This thesis presents a comparative analysis of the relationship between party political ideology and changing family policies during the 1980s and 1990s in France, the UK and Spain. It explores theoretical perspectives on political ideology, policy analysis and policy change. Different disciplinary approaches to the analysis of public policy are reviewed in relation to policy change and ideologies. The thesis tests theories of ideology by applying them in three substantive case studies of family policy change in France, the UK and Spain. Each case study analyses the manifestos of the major political parties in relation to eight family policy instruments, pro-family statements and their position in relation to the opposing state intervention dimensions of public/private and family/individual. The policy measures are further considered within two dimensions: regulatory and support.