LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Baltijos šalys (Baltic states); Šiaurės šalys (Nordic countries); Šeimos politika; Socialinė politika; Vaiko priežiūros atostogos; Gerovės valstybės; Family policy; Social policy; Parental leave; Welfare state.
ENThis chapter compares the Nordic countries with the seldom researched three welfare states of the Baltic countries. The findings show that the Nordic family policy model, based on gender equality and universalism, still stands strong. The Baltic family model is catching up but delivers inconsistent and ambiguous outcomes pointing to the gaps in the complementarity of social policy. The paid leave policies (maternity, parental and paternity) in the Baltics are not yet supported by widely available services. Elderly care is a field that does not receive enough attention from the state and by the constitution is prescribed to family obligations. [Publisher annotation]