Outline and explain 2 reasons for the changes in family size in the last 50 years or so.

Question 1

Point 1

Answer 1

Changes to womens social position

• Feminist movement has campaigned for changes to the law to equalise the position of men and women in society
• changes to education laws which introduced the national curriculum meant men and women wre on a more equal footing in terms of the qualifications they recieved
• Sex discrimination act
• Birth rates decreased as women wanted to have a career rather then be a mum

Question 2

Point 2

Answer 2

Migration

• Considerable growth over recent years in the number of migrants who have come to britain
• possibly through our immigration policies which have allowed greater numbers of refugees and asylum seekers to enter the country
• increase in ethnic diversity which now accounts for 14% of the population, which has repercussions for the population size in the UK but also average family size.
• this is because Minority ethnic groups tend to hold cultural or religious norms and values that encourage larger family size