Social policies and the family

Actions of the government and its agencies in relation to the lives of the population

> Lowering age of consent for homosexual reltionships to 16

> Promotion of marriage in schools

> Free contraception  > Legislation of abortion

> Child benefit payable for all children under the age of 16 or in full time education.

> Removal of barriers to divorce  > Housing priority if children are present

> CSA - absent fathers have to provide financial support for children

> State benfits for single parents  > Equal pay act   > Maternity leave

> Care in the community should rely on informal caring for relatives

Functionalism

> Welfare state takes pressure off the family with regard to education & healthcare - so can concentrate on socialisation & nurturing.

> Any ill family members can be cured in hospital and cared for by family after

Feminism

> Benefits for single parents - key - otherwise children would suffer

> Support divroce laws - women have more freedom

> Welcome civil partnerships / marriages

> In favour of equal pay act

> Argue many social policies are sexist and stereotypical

New Right

> Critical of welfare state - benefits should be reduced to encourage traditional nuclear family unit

> Disagree with 'easy option' divorce laws

> Undermines the traditional nuclear family

> Encourage young women to become pregnant

> Want nuclear family & marriage to be more financually attrcative

Marxism

> Free education and welfare state - result of class struggle - WC have 'won' these

> Free education and healthcare are inferior to private

> Healthcare only free so worers can get back to work

> Benefits as low as ossible to encourage people back to work - prevent conflict

> Social policies serve capitalism.

Responsible for setting up the welfare state = care for individuals from 'cradle to grave'.

Designed to target 5 giant evils: Want, Disease, Squalor, Ignorance, Idleness.

Tackles the 5 giant evils through...

> NHS - free medical care / vaccinations / drugs

> Free education

> Welfare benfits paid for by NI

> Minimum wage

> Council housing

> Pensions