Social Policy and the family Flashcards
Social policies
Refer to the laws made by the government which aim to improve society or deal with a social policy
Type of policies
- Providing Material support for the family. Such as cash benefits through tax credits and child benefits
- Helping parents to balance working life and family life. Policies such as maternity pay, early years childcare and child protection laws
1980-1990: Conservative Policies
The New Right had a lot of influence during this time so the main aim of policies were to strengthen the traditional nuclear family, emphasising self help and reliance. Reduced welfare payments
Examples of Conservative Policies
- Established child support agency 1993
- Section 28
- Back to Basic
- Made illegitimate children have the same rights as those born to wedded parents
1997-2010 Labour Policies
Silva and Smart: Favoured duel earning families but also emphases the heterosexual nuclear family and for parents to take responsibility for their children. Some support for alternative family types
Examples of New Labour Policies
- Parenting orders
- Longer Maternity leave
- Civil partnerships
- The new deal
2010 Onwards Coalition Policies
Inconsistent policies on the family due to conflict between two camps of MPs
Hayton–>
- Modernists who accept diveristy
- Traditionalists who favour the New Right view
Examples of Coalition Policies
- Removed couples penalty
- Shared parental leave
- Equal Marriage
Beverage Report
Introduced the Welfare state including housing benefit and the NHS
–> This led to the removal of some functions of the family to the welfare state
Divorce Reform Act
Made divorce easier to obtain, allowed women to file for divorce from her husband without having to prove adultery, abuse or abandonment
–> Increase in family diversity, especially single parent families and reconsituted families.
–> Increased women’s independence
Legalisation of the contraceptive Pill
Made it legal for women who were unmarried to obtain the contraceptive pill
–> Women had control over their bodies and how many children they had many children they had, this led to a decline in the birth rate
New right views on social policies
The New Right is strong believers that conventual heterosexual nuclear family which is self sufficient. Therefore believe that social policies have been a negative influence on society promoting family diversity and the disintegration of society.
Feminist views on social policies
Feminists see policies as assuming what a normal family is a patriachal nuclear family with a male breadwinner and a female homemaker. And therefore social policies ensure the maintenance of this family type EG. Childcare policies and caring for the elderly
Marxist view on social policies
Marxists see family policy as a way for the ruling class to maintain their capitalist control of society and ensure that the family continues to support capitalism
