Within the context of Human Resources and Social Development Canada’s Knowledge Plan 2005-2008, this paper presents:
• an overview of recent changes in the family, their interpretation and implications;
• a proposed framework for research on families based on the concepts of “caring, earning, and learning,” “the life course” and “constrained decision making”;
• a summary of findings for each of the broad life course stages; and
• implications for policy considerations and for further research
