Social policy

2012

Was set up to encourage seperated parents to work together on the basis of their children.

Feminist view-  This policy can create further oppression as it makes women keep in contact with their divorced husband. Encourages Mothers to perform traditional roles so not living of Fathers income.

NR view-  They dislike as they like the nuclear family as it provides the correct functions and this policy will undermine the family. NR=concensus theory, it influences the idea that there should be no conflict between family types.

Functionalist view- Disagree as this is a way for the conventional family to split up.

Effect on family- Money can help to pay for essentials for the children- encourages both parents to be involved in the childs life.

2010

Set up by the Lib dem government. 3/4 year olds get 15 hours of free childcare a week, gives the best start to life.

Feminist view- Allows women to work and gain independence from men.

NR view- Don't like as it makes families reliant on the state. They prefer women to stay at home and childcare.

Functionalist view- They like as it allows for the nuclear family to continue, both parents work with no strain on the family.

Effect on the family- Women can go out and get a job while kids are in childcare. This means the family gets more income and can give the children a better start to life. 

2003

Meant to keep Mothers financially stable after maternity leave by paying less tax and encouraging them back to work. The money encouraged more children.

Feminist view- This is negative as if they are encouraged to have more children this increases poverty and their burden of domestic work and childcare.

NR view- It benefits the nuclear family, women have more children and men at work but its also bad as the government lose money through taxation.

Functionalist view- This encourages the nuclear family to stay together and provides extra support with income- smooth running society.

Effect on family- Helps family for 1 year so only a short period of the childs life but doesnt support the most expensive years of their lives.

1971

Evidence of adultery and abuse are no longer the only reason for divorce. Can now divorce just for a lose of love.

Feminist view- Benefits women as it releases them from the partiarcal instiution of married life.

NR view- Creates the dependency culture. More single parent families which are government dependent (benefits) and NR want independence from the state.

Functionalist view- Discourages the nuclear family, without both parents it will harm a childs socialisation. They believe both partners will remarry and be nuclear.

Effect on the family- There will be more family diversity as divorce is easier but may also disrupt the children's childhood.

2000

Money goes straight into the students bank account once a week, if they are from a deprived area for school supplies, its based on parents income (normally £30)

Feminist view- Would support young girls in education. This could help them to achieve and get a good career. Also helps single Mothers with resource costs.

NR view- Money from the government so the students become dependent on state money. Parents should be able to financially support their childrens education. This may give the wc pupils a reason not to get a job in the future if they see the state will just supply money.

Functionalist view- Family will have more money meaning wc families will have less stress as their childs education is paid for.

Effect on the family- More children will be able to succeed in school and less financial strain on the family however, kds are not likely to spend their ema on school resources.

2013

This is benefits given to people out of work or low incomes, it is harder to get than welfare benefits, Government are seeking people to get jobs not live on benefits as their are too many people claiming them.

Feminist view- Women get the children after a divorce so claim benefits if she doesnt have a job. Benfits are the only income.

NR view- This makes less people state dependent so they like this as benefits are now harder to get. Pushes more people into work and being self-reliant.

Functionalist view- This pushes to stay in nuclear family so they like this as there would be a higher income- incentive to stay in a couple.

Effect on family- They could be thorm into poverty if the parents don't have a job and rely on benefits, this iwll decrease the children's quality of family life.

2012

This is a way of the government tackling poor parenting, school non-attendance, unemployment, drug use and anti-social behaviour. They government asign a key worker to the troubled family.

Feminist view- This is partiarcal as the government is mainly male headed, they're telling parents, mostly mothers, that they aren't parenting properly.

NR view - They disagree as the government shouldn't interfere into the family, it shoudl be self-reliant.

Functionalist view- It helps the family function easier and smoother. The instituion is helping society run smoothly if its stopping troubled children from ruining society.

Effects on family- 185,000 families recieved support to change for the better, but misbehaving children isn't always the parents fault so its unfair on the government to label them bad parents.

2013

Coalition government set this up, it gives pension rights for unmarrie couples.

Feminist view- By not offering equal pensions to married and unmarried couples, women miss out if they wish to live independent and not be married. Civil partnerships are treated as marriages (homosexual).

NR view- 

Functionalist view- Government policies show there is a focus on improving family life, to help the smooth running of society.

Effect on the family- It still leaves an unmarried partner without the pension of the other after their death because they are not seen to be together. Theres more access and flexibility of recieving some but disadvantages unmarried partners.