Social policies in the UK and around the world

Social policy refers to laws made by the government. Policies that affect the family include laws made about marriage, divorce, children, welfare, domestic violence and child abuse. They may also influence the structure and roles within the family.
Social policies that affect marriage in the UK include being able to marry only one person at a time and only someone of the opposite sex, although civil partnerships now exist. Social policies also affect divorce these include whether or not divorce is legal, the length you have to stay married before a divorce is possible and who gains custody of any children.
Policies that affect children include children having to go to school between the ages of 5 and 16, not being able to work part time until they are 13 and full time when they are 16. There is also a whole range of laws to do with smoking, drinking, sexual behaviour and even going to the cinema. Social policies affect many different things in the UK and around the world it also affects welfare which include child benefit that all primary carers of children recieve, benefits available to single parents and unemployment, housing benefits and pensions.
Social policies also affect domestic violence and child abuse which protect all members of the family against violence, and give the police and courts the power to intervene within the family and remove violent members and place children into care.