pixel

Policy

Family

The foundation of a successful society lies within the institution of the family. We have an obligation to protect the integrity and autonomy of the family, with parents being the rightful leaders of the institution. By implementing sound, principled family policy, we protect every facet of our American way of life. With united families, we put our next generation in the best position to succeed by ensuring that they have the support and liberty to achieve the American dream.

A nation cannot stand without a unified people. That is why protecting the institution of the family is of utmost importance. As the individuals who know their children best, parents should know that the law serves to defend and protect their right to lead their family independent of undue government influence.

Family

The foundation of a successful society lies within the institution of the family. We have an obligation to protect the integrity and autonomy of the family, with parents being the rightful leaders of the institution. By implementing sound, principled family policy, we protect every facet of our American way of life. With united families, we put our next generation in the best position to succeed by ensuring that they have the support and liberty to achieve the American dream.

A nation cannot stand without a unified people. That is why protecting the institution of the family is of utmost importance. As the individuals who know their children best, parents should know that the law serves to defend and protect their right to lead their family independent of undue government influence.

Published Research
Get Copy

Conversations

Families across Europe and the United States are navigating a period of profound socioeconomic transformation. Rising living costs, labor-market volatility, declining fertility rates, and intensified economic pressures all influence whether and when individuals form families, how parents balance work and caregiving, and the overall wellbeing of children. These trends were highlighted throughout the 2025 Strengthening Families series, where experts underscored how economic instability delays family formation, reduces fertility, and complicates long‑term planning for young adults. Insights from 2025 demonstrated that economic pressures do not exist in isolation—they intersect with broader structural and cultural challenges. Academic contributors emphasized that demographic decline, technological disruption, and shifts in cultural attitudes toward family life are reshaping the social landscape on both sides of the Atlantic. For instance, the discussions from our first webinar last year highlighted how job instability, stagnating wages, and uncertainty in the labor market undermine confidence in the future and discourage individuals from pursuing parenthood. Similarly, comparative perspectives from Europe and the United States revealed that delayed milestones—such as marriage, home ownership, and childbearing—are increasingly linked to economic constraints. Participants noted that young adults today face barriers unknown to previous generations, including rising housing costs, limited access to affordable childcare, and precarious employment patterns. This opening webinar of our 2026 edition builds on these findings to establish a clear analytical foundation for the year. By convening leading experts from both continents, the event will explore how families can cultivate resilience—economically, socially, and structurally—in the context of a shifting global economy. Teresa Gerns – Teresa is the advocacy director for the Fédération des Associations Familiales Catholiques en Europe (FAFCE) and was recently elected Co-Chair of the Women’s Rights Committee of the Conference of NGOs of the Council of Europe. Professor Joseph Price – Joseph Price is a Professor of Economics at Brigham Young University, a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a Fellow at the Wheatley Institute, and the Director of the BYU Record Linking Lab. Resilient Families in a Shifting Economy: Foundations for the Future

Resilient Families in a Shifting Economy: Foundations for the Future

As lawmakers debate how to protect children online, a major legal and constitutional question is emerging: should app stores be required to verify users’ ages and involve parents before minors download apps? In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Joel Thayer, president of the Digital Progress Institute, Chris Marchese, founder and co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, and Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan for a thoughtful discussion about parental rights, free speech, consumer protection, and the growing debate over App Store accountability laws. Their conversation explores the tension between protecting children online and preserving constitutional freedoms in the digital age. Show notes: Why states are right on app store age laws https://sutherlandinstitute.org/why-states-are-right-on-app-store-age-laws/ The case for app store age verification to protect kids online https://sutherlandinstitute.org/the-case-for-app-store-age-verification-to-protect-kids-online/ FAQ: Utah’s app store age verification bill https://sutherlandinstitute.org/faq-utahs-app-store-age-verification-bill/ App store regulations are necessary, constitutional, and popular https://sutherlandinstitute.org/app-store-regulations-are-necessary-constitutional-and-popular/ A deeper look at Utah voters’ support for requiring app stores to verify age https://sutherlandinstitute.org/a-deeper-look-at-utah-voters-support-for-requiring-app-stores-to-verify-age/ Congress should follow Utah’s lead on protecting kids online with app store law https://sutherlandinstitute.org/congress-should-follow-utahs-lead-on-protecting-kids-online-with-app-store-law/ 0:00 – Introduction 0:52 – Should app stores verify kids’ ages? 30:31 – Can we protect kids online without violating free speech? 54:50 – Takeaways Who should protect kids online? | Joel Thayer & Chris Marchese

Who should protect kids online? | Joel Thayer & Chris Marchese

The next generation of workers, leaders, and citizens is shaped in families. Are we supporting that, or working against it? Our future depends on the families we build today

Our future depends on the families we build today

Many young adults want families, but aren’t sure they can make it work. That uncertainty is shaping the future. Is having a family even doable these days?

