European Families Facing Hard Times

<p><strong>This book contains two Open Access chapters.</strong><br></p><p>Families in Europe have faced many challenges in the early years of the 21^st Century that have disrupted everything from care services to education. From the frequent periods of lockdown in face of the Covid-19 pandemic to the devastation wrought by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many families have been left with nothing but uncertainty.</p><p>In this edited collection of carefully curated chapters from researchers across Europe, the authors create a comprehensive and engaged look at the strategies employed to overcome unprecedented hardships for European families. Split across three parts, the chapters discuss topics such as problems of childcare, work-life balance, parenting while living in economic hardship, parenting children with special needs, paternity leave, care and assistance policies, and more. The chapters include a strong focus not only on innovative policy measures for mitigating these challenges, but also on the methods developed by families themselves to cope with the pressures of contemporary life.</p><p>With meticulous research and a rich exploration of current European family life, <em>European Families Facing Hard Times</em> is a unique volume for those wanting to further their understanding of modern-day family policies and social care.</p>