Social Policies Flashcards
Direct effects?
Some policies are aimed specifically at family life, e.g. Laws on marriage, divorce, child protection and abortion.
Indirect effects?
Policies on other social or economic issues also affect the family: compulsory schooling provides childcare for working parents.
What is the conventional family?
Traditional, heterosexual, nuclear family.
3 policies that support conventional families?
- 9-3:30 school hrs/ half a day for 4 yr olds.
- Basic state care for the elderly.
- Housing policies prioritise nuclear families.
3 policies that do not support conventional families?
- Easier to get a divorce.
- Same sex relationships have rights.
- Police intervention in domestic violence cases.
Functionalist perspective on policies?
State acts in the interests of whole society and policies benefit everyone. Policies help families to perform it’s functions- socialising children, caring for the welfare of it’s members.
New Right perspective on policies?
Opposes state intervention see the traditional nuclear family as natural and if parents perform roles properly, family will be self-reliant. Opposes family diversity and sees lone parent families as damaging to children. In favour of cutting benefits gives fathers more incentive.
New Labour perspective on policies?
Like New Right favours traditional family. Prefers benefits targeted at the poor.
3 New Labour policies that support conven families?
- Gave employees right to time off work for family.
- Minimum wage.
- Every child matters.
3 New Labour policies that do not support conven families?
- Working fam tax credit (1997) Easier for mothers with children to go back to work.
- Minimum wage designed to help poor not just tradi families.
- Abolished married couples tax allowance.
What are social policies?
Measures taken by state bodies such as welfare agencies (based on laws usually introduced by the government) that can have both a direct and indirect impact on the family.
