ABSTRACT
Within the framework of the relational sociology, a body of studies and research has shown that as regard to both social policies and human services, the most promising models were family-focused. Familiness has become a distinctive feature of the relational approach to the study of welfare systems and human services. After an examination of literature on family-based approaches and welfare regime models—with particular attention paid to processes that trend towards what is called defamilization—the relational sociological approach is presented as a theoretical framework for evidence-based family-centered practices. An exploratory model for analyzing familiness of services and practices is described. In conclusion, an example of a responsive regulatory pyramid is provided that maps possible pathways towards familiness and suggests ways to regulate ever-present risks of an escalation of defamilization.