Is having a family even doable these days?

If families are foundational to society, how should public policy reflect that? Nic Dunn, Francesco Di Lillo, and Derek Monson discuss what policymakers can do to better support families. They explore ideas like family impact assessments, housing reform, and the importance of long-term, family-centered policymaking. Their conversation makes the case that strengthening families requires more than short-term fixes; it requires a clear vision of the role families play in a thriving society. What policymakers can do to support families

What policymakers can do to support families

Are kids something to “work around”… or the whole point? Derek Monson shares how this question flips how we think about work, parenting, and the future of families. Should families serve the economy… or the other way around?

Should families serve the economy… or the other way around?

Many young people still want to have families, but they’re not sure it’s even possible. In this clip from Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Francesco Di Lillo and Derek Monson to explore why family life can feel out of reach. They discuss rising housing costs, economic barriers, and cultural shifts that are shaping decisions about marriage and family formation. Their conversation highlights an important point: not whether people value family, but whether current policies and conditions make family life attainable. https://youtu.be/YciAzJBi-Nk Why starting a family can feel out of reach

Why starting a family can feel out of reach

From rising costs and economic uncertainty to rapid technological and cultural change, families today are facing growing pressure. But how much has really changed, and what are the biggest challenges families are navigating right now? In this segment from Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Francesco Di Lillo and Derek Monson to explore the warning signs affecting families in the United States and Europe. They discuss the economic, cultural, and technological forces shaping family life and why understanding these points is the first step toward strengthening families. Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/YciAzJBi-Nk What’s putting pressure on families today?

What’s putting pressure on families today?

Family policy debates often focus on affordability, housing, or cultural change. But a deeper question is emerging: do young people still believe family life is even possible? On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Francesco Di Lillo, director of the European Union and International Affairs Office for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Derek Monson, Sutherland Institute’s executive director, to examine the pressures facing families in the United States and Europe. Their conversation explores declining family formation, rising housing costs, and the cultural and technological shifts shaping modern life. They discuss why many young adults still want families but question whether they are attainable, and what policymakers can do to remove barriers, strengthen families as foundational institutions, and build a future where family life can flourish. 0:00 – Introduction 0:50 – What’s putting pressure on families today? 13:08 – Why starting a family can feel out of reach 35:38 – What policymakers can do to support families 43:45 – Takeaway Is family life still doable today? | Francesco Di Lillo

Is family life still doable today? | Francesco Di Lillo

Families across Europe and the United States are navigating a period of profound socioeconomic transformation. Rising living costs, labor-market volatility, declining fertility rates, and intensified economic pressures all influence whether and when individuals form families, how parents balance work and caregiving, and the overall wellbeing of children. These trends were highlighted throughout the 2025 Strengthening Families series, where experts underscored how economic instability delays family formation, reduces fertility, and complicates long‑term planning for young adults. Insights from 2025 demonstrated that economic pressures do not exist in isolation—they intersect with broader structural and cultural challenges. Academic contributors emphasized that demographic decline, technological disruption, and shifts in cultural attitudes toward family life are reshaping the social landscape on both sides of the Atlantic. For instance, the discussions from our first webinar last year highlighted how job instability, stagnating wages, and uncertainty in the labor market undermine confidence in the future and discourage individuals from pursuing parenthood. Similarly, comparative perspectives from Europe and the United States revealed that delayed milestones—such as marriage, home ownership, and childbearing—are increasingly linked to economic constraints. Participants noted that young adults today face barriers unknown to previous generations, including rising housing costs, limited access to affordable childcare, and precarious employment patterns. This opening webinar of our 2026 edition builds on these findings to establish a clear analytical foundation for the year. By convening leading experts from both continents, the event will explore how families can cultivate resilience—economically, socially, and structurally—in the context of a shifting global economy. Teresa Gerns – Teresa is the advocacy director for the Fédération des Associations Familiales Catholiques en Europe (FAFCE) and was recently elected Co-Chair of the Women’s Rights Committee of the Conference of NGOs of the Council of Europe. Professor Joseph Price – Joseph Price is a Professor of Economics at Brigham Young University, a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a Fellow at the Wheatley Institute, and the Director of the BYU Record Linking Lab. Resilient Families in a Shifting Economy: Foundations for the Future

