The Institutional System of Family Policy in Sweden

The paper discusses the development of Swedish family policy institutions from the first half of the 20th century to the present. It asks how the principle of gender equality has been at the heart of Swedish family policy and how this is reflected in family policy actions. What role does this policy play in fertility development, women’s labour market participation and the lives of families with children? The relevance of the question is that Sweden has maintained fertility relatively close to replacement level with high female employment, which has only started to decline in the last few years (in common with most countries in Europe). The questions are answered through a synthesis of literature, a narrative literature analysis and a descriptive data analysis. 
The results of the study point to the main features of Swedish family policy, the benefits of the support system and the dissonance between principles and practice. The results highlight the role of family policy in family dynamics and the complexity of the issue. The most important conclusion is that gender equality promotion can be a key factor for families and fertility that may not only be relevant in Sweden.