Families and Social Policy Flashcards
What is a social policy?
Who is it introduced by?
Why are they introduced?
A plan/course of action introduced by the government in attempt to dole a particular issue - by Governments to reduce/cute social problems.
What are the 2 types of social policy to do with the family?
- Social polices which aren’t aimed at families but still effect them.
- Social polices which are designed to have a direct impact on the family.
Give 2 examples of Social policies which aren’t aimed at families but still effect them:
- Minimum wage policy means families don’t get exploitated = parents can provide for their family.
- Leaving school age has been raised meaning children rely on their parents for longer.
Give 2 examples of social policies designed to have a direct family impact:
- Divorce Reform Act 1969 , people can escape empty shell marriages.
- Domestic Violence Laws mean it is illegal to abuse your partner.
What do the decisions made by the government reflect?
Their own political views and ideology about what is desirable in terms of family structures, roles and relationships.
Other governments (outside of the UK) can be quite…
Extreme
Give 3 examples of extreme policies introduced by other governments around the world:
- China’s ‘one child policy’ , people who complied got perks e.g. free childcare.
- Russia needed to prepare for war: banned abortion, divorce laws tightened etc.
- Romania tried to drive up the birth rate: restricted contraception, banned abortion & lowered age of marriage to 15. (1980’s’)
When did the Conservatives come into power and when did they finish?
1979
Lost power in 1997.
What did the right-wing politicians (conservatives) Desire?
New right policies - nuclear, traditional family.
What did the New Right / Conservatives believe about the family?
It is the building block society & it is based on 2 parents in a heterosexual marriage.
What are the New Right / Conservatives critical of?
Cohabitation
Lone parents
Sex before marriage etc
What did Murray do?
He was critical of government policies and said that they contributed to the decrease in nuclear families.
How did Murray argue that the government policies caused a decrease in nuclear families? (2)
- young pregnant women had it safe in their knowledge that the government would financially support them.
- fathers could abandon their kids knowing the government would finally support them so he doesn’t have to.
Why are the New Right / Conservatives critical of divorce laws?
Because they believe it’s too easy.
Give 5 policies introduced by the Conservative Government in 1979-97
- married couples tax allowance
- benefit cuts
- child support agency
- privatising care for the elderly
- refusal to reduce costs of childcare
Explain the ‘Married Couples Tax Allowance’
- tax designed to encourage marriage = married couples payed slightly less tax than lone parent and cohabiting couples did.
Explain the ‘Benefit Cuts’ policy:
- benefits for single parent families cut, benefits for 16-18 year olds who didn’t work/are in education ‘NEETS’ - wanted family to take responsibility for them.
Explain the ‘child support agency’ policy:
- set up to force single parents, mainly fathers, to pay for their kids - they would be tracked down. Wanted to stop single parents relying on benefits. Also wanted to discourage divorce.
Explain the ‘Privatising care for the elderly’ policy:
- increased cost of care for the elderly means families should take responsibility for them. Also reinforced gender roles as usually the woman would look after them.
Explain the ‘refusal to introduce reduced cost childcare’ policy:
- reinforced gender roles and encouraged women to quit their jobs and stay at home with their kids.
Who criticised the New Right / Conservative policies?
Feminists argued that their policies didn’t improve gender equalities & also ‘blamed the victim’ e.g. lone parents don’t want to be alone!
The family policies introduced by the New Right / Conservatives increased…
Inequalities and poverty.
What did Blair say in the Labour conference of 1997?
That the government should help the people strengthen their family life through policies rather than punishing them for their family life.
How did Silva and Smart criticise the New Labour policies?
They state that the policies were based around strengthening the conventional families.
How do Labour perspectives on the family differ but are also similar to Conservatives views?
Similar = they do agree that the nuclear family is the most desirable and strong unit.
Differ = they don’t believe in the gender roles and instead support a dual earner family.