family policy in the uk · ‐laws make divorce easier undermines lifelong commitment. ‐civil...

Lesson 2 Family policy timeline SPA.notebook

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May 23, 2018

Objective Key Words

Know

Understand

TITLE: DATE:

What have the different policies been towards the family in the last 30 years?

How much does family policy differ according to different political parties?

To what extent could it be argued that some policies have been advantageous or disadvantageous towards the family?

To give reasons and evidence for your views (ext: to consider alternative opinions and views)

To spot patterns and explain what's happening

Family policy in the UK

Q) Explain two policies that can be said to have improved life for the family.10 marks.

‐Give two points, explain the policy.‐Relate the policy to the political party that initiated and explain why that might be?‐Then explain how and why the policy improved life for the family.‐Consider including evaluative point on relative impact/success/longevity of such a policy.

Policing the FamilyTroubled Family Programme

Familistic gender regimesIndividualiostic gender regimes

New RightConservative‐Liberal CoalitionLabour

23/05/18


As we are going through the answer, add any points you may not have included to your answer in a different coloured pen.

+ Civil partnership act 2004 ‐ legalised same sex partnerships allows them to have a legitimate and stable partnership

+ Marital rape ‐ provides security for women + Adoption act ‐ allowing same sex couples to adopt a child‐ allowing cohabiting couples to have a child +Child support agency ‐ giving support children whose parents are separated.


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May 23, 2018

Objective Key WordsKnow

Understand

How will you display SMSC today?Courage ‐ Respect ‐ Friendship ‐ Inspiration ‐ Determination ‐

Equality ‐ ExcellenceEmpathy – Courtesy – Resilience ‐

Etiquette

TITLE:DATE:

To give reasons and evidence for your views (ext: to consider alternative opinions and views)

To spot patterns and explain what's happening

Is the family a positive or negative institution in modern British society?

The Big Question:

Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3EDUCATION FAMILIES & BELIEFS CRIME

Family policy in the UK over time.

What have the different policies been towards the family in the last 30 years?

How much does family policy differ according to different political parties?

To what extent could it be argued that some policies have been advantageous or disadvantageous towards the family?

Policing the FamilyTroubled Family Programme

Familistic gender regimesIndividualiostic gender regimes

New RightConservative‐Liberal CoalitionLabour

16/05/18

From what you know about perspectives on the family so far, what types of policies on the family do you think they might come up with?‐Come up with three ideas for each 1) Functionlaism2)New Right3) Feminism


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May 23, 2018

Functionalism:Positive about the state and harmony of society, governmentshould act in interests of all.FLETCHER in 1966: the provision of welfare, education, health and housing supports the family and enables it to function well.

Criticisms?‐Assumes all members of family benefit equally whereas feminists would say men are mainly benefited.‐Assumes a 'march of progress' and that all policies gradually improve, but Marxists would argue many policies from new governments don't support the family through cutting aid to families which disadvantages the poor.

PERSPECTIVES POSITION:

EVALUATION:

Alternative view: Policing the family: Donzelot 1977:

‐State policies seek to control and take power from the family.‐Uses Foucault's arguments about surveillance to see power as something spread throughout society. Eg: doctors and social workers exercise power over clients and they become 'cases' to be dealt with. Donzelot argues these methods are used against the family and that poorer families are labelled as 'problem' families and blamed for causes of many types of crime.

EG Condry 2007: State controls family life by imposing 'Parenting Orders' through the courts.

‐Micro approach does look at the importance of professional power and how it might be used within the family context.

To what extent is this true?What 'problems' do middle classfamilies have that are ignored by society?

AO2 example:


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May 23, 2018

Evaluation of policing the family?

What would a Marxist say?What would a Feminist say?

‐Marxists‐ Denzelot should clearly state who is benefited from surveillance culture which are the upper classes.‐Feminists: Men gain from this, women don't (hyper surveillance during times of pregnancy, child birth and child raising. Power mostly engaged by male doctors may make women feel disempowered/lacking choice over medical decisions.)

EVALUATION:

The New Right:

‐Support the nuclear family based on married heterosexualcouple, with a clear division of labour.

How might New Right theorists say the nuclear family being undermined today?Almond 2006:

‐Laws make divorce easier undermines lifelong commitment.

‐Civil partnerships/gay marriage send out the wrong message.

‐Tax laws discriminate against families where there is one sole breadwinner usually the male.

‐Other laws giving further financial right to cohabiting couples and adoption, housing rights further erodes the idea that the nuclear family is best.


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May 23, 2018

Create a Social Policy timeline. Fill it in as we go through the information in the lesson.

New Right very influential‐ social policy aimed to strengthen nuclear families by encouraging self‐help and reducing welfare. EG:Child Support Agency established in 1993 established to ensure children were given money by absent parents and welfare to single parents was cut.

