ABSTRACT
This chapter examines some of the social policies that have sought to promote, either directly or indirectly, improved family and couple relationships. It discusses the coalition government is making a huge reduction in public funds for local government, a blow sweetened by an equally large swathe of freedoms to spend monies as is seen fit at local government level. Social policy generally and family policy in particular can be understood to reflect, in part, prevailing political values of parties in power concerning the responsibilities of the state and the individual. An analysis of the policies in action illustrates the gap between policy intention and policy achievement. Some family policy levers were shown to be unsuccessful. The chapter concludes with an account of new policy developments which are now beginning to focus directly on parenting skills and the couple relationship, given the increasing salience of evidence for their strategic relevance in supporting and maintaining family well-being.