Resilient Families in a Shifting Economy: Foundations for the Future

As lawmakers debate how to protect children online, a major legal and constitutional question is emerging: should app stores be required to verify users’ ages and involve parents before minors download apps? In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Joel Thayer, president of the Digital Progress Institute, Chris Marchese, founder and co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, and Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan for a thoughtful discussion about parental rights, free speech, consumer protection, and the growing debate over App Store accountability laws. Their conversation explores the tension between protecting children online and preserving constitutional freedoms in the digital age. Show notes: Why states are right on app store age laws https://sutherlandinstitute.org/why-states-are-right-on-app-store-age-laws/ The case for app store age verification to protect kids online https://sutherlandinstitute.org/the-case-for-app-store-age-verification-to-protect-kids-online/ FAQ: Utah’s app store age verification bill https://sutherlandinstitute.org/faq-utahs-app-store-age-verification-bill/ App store regulations are necessary, constitutional, and popular https://sutherlandinstitute.org/app-store-regulations-are-necessary-constitutional-and-popular/ A deeper look at Utah voters’ support for requiring app stores to verify age https://sutherlandinstitute.org/a-deeper-look-at-utah-voters-support-for-requiring-app-stores-to-verify-age/ Congress should follow Utah’s lead on protecting kids online with app store law https://sutherlandinstitute.org/congress-should-follow-utahs-lead-on-protecting-kids-online-with-app-store-law/ 0:00 – Introduction 0:52 – Should app stores verify kids’ ages? 30:31 – Can we protect kids online without violating free speech? 54:50 – Takeaways Who should protect kids online? | Joel Thayer & Chris Marchese

Who should protect kids online? | Joel Thayer & Chris Marchese

The next generation of workers, leaders, and citizens is shaped in families. Are we supporting that, or working against it? Our future depends on the families we build today

Our future depends on the families we build today

Watch More

Insights & Takeaways

Insights
Federalism can provide solutions to pressing concerns like caring for individuals with disabilities

Federalism can provide solutions to pressing concerns like caring for individuals with disabilities

The 2026 National Federalism Initiative’s Summit of the States was held in Salt Lake last week. The conference stressed the importance of “structure over politics,” the reality that the level at which decisions are made is as important, or sometimes more important,...

Read More

Sep 2, 2026 | 4 min read

Press Release
U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear two cases on parents’ rights and religious freedom, partly at Sutherland Institute’s urging

U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear two cases on parents’ rights and religious freedom, partly at Sutherland Institute’s urging

SALT LAKE CITY (July, 1 2026) — The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear two significant constitutional cases during its October 2026 term, at the urging of Sutherland Institute and others. These cases address fundamental questions for families, as well as...

Read More

Jul 1, 2026 | 3 min read

Insights
App stores are not like bookstores: Courts need to provide clarity on laws to help parents

App stores are not like bookstores: Courts need to provide clarity on laws to help parents

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is considering an important case challenging a Texas law that requires app stores to ensure minors have parental consent before entering app contracts. The law’s supporters argue it only regulates how minors can enter...

Read More

May 27, 2026 | 5 min read

Load More
Insights
Federalism can provide solutions to pressing concerns like caring for individuals with disabilities

Federalism can provide solutions to pressing concerns like caring for individuals with disabilities

The 2026 National Federalism Initiative’s Summit of the States was held in Salt Lake last week. The conference stressed the importance of “structure over politics,” the reality that the level at which decisions are made is as important, or sometimes more important,...

Read More

Sep 2, 2026 | 4 min read

Press Release
U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear two cases on parents’ rights and religious freedom, partly at Sutherland Institute’s urging

U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear two cases on parents’ rights and religious freedom, partly at Sutherland Institute’s urging

SALT LAKE CITY (July, 1 2026) — The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear two significant constitutional cases during its October 2026 term, at the urging of Sutherland Institute and others. These cases address fundamental questions for families, as well as...

Read More

Jul 1, 2026 | 3 min read

Load More

Connect

Get the Newsletter

Follow Us