Family Policy

What is social policy?

a government strategy to tackle social issues such as poverty, unemployment, child abuse, domestic violence and homelessness

What do social policies aim to regulate, improve or shape?

areas of life such as work, family and income

What are examples of laws used as social policies?

laws on marriage, divorce, adoption, contraception and abortion

What are examples of welfare and taxation policies?

benefits, tax credits and marriage allowance

What are examples of public service policies?

NHS, education, childcare and social care

How can social policies affect family structure?

they can promote or penalise certain forms such as nuclear families or dual-earner households

How can social policies affect family roles?

they define parental duties and allocate care work

How can social policies affect the family economy?

they influence family income through benefits and taxes

How can social policies affect gender equality?

they can reinforce or reduce the domestic division of labour

What did the Divorce Reform Act (1969) do?

made it easier to access divorce

What was the purpose of the Equal Pay Act (1970)?

to promote workplace gender equality

What does the Child Support Agency do?

enforces financial responsibility from absent parents

How do maternity and paternity leave policies affect families?

they support working parents

How does free childcare provision affect families?

it helps mothers return to work

What does the marriage tax allowance provide?

financial incentives for married couples

What did policies in Nazi Germany (1930s–40s) encourage?

the ‘racially pure’ to breed a ‘master race’

How many disabled people were sterilised in Nazi Germany?

around 375,000 people considered ‘unfit’ to breed

What are familistic regimes according to Drew (1995)?

societies such as Greece and Spain with little state childcare where women rely on family support

What are individualistic regimes according to Drew (1995)?

societies such as Sweden where policies assume equality between partners

What do Functionalists believe about social policies and the family?

they believe policies help the family fulfil its functions

Which sociologist argued modern policies help families perform their functions more efficiently?

Fletcher (1966)

What did Donzelot (1977) argue about social policies?

they are tools for the state to monitor and regulate poorer families

What did Murray (1990) argue about welfare benefits?

they create a dependency culture

What do Feminists argue about many social policies?

they reinforce traditional gender roles

What do Marxists argue about social policies?

they mainly serve capitalist interests