Feminist views on social policy

Feminists support benefits for single parents because most single parents are women. They argue that most women do not want to be single parents but may have been left abusive or empty shell marriages and should be supported by the state. The feminists argue that if benefits for single parents are ruduced then the children will suffer. Feminists are also in favour of divorce laws because they enable women to free themselves from patriarchal control, and would welcome the recent civil partnership law which enables gay couples to gain similar legal rights to hetrosexuals.

Femenists also argue that many social policies are sexist and stereotypical. One example is maternity leave which although on one level is far more generous for women than paternity leave is for men. This includes the assumption that women will want to stay at home and look after their child whilst men will want to go back to work. Child benefit is also normally paid to the women, which assumes they are the primary carer.

New right views on social policy

New right takes a negative view on many social policies as they see them as undermining the traditional nuclear family. The are particularly critical of welfare benefits that are given to single parent families because they believe that it is encouraging young women to get pregnant because they know the state will look after them and their child. They think that single parent families should be discouraged and the nuclear family encouraged. One way to this is to reduce or eliminate the benefits given to single parents whilst making the nuclear family and marriage more financially attractive. They are critical of divorce and think that it is a quick way out instead of fighting for their marriage.

Social policies in other countries

All countries have different laws that affect the family. The laws are always changing to fit in with different circumstances and ambitions of the leaders of the countries. Some will be seen as sensible and worthwhile whilst others will be seen as indefensible.
For example in the 1930's in Nazi Germany the government decided that only the 'racially pure' should be able to have children. Many of those who were not seen as fit to breed, such as the mentally and physically handicapped, were compulsorily sterilised. Also in Romania in the 1980's the government tried to increase the birth rate by restricting contraception and abortion. They also made marriage more financially attractive and restricted divorce. In China they have a one child policy and couples that comply get higher tax allowances and other benefits.

(Information taken from book)

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.

Families

Household: This is a group of people who share a living space together who are not necessarily tied by blood or kin.

Nuclear: Aka the 'cereal package' family is seen to be a socially accepted morm. This will consist of a mother a father and children all living together.

Extended: A family consisting of parents, children living with aunts, uncles and even grandparents.

Re- constituted: This is step families. This is when parents re-marry another partner and the child are brought into the new family.

Lone: Families in which there is just one parent either the mother or father living at home looking after the children.

The family in contempory society

The Family

The family is like a small version or 'microcosm of society' and it is here that we first learn the values and the norms of the culture we are part of through socialisation and it is how we are integrated on the whole.