This chapter analyses family policies in Portugal, a country taking part of the Southern European welfare regime. From a longitudinal analysis focused on the key dynamic changes at historical and political level, the chapter seeks to show how these factors contribute for understanding the Portuguese specificities in social welfare, particularly in family policies. The strong participation of Portuguese women in the labour market, as a result of heavy male emigration drain, together with the younger generation of males’ participation in the African colonial war since 1960 to mid-1970s, led to the development of childcare services more than other southern countries. On another hand, the low levels of salaries paid in Portugal make many families living in poverty relying on family policies to survive, even if their adult members have a job. The chapter also focuses the backlash that is occurring in family policies developed since the second half of the 1990s, as a result of the severe economic crisis the country currently faces, and presents some recommendations on public policy design that could contribute to improve family well-being.

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Southern European welfare; Family policies; Public policies; Portugal