainable development goals?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    4. Merle Taimalu & Anja Lahikainen & Piia Korhonen & Inger Kraav, 2007. "Self-Reported Fears as Indicators of Young Children’s Well-Being in Societal Change: A Cross-Cultural Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 80(1), pages 51-78, January.
    5. Juha Hämäläinen & Pasi Matikainen, 2018. "Mechanisms and Pedagogical Counterforces of Young People’s Social Exclusion: Some Remarks on the Requisites of Social Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-28, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rasa Naujanienė & Jonas Ruškus & Merja Laitinen & Roberta Motiečienė & Julija Eidukevičiūtė, 2021. "Considering Family and Child Welfare in Lithuania in Terms of Social Sustainability Pursuant to Observations of Everyday Professional Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Soňa Kalenda & Ivana Kowaliková, 2020. "The Digital Exclusion of Vulnerable Children: Challenge for Sustainability Issues in Czech Social Work Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-25, November.

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