Social policy and the family

What is a policy?

A plan or set of ideas officially agreed to by the government.

What is a social policy?

Refers to any government action aimed at dealing with social need e.g. education.

What are the characteristics of the right wing of the political spectrum?

• Individual responsibility

• Privatisation

• Lower tax

What are the characteristics of the left wing of the political spectrum?

• Welfare state 

• Public sector investment 

• Liberal values 

Which two parties both support the traditional nuclear family?

Labour and Conservatives

What are direct effects of social policies?

These are the visible intended effects of a policy e.g. married person tax benefits 

What are indirect effects of social policies?

These are the things that happen which are not necessarily expected. 

Beveridge report 1942

Found problems in society which led to the introduction of the NHS, welfare state etc. 

Equal pay act 1970

Made women more equal in the workplace in terms of pay.

Adoption act 2004

Made adoption easier, and made it possible for same-sex couples to adopt.