family policy Flashcards
impact of policy on gender roles - maternity and paternity leave
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
impact of policy on gender roles - availability of childcare
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
impact of policy on gender roles - increased career opportunities
equal pay act and sex discrimination act = gender roles more equal
impacts of policies on childhood - children dependenton adults for longer
introduction of tuition fees = going to local unis and staying at home
extension to compulsory schooling = kids require adult financial support for longer
impacts of policies on childhood - society has become more child centred
children’s act = promoted the rights of children
contraception and abortion = reduces number of unwanted pregnancies
1969 divorce act
= rapid increase in divorce
== increase in single person, single parent and step family households
divorce act AO3
undermines the traditional nuclear family
func and new right:(
2005 adoption act
increase in same-sex families
gives unmarried couples (including gay couples) same rights as married couples
adoption act AO3
undermines traditional gender roles
1947 child benefits act
increase in family size and lone parent families
£24 to eldest, £15 to next per week
child benefits act AO3
undermines the traditional nuclear family
func and new right :(
functionalism and family social policy AO1
see the state or government as serving the interests of society as a whole
policies help families to perform their functions
functionalism and family social policy AO2
Fletcher argues that the introduction of health, education and housing policies has gradually led to the development of the welfare state
NHS means the fmaily is better able to take care of its members
func view on family policies AO3 - feminist
FEMINISTS argue that policies often benefit men at the expense of women
func view on family policies AO3 - marxist
MARXIST argue policies can reverse progress made, e.g cutting welfare benefits to poor families - therefore marxists disagree with march of progress
new right and family social policy AO1
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
how would new right get rid of the dependency culture AO1
cuts in welfare benefits and 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
new right AO3 feminist
FEMINIST - its an attempt to justify a return to the patriarchal family that oppresses women and confines them to the domestic role
new right AO3 - cutting benefits leads to..
cutting benefits would drive poor families into even greater poverty
DONZELOT and the policing of families - AO1 / also can be AO3 for functionalism
views policy as a form of state power over families
power is not just being held by the government but spread throughout society
they use their knowledge to control and change families
poor families mor elikely to be targeted for improvement and seen as a problem
e.g state seek to control family life by imposing compulsory parenting orders
DONZELOT and the policing of families AO3
marxists and feminists criticise for failing to identify clearly who benefits from such policies of surveillance
feminism on social policy AO1
all social institutions help to maintain women’s subordinate position
policies are based on assumptions about what the ‘normal’ family is like - a patriarchal nuclear family.
these policies often reinforce this family type, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy
feminism on social policy AO2
state assumes normal families are based on marriage and offers tax incentives to married couples that aren’t available to cohabitate. policy encourages marriage, not cohabitation.
feminism on social policy AO3 - not all polciies
not all policies are directed at maintaining patriarchy e.g, the equal pay act, sex discrimination laws
these improve the position of women in society
Drew - individualistic gender regimes = where policies are based on the belief that husbands and wives should be treated the same