How might the creation of Child Support Agencybeing introduced by the Conservative government be surprising to some?

Conservative policy 1980s and 1990s


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May 23, 2018

Continued concern over 'dysfunctional' families and the lack of male role models in female headed lone parent families. Emphasis in care of children and seemingly listened to concerns of Feminists more. 'New Deals' made with families to move towards employment instead of welfare. Introduction of the National Minimum Wage to support those poorly paid, child tax credits and measures to reduce child poverty. Nursery education guaranteed after 3 for some time each week to support the working family and the Civil Partnership Act in 2005.

Labour policy 1997‐2010:

‐Renewed emphasis on the importance of marriage, as opposed to cohabitation.‐In 2011 the introduction of the Troubled Families Programme (we looked into this in a separate lesson).‐Cuts in funding for the elderly and children's services were similar to New Right policies.‐2014 made same sex marriage law.

Why might the introduction of same sex marriage under the Conservative‐Lib coalition government have come as a surprise to some?

2010 onwards: Conservative‐Liberal coalition:


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May 23, 2018

Conservatives split (Hayton):

Modernisers: recognise that families are now more diverse and are willing to reflect this.Traditionalists: New Right leaning rejecting diversity.

Sometimes creates a confused message: Brown argues the coalition government's policies on taxation disadvantaged the working family with kids and also people with disabilities.

Read Frances Ryan's article on tax cuts and benefit changes impacting working families and those with disabilities.‐Write down three key statistics from this.‐Consider: Do these policies support or neglect families?‐How might some New Right theorists support tax cuts?

Feminism:Hilary Land: Many policies assume that the nuclear family is normal and this impacts policy. This encourages people to behave in a certain way.

Tax and benefit policies:Assume husbands are main earners and that wives are dependent.Childcare: Much pressure put on parents to pay additional costs of childcare, so hard for some parents, esp mothers to work full time. They have to be on enough money to do so.

Care for sick and elderly: Middle ages women often expected to do the caring. Maternity leave being longer encourages the view that it is the mother's role more.

The Feminist Perspective on Social Policy

Evaluation: Not all policies are directed at maintaining patriarchy.EG: Equal Pay, Abortion Acts, Same‐sex marriage, Benefits for lone parents, refuges for women experiencing domestic violence, right to divorce, rape within marriage made criminal in 1991 etc.


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May 23, 2018

Eileen Drew: Gender regimes:How do different countries encourage or discourage gender equality in the family?Looking at cross‐cultural examples of policies to see whether they encourage equality within the family.

‐Familistic gender regimes:Policies based on traditional gender division, male earner and woman at home.Greece provides little welfare so women heavily engaged with children and reliant on extended family.

‐Individualistic gender regimes:Policies based on equality, more paternity leave or shared leave between a family.Sweden:policies assume equality in gender for working and childcare, childcare provision being good means women have more opportunities to work.

Key wordDefinition

Key wordDefinition

Gender Regimes


‐Give two points, explain the policy.‐Relate the policy to the political party that initiated and explain why that might be?‐Then explain how and why the policy improved life for the family.‐Consider including evaluative point on relative impact/success/longevity of such a policy.

Write out an answer to this question in exam conditions. We will go over it afterwards and write out an answer together.

Remember: PERC structurePoint: Make your pointExplain using Evidence to back it up (studies, examples, statistics)Refer back to the question: how was life improved?Critique: offer a disadvantage of the policy (why it didn't benefit all families

Then link back to the question at the end.


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May 23, 2018

ITEM A: According to feminist sociologists, the main function of laws and policies on families and households is to support the conventional heterosexual nuclear family and reproduce patriarchy. For example, policies concerning the care of children or the old often make the assumption that these are women's responsibility. Even policies seemingly designed to benefit women, such as paying child benefit to the mother, may have the effect of reinforcing their gender role. By contrast, New Right thinkers argue that many policies offer 'perverse incentives' that actually undermine rather than support the conventional family.

Evaluate the view that the main function of laws and policies on families and households is to reproduce patriarchy [20 marks]

Things to include:Patriarchy, gender role & perverse incentives (from item) Structured dependency, self‐fulfilling prophecy, dependency culture, the underclass, gender regimes etcBring in named policies: those that support & undermine the nuclear family (policies on childcare, care of the sick and elderly, housing, taxes and benefits, maternity and paternity leave, gay marriage, outlawing of rape within marriage

Evaluation: New Right and Feminism Cross‐cultural examples and policies in other areas (equal pay) that may affect gender roles or relationships in the family, Other views of the main function of policy ‐ Donzelot

TASK: Create an essay plan for this question. Try and be as detailed as possible.

family policy in the uk · ‐laws make divorce easier undermines lifelong commitment. ‐civil...

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