6 Social Policy And The Family

Question 1

Social plocies

Answer 1

Are measures taken by state bodies such as schools and welfare agencies. Usually based on laws introduced by government.

Can have both direct/indirect influence on family
Direct effects: some policies aimed specifically at family life e.g. Laws on marriage, divorce, child protection, contraception, abortion
Indirect effects: policies on other social or economic issues also affect family e.g. Compulsory schooling provides childcare for working parents but also keeps children dependent financially for longer

Question 2

Social policy- functionalism

Answer 2

Functionalists say the state acts in interest of whole society and its policies benefit everyone.
Policies help the family to perform its functions- socialising children, caring for welfare of its members etc

-> march of progress policies gradually improving family life e.g. Welfare state enables families to look after members better through access to NHS

Question 3

New right

Answer 3

• > sees trad nuclear fam natural bio division labour
• > if parents perform roles properly family self reliant, socialise children effectively and care for members
• > opposes diversity, damaging to children

Question 4

New right the problem

Answer 4

Criticises many welfare policies for undermining family’s self reliance by providing generous benefits e.g. Lone parent families

• result dependency culture where depend on state to support them
• Murray 1984 sees benefits as perverse incentives rewarding irresponsible behaviour - if state provide benefits to lone mother etc abandon their families

Question 5

New right the solution

Answer 5

Cut welfare spending- universal benefits
Give fathers incentive to provide for families
Unlike func who see policies benefiting the family
New right believe less fam depend on state the better

Question 6

New right influence on policies

Answer 6

Conservative governments 1979- 97) banned promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. Set up child support agency to enforce maintenance payments by absent parents.
But conservatives divided between modernisers who recognise family diversity sd traditionalists who favour new right.
= splits e.g. over gay marriage.
Coalition gov influence of trad weakend.

Question 7

New labour gov 97-2010

Answer 7

Saw married heterosexual best way to bring up children, but differences:

• new labour reject view of family having one male earner. Favoured dual earner neo conventional family with policies made easier for both parents to work
• unlike new right new labour argues state intervention can improve family life e.g. Through welfare, taxation, min wage policies to lift children out poverty by redistribution of income
• new labour introduced civil partnerships

Question 8

Feminism

Answer 8

Conflict of interest between men and women in society- patriarchal/ male dominated
Social policies shape family beneficial to men and maintain patriarchy, disadvantaging women and maintaining subordination
Land 1978
Polices assume patriarchal family norm. = self fulfilling prophecy, helping to reproduce fam type.
E.g. Maternity leave longer than paternity reinforcing women responsibility yo look after children

Question 9

Gender regimes

Answer 9

Drews 1995 concept of familistic and individualistic gender regimes describes how social policies sin diff countries encourage or not gender equality in fan
Familistic gender regimes- assume trad gender division e.g. Greece little state welfare and women often rely on kin support
Individualistic gender regimes- husbands and wives same. Sweden- equal opportunity policies, parental leave and good welfare mean women independent and more opportunities to work.