Conclusion to Families, Welfare States and Resilience

This chapter provides an overview of the findings, especially from a comparative viewpoint. It first summarizes the general situation of participants’ families in the six countries, examining the challenging situations they experience, the meanings and significance of family in that context, and the sources of support that they have available. It then moves on to paint a picture of people's engagement with the public support system and how they feel about it. This evidence underlines great dissatisfaction with the public system of both income support and services within and across countries. The cause was not just operational failings but also structural weaknesses. In its third section, the chapter places people's practices and behaviours in the context of whether they are leading to adaptation or change. It shows that, while people are putting in great effort, they are not fundamentally changing their situation. The final section offers some thoughts on the utility of a resilience framework and resilience as a focus for social policy. In the latter regard, it suggests that welfare states need policies that protect families but also promote their resilience, paying particular attention to transitions.