new labour and the third way 1997-2010

Question 1

key aspects

Answer 1

• state as a market
• active and preventative state
• social investment
• progressive universalism
• promoting equality of opportunity
• conditional welfare
• diversity of providers
• modernisation and managerialism

Question 2

welfare to work scheme evaluation

Answer 2

positives
- single parent employment rose 47% - 56%
- new deal for single parent programme
- benefit run ons / tax credits

negatives
- low pay and no pay cycles
- punitive sanctions
- welfare seen as dependency
- fitness to work assessments

Question 3

evaluation of child poverty reforms

Answer 3

positives
- by 2010 1m fewer children in relative child poverty
- UK saw largest fall in child poverty rates

negatives
- criticism of benefit centered approach
- deserving vs undeserving poor dualism
- benefit sanctions and reduced support for asylum seekers and refugees

Question 4

education reforms evaluation

Answer 4

positives
- high uptake of pre-school places
- significant improvements in educational attainment rates
- school exclusions fell 3,900 by 2010

negatives
- funding remained low
- vulnerable groups saw little improvement
- criticism if teaching for test approach
- punitive and stigmatising discourse

Question 5

crime reforms evaluation

Answer 5

positives
- significant reductions in youth offending / re-offending
- proven offences by 10-17yr olds fell by 66%
major reduction in substance misuse

negatives
- criticism for crimanalising youth with low age of criminal responsibility
- significant rates of youth in secure units / custody
- increasingly punitive / blaming tone to debates