The development of children and family policy in Estonia from 1945 to 2000

Authors

• Ainsaar Mare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23979/fypr.44957

Keywords:

family policy, institutions, child benefits, day care, Estonia

Abstract

The paper gives an overview ofthe formation ofEstonian family policy in the period
from 1945 to 2000. Deeper analyses are dedicated to the most recent decade and to the
factors which have influenced family policy and the main objects of discussion. For
that purpose statistics and interviews with policy makers are analysed. The paper comes
to the conclusion that child and family policy carries traces ofhistory, different institutions
and traditions. Family policy has been classsified according to time period: 1945-
1970, 1970-1990, and 1990 to present. The main characteristics of the most recent
decade's family policy include comparatively generous child benefits, a great dependency
of policy on political decisions, and the development of an initially plain and
simple children's and family policy towards a more complicated one.