Family policy

Question 1

functionlist perspective

Answer 1

Fletcher:

• see the government as an institute. which is helping maintain social order within society
• produce polices which ensure stability and wellbeing of individuals and families
• families can fulfil their functions with support of policies
  1) free healthcare via NHS:provides support to families including child vaccination services to improve child health+care to family members who are old/generally unwell.Ensures family life can continue as normal
  2) Financial benefits via welfare state:provides child benefits, housing benefits and maternity pay.Ensures families can be financially stable_children have access to resources they need
  3) Free education via compulsory education: all children are educated up to 18. Schools provide secondary socialisation to children ensuring they have the skills+qualifications needed to help them access wider society.Helps free up quality time parents can spend with their children as schools are responsible to prepare children for work life->removes responsibility of parents

Question 2

evaluation of functionalist

Answer 2

• feminists argue that they wrongly assume that all family benefit from policies, ignoring some disadvantage women
  EXAMPLE: school calendar limits time women can work as they need to provide child care
  -Marxists argue not all policies benefit families equally.The quality of services that families receive varies depending on the government in power
  EXAMPLE:some governments have cut funding of welfare state so limits poorer families

Question 3

Surveillance theory

Answer 3

Donzelot:
-disagrees with functionalist
-people are constantly being observed by the government
-Government policies are introduced in response to behaviours the government doesn’t approve of
-Control is enforced discretely by professionals eg health care+education
1)Compulsary education:dictates to parents when their children must attend school, what they wear etc.Become tougher on parents with families being fined for taking their children on holiday during school term.
2)parenting orders: used as a tool to punish parents who were failing disciplining their children.Awarded orders for child failing to attend school.
Parents were given fines, classes or jail
3) health visitors:professionals who visit new mothers at home to monitor Childs development+living environment.Polices mothers and not trusting them to support their child on their own

Question 4

evaluation of surveillance

Answer 4

• surveillance could necessary, more serious issues could emerge
• fails to explain where the power of surveillance comes from

Question 5

New right perspective

Answer 5

-favour nuclear family
Murray:
-policies have undermined this family structure
1) divorce reform act: results in more families breaking down->raised in single parent hood families which lack discipline and moral codes
2)same sex marriage:inadequate as uneven balance in gender role models
3)state welfare:encourages people to be workshop and dependent on state for suppor->attitude passed onto children.Creates underclass culture who are responsible for social problems+crime
SOLUTIONS:
1) state welfare needs to be reduced: should only be provided for those who geniuenly need it E.G-health problems
2)removal of council housing:offers young females a perverse incentive to get pregnant in exchange for a place to live
3) return of tax cuts on married couples:offer people a financial incentive to get married and ensures family is economically stable before having children

Question 6

Evaluation of new right

Answer 6

• reinforces patriarchal values e.g women should be housewives
• ignore policies which maintain traditional values e.g women are given longer maternity leave
• views on benefits are inaccurate->majority of people on benefits are in paid employment

Question 7

Feminist perspective

Answer 7

-society is patriarchal
Land:
-policies encourage self fullfilling prophecy in women(women accepting that their position in society is under men+true place is in the home)
1)state welfare: make assumptions about women role in the family
EXAMPLE:child benefit forms are mostly addressed to the mother+payments made in her name.
2)Education:makes it more difficult for women to return to work full time.
EXAMPLE: primary school hours are usually incompatible with a normal working day+school holidays make it hard to maintain a steady job
3)social care:assume that family members will take care of elderly relatives.State doesn’t provide financial care services+private care is expensive->responsibility falls on female family member
-Pivot generation:juggle time for elderly care as well as younger family members
Drew:
-countries approach to family policy is based on gender regime(general attitude possessed by society towards gender roles)
-EU is more individualistic regime(men and women are entitled to the same opportunites, recognising women have the right to make personal choices about their family+career prospects.
-However there will always be limitations in what the government can provide for women as they can’t afford it
-results in women taking up traditional roles to benefit the families economic needs

Question 8

evaluation of feminists

Answer 8

• downplays the extent to which policies have helped challenge patriarchal stances
• some women desire traditional roles mother/wife so some polices enables them to do this while maintaining employment E.G maternity leave