paper 2 20 marker - 'evaluate the view that `the uk has become more child centred

to get into top band, anaylise different perpectivies

introduction (what is my argument

• that overall it is clear that although there are a number of signifacant attempts to improve children place within society, the uk has not infact become more child centered. this is due to various factors within the uk which interact with oneanother and show how the uk has not infact become more child centered

para 1 key legistlation

• ‘the large range of laws and polcies in place’ that have directly helped to ‘protect childhood’

• evidenced through the childhood act on 2004 → introduced the role of a child minister whom works on promoting a more child centered uk which overall shows a shift toward including children and child issues within poltics and nor wider society links to children having more privillage

para 1 class counter

• link to the marxist approach whereby although the middle class childrren may be more protected, this is not the same for the working class, thus is a hyperbole to assume that the uk is becoming child centered for all children

• inter culturally this is not the case

• howard (2001) → children from a working class background actually have less opportuinity avaible to them because of the cycial nature of poverty which gives them a lack a resources

• although their are more rights for children they can be said to be hindering wc children e.g - laws over childhood employment which whilst ‘protecting’ children is however effecting their ecomocial prospering as well as rasing education to 18

para 2 → growth of a child centered family

• people are having less children due to decreasing infant mortalitly rate (1.44 children per woman)

• by less children being born, it means that parents have more time for their children and more money to spend on them

• increasing the privileges which children have

para 2 → Ethnicity and Gender critque

• however there still are internal within the family such as abuse from parents and nor siblings

• the culutral differences both in terms of ethinicty, julia branden 1994 on the dfferent expectations which parents have for their children compared to white parents - the west views children as incompetatent whilst other groups have more striciter views upon children

• feminsit crtitque → partiarchy still seen within the family, e.g workforce mainly men which leads to internallsation

para 3 → state services

• the changing to services run by the state to put children first which shows how the uk society is becomin more ‘child centered’

• example of the school leaving age for children being increased to 18 in order to create more quailifactions, but also to extent childhood and protect young people

para 3 → control over children + negatives of schooling

• not provding welfare but instead acting as an opressor towards children

• child liberaltionisits (e.g firestone + holt) whom show how the state is making children more relaint on them

• critques of the role of education as a welfare support → sue parmer toxic childhood ‘schoolification of young people’ anixeity amoungst children and young people, children not being propertly socialised (marxist link of school being used to create a workforce)

• could say that long term the increase in school state services is good however there need to be consdieration as to effect to which is it having upon young people in the pressent

para 4 → child centered private services

• welfare is at the centre of society which overall grows the support to which children are getting

• growth of chaeties e.g such as childline and the NSPCC which all support the wellbeing of children within the family but also in woder society showing how withiin this shift and phyiscal action is also taking place

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para 4 → however what is not being done

• online issues with children → postman + disaperaing childhood due to an increase in technology was is blurring child and adult subcultures (opie however - moral panic)

• mental health crisis → 15 year olds most unhappy in all of europe so are these servicdes actually working

conclusion

overall it is clear that whilst there have been steps within the uk to try and create a more child centered society these claims have however been accutely ‘exaggerared’ because although there have been some steps made, which in the future may lead to the uk becoming a more child centered society, at the moment change is not occruing similtaniously both within subcultures of the uk but also within areas of society