family policy

Question 1

impact of increased divorce on family structures

Answer 1

increase in breakdown of family unit = more lone-parent families, lone person households

Question 2

impact of adoption and IVF treatments for same-sex

Answer 2

increase in same-sex families

Question 3

welfare benefits

Answer 3

provides protection for lone-parent families

Question 4

IVF treatments for single women

Answer 4

can choose to have families alone

Question 5

impact of policy on gender roles - maternity and paternity leave

Answer 5

9 moths maternity leave reinforces the traditional role of female being primary care giver

introduction of shared paternity leave allows parents to split parental leave

Question 6

impact of policy on gender roles - availability of childcare

Answer 6

30 hours free childcare for kids over 3 and working tax credits to help pay for after-school and breakfast clubs removes social expectation of women to stop working

sure start centres provides dad and baby clubs to help men bond more with their children

Question 7

impact of policy on gender roles - increased career opportunities

Answer 7

equal pay act and sex discrimination act = gender roles more equal

Question 8

impacts of policies on childhood - children dependenton adults for longer

Answer 8

introduction of tuition fees = going to local unis and staying at home

extension to compulsory schooling = kids require adult financial support for longer

Question 9

impacts of policies on childhood - society has become more child centred

Answer 9

children’s act = promoted the rights of children

contraception and abortion = reduces number of unwanted pregnancies

Question 10

1969 divorce act

Answer 10

= rapid increase in divorce
== increase in single person, single parent and step family households

Question 11

divorce act AO3

Answer 11

undermines the traditional nuclear family
func and new right:(

Question 12

2005 adoption act

Answer 12

increase in same-sex families
gives unmarried couples (including gay couples) same rights as married couples

Question 13

adoption act AO3

Answer 13

undermines traditional gender roles

Question 14

1947 child benefits act

Answer 14

increase in family size and lone parent families
£24 to eldest, £15 to next per week

Question 15

child benefits act AO3

Answer 15

undermines the traditional nuclear family
func and new right :(

Question 16

functionalism and family social policy

Answer 16

see the state or government as serving the interests of society as a whole
policies help families to perform their functions

Question 17

func view on family policies AO3

Answer 17

FEMINISTS argue that policies often benefit men at the expense of women

MARXIST argue policies can reverse progress made, e.g cutting welfare benefits to poor families - therefore marxists disagree with march of progress

Question 18

new right and family social policy

Answer 18

social policies should avoid doing anything that might undermine the ‘natural’ self-reliant nuclear family
MURRAY -
government policies reward irresponsible or anti-social behaviour
e.g if fathers see state will care for their kid some will abandon responsibilities = lone parents means boys grow up without male role models which leads to rising crime rates
providing council houses for unmarried teenagers encourages them to get pregnant

Question 19

how would new right get rid of the dependency culture

Answer 19

cuts in welfare benefits ad tighter restrictions = give fathers more incentives to work and provide for their families

denying council houses to young teenagers = less incentive to become pregnant young

Question 20

new right AO3

Answer 20

FEMINIST - its an attempt to justify a return to the patriarchal family that oppresses women and confines them to the domestic role
cutting benefits would drive poor families into even greater poverty

Question 21

DONZELOT and the policing of families - AO3 for functionalism

Answer 21

views policy as a form of state power over families
uses FOUCALT’S concept of surveillance - power is not just being held by the government but spread throughout society e.g doctors and social workers by law are able to intervene
reject march or progress view - policies control the family instead

Question 22

feminism on social family policy

Answer 22

liberal: SOMERVILLE - family is no longer a patriarchal institution. gov has introduced policies that have benefitted women - women’s freedom to work = greater equality in marriage

SHARPE: teenage girls now see careers and educational qualifications as more important than marriage and motherhood

policies help to maintain women’s subordinate position and the unequal gender division of labour

policies are based on what the ‘normal’ family is like and and so reinforces that type of family

tax incentives to stay married = make it difficult to live in other family types

childcare doesn’t pay enough = women are restricted from earning and are therefore dependent on their partners

Question 23

marxism and social family policies

Answer 23

aim to disguise or hide capitalist exploitation
e.g NHS suggests capitalism has a human caring face

maintains the workforce
e.g NHS means the workforce is generally fit, healthy and productive