Politics, Social Policy and The Family

Question 1

politics & social policy - feminist/marxist

Answer 1

state policies formed around dominant family ideology

Question 2

politics & social policy - cereal packet family

Answer 2

2 married biological parents to children based on romantic love and love of children
husband plays instrumental role and wife plays expressive role

Question 3

politics & social policy - functionalist/new right

Answer 3

cereal packet family best form of family

crucial to maintain moral views in society

Question 4

politics & social policy - criticisms (patriarchal)

Answer 4

exploits women through triple burden
benefits men, increases women’s dependency
state policies encourages traditional gendered division of labour (maternity/paternity)

Question 5

politics & social policy - criticisms (harmful)

Answer 5

other relationships are seen as deviant , source of social problems, threat to normal family life
face discrimination, labelling/stereotyping
policy-makers make appeals to strengthen cereal-image family, it condemns those living outside this image
doesn’t recognise dark side of family, women become isolated at home -> mental illness

Question 6

politics & social policy - criticisms (anti-social)

Answer 6

social life centres around family activities, devaluing life outside the family
family activities excludes those living outside alternative forms of household arrangements
house structure designed for nuclear families
sets barrier between people

Question 7

politics & social policy - aimed at providing direct material support for families

Answer 7

cash benefits - tax credit, child benefits
child maintenance services - father pays for children
reduces poverty

Question 8

politics & social policy - helping parents balance paid employment, family, support children

Answer 8

maternity/paternity leave
early years childcare (nursery)
advice services
child protection policies

Question 9

politics & social policy - conservative party policy

Answer 9

1980s - 1990s
new right - aim to strengthen nuclear families
reducing welfare benefits
child support agency
cuts to benefits paid to single mother
increase reliance on family

Question 10

politics & social policy - labour party policy

Answer 10

1997 - 2010
recognised care, protection, development of children
encouraged lone-parents into employment: national minimum wage, child tax credits
help poor families
increase in free childcare/nursery
gay/lesbian couples able to form civil partnership

Question 11

politics & social policy - conservative-liberal democrat coalition policy

Answer 11

2010 - 2017
importance of marriage promoted then cohabitation
troubled families programmes - tackled families problems
tax benefits to married couples
cuts in welfare to encourage reliance one family than state
same-sex marriage made legal