Policies Flashcards
1
Q
What was state policy on the family 1980-90s?
A
- New Right influential in tory govt- policy aimed at strengthening Nuclear family by emphasising self help
- some argued this was a way of saving huge amounts of dingo dollars as benefits were cut
- Section 28 (Clause 28)- 1988-2003 stating local authority shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality or prevent teaching homosexuality’s acceptability, damaging legislation
- for example-> Child Support Agency established to ensure fathers took financial responsibility for children which justified them cutting single mother benefits
- policies such as ‘Care in the Community’- state encouraged families to take responsibility for elderly and long term sick- burden for this tends to fall on women- ‘tried to reinforce division of labour and prevent women from full time work making them more male dependant’
2
Q
What was state policies on the family from New Labour 1997-2010 ?
A
- some New Right ideas continued like continued concern over ‘dysfunctional’ families and lack of male role model in female headed lone parent families
- did however show recognition of family diversity- more emphasis on care and development of children - more polices agreeing with feminist critics of family
- Lewis argues Labour govt took idea of ‘social investment in children’ more seriously by creating a children’s commissioner to look after their interests in 2003, and goals to eradicate child poverty
- 2007= Department for Children, Schools and Families was formed led by a SOS that sat in cabinet–> number of children in poverty was reduced between 1999 and 2011 by 900,000
3
Q
What were physical policies implemented via New Labour?
A
- 2003 Child Tax credit reducing child poverty
- 2005 Civil Partnership Act
- Free Nursery all 3-4 yr. olds- half day free to enable parents to work
- National minimum wage introduced for first time- help poorly paid
4
Q
What was state policies on the family 2010-2015 Coalition?
A
- Cameron and Clegg took on some of the New Right characteristics- declared ‘strong and stable families of all kinds are bedrock of a strong and stable society’
- the Troubled families programme- from 2011 govt started to express anxiety abt quality of family life in UK, expressing concerns abt so called ‘broken families’ which many Tories believed were behind in London Riots 2011- reports from 2006influenced by Murray showed family breakdown was underpinned by:
-Dissolution- divorce too easy to obtain
-Dysfunction- parents not taking responsibility for behaviour of children- Dad-lessness- absent fathers not taking responsibility
-Coalition family social policy: the troubled families programme in 2011-12 identified 120,000 households who: crime induced and anti social behaviour, adults who never worked and long term unemployed, high costs as benefit claimants etc –> coalition claimed these chaotic lifestyles and multiple problems cost tax payer £9 billion annually- by 2014 govt claimed their programme aiming to turn lives around had led to reduced criminal activity
- Dad-lessness- absent fathers not taking responsibility
5
Q
What are the evaluations of Troubled Families programme?
A
- presents a misleading and inaccurate picture of British families
- data suggests 75% troubled families are still committing crime, jobless and excluded from school
- fails to appreciate extent to which ppl are poor due to no fault of their own- victim blaming exercised by New Right- deflection away from powerful causes
6
Q
What are the effects of coalitions economic policy on family policy
A
- due to 2008-09 financial crisis it led coalition to base economic policies on ‘austerity’ focusing on cutting public spending in attempt to reduce the national debt
- however critics such as Bradshaw claims by 2015 cuts were having a disproportionate impact on poorest most vulnerable ppl, resulting in rise on child poverty
- Reed says by 2015 austerity measures resulted in more families out of work, more depressed mothers and more overcrowding in poor quality accommodation
7
Q
What are summaries of the New Rights and family policy?
A
- support low taxes and argue for a limited role for welfare state - privatisation
- families to be as self-reliant as possible- members should look after each other and only get state help if no other alternative - do regard dysfunctional families as harmful to society, in favour of trad heterosexual nuclear opposed to diverse especially LPF and gay
- new trends make families reliant of state benefit and harm children lacking stable family env when growing up
- Thatcher not a fan of mothers going out for work ahead of well being on their child, rising divorce rates, homosexuality and LPF- threatening stability of society and major role in inc crime and drug abuse
- Murray says welfare payments to LPF= perverse incentives for young women to become pregnant and men to neglect child responsibility. Welfare depenancy
- views of family often reflect and transmit a familial ideology- promoting particular set of family features and virtues as ideal such as nuclear with man working and family taking care, with child respecting parental authority
8
Q
What are New Rights critical of in terms of prior policies?
A
As they see Nuclear family under threat they see emergence of Feministic and Government social polices in 60s and early 70s and are critical of:
- 1967 Abortion Act- (legalised UK abortion via NHS) argue some young women use abortion as form of contraception thus undermining sanctity of family life and childbearing.
- 2014 coalition govt legalising same sex marriage
- 1970 Equal pay act as encouraged women especially mothers to enter workforce at large
- 1960s Contraceptive pill made freely available in NHS as separates sex from reproduction as the pill encourages sexual freedom and promiscuity
- 1969 Divorce Reform Act-
9
Q
Evaluations for state policy?
A
- both Labour and Coalition govts criticised by the New Right for undermining the trad nuclear family unit, and especially the trad sexual division of labour- father as main breadwinner and mother as a the main carer. However, feminist critics of the NR, such as Leonard, argue familial and patriarchal ideologies still shape most state policies
10
Q
What are policies which have not supported the conventional family ( encouraged more wives to work) ?
A
- Equal Pay Act, Sex Discrim
- 1969 Divorce Reform Act-> made divorce easier and inc number of ppl who obtained one divorce, leading to more LPF
- Child tax credit- given to low income, often LPF, families, payment supporting childcare costs encouraging single mothers to work instead of benefits claim
- Child care vouchers 2005 helping childcare costs making it easier for women to break away from expressive role and return to work with their children being care for
11
Q
What are policies which do not support conventional family (encouraging wives to stay at home) ?
A
- Child support agency- set up 1993 making legal requirement for many individual who had disserted partner to raise their child alone to contribute towards child maintence
- Maternity leave
- Marriage Tax relief- state encourages a couple to marry via such means as married couples tax allowance policy, where married couples pay less income tax.
12
Q
What are policies supporting the patriarchal family and trad nuclear?
A
- Tax and benefits policies- assume husband are main wage earners and wives are their financial dependants- can make it impossible for wives to claim social security of own rights as expected husband to pay
- Childcare- govt pay for some childcare but not enough to permit parents to work full time unless can meet additional costs - women then restricted from working put in a position
- Care for sick and elderly as govt assumes families will help
13
Q
What are some social policies that have a direct influence on the family?
A
- Marriage Laws- whom we marry, what age we can marry, how many ppl we can marry
- Abortion act
- Divorce reform act 1969
- Maternity laws determining period of absence from work and after the child’s birth
- Tax and Child benefits
- Child support agency
14
Q
What are some social policies that have an indirect influence on family?
A
- housing
- education- like raising school leaving age making children more family dependant for longer
- 1961 Contraceptive pill widely NHS available
- Equal pay
15
Q
What are impacts of polices on childhood?
A
- children dependant on adults for longer
- society = more child centred- contraception reducing unwanted pregnancies
- changes of different childhood experiences
- Children dependant on adults for longer
