Social Policy & Famly Flashcards
(102 cards)
1
Q
Date of the Married Couples’ Tax Allowance
A
1920s
2
Q
Description & aims of the Married Couples’ Tax Allowance
A
- Reduction in tax for married couples
- Encouraged marriage
3
Q
Impact of the Married Couples’ Tax Allowance on families & households
A
Encouraged marriage
4
Q
Date & Government of the Family Allowance Act
A
- 1945
- War time coalition government
5
Q
Description & aims of the Family Allowance Act
A
Universal child benefit for all families on the birth of a second child.
6
Q
Impact of the Family Allowance Act on families & households
A
Supported nuclear families especially those in poverty
7
Q
Date & Government of the National Insurance Act
A
- 1946
- Labour
8
Q
Description & aims of the National Insurance Act
A
- Sickness benefit
- Unemployment benefit
- Pensions
9
Q
Impact of the National Insurance Act on families & households
A
- Lifted many families out of poverty.
- Increased life expectancy.
- Functionalists: families no longer had to provide economic support
10
Q
Date & Government of the Creation of the NHS
A
- 1948
- Labour
11
Q
Description & aims of the Creation of the NHS
A
Made medical services and treatment free at the point of delivery.
12
Q
Impact of the Creation of the NHS on families & households
A
- Lifted many families out of poverty
- Increased life expectancy
13
Q
Date & Government of the Clean Air Act
A
- 1956
- Conservative
14
Q
Description & aims of the Clean Air Act
A
Aimed to reduce air pollution in response to smog of ’52 which killed thousands.
15
Q
Impact of the Clean Air Act on families & households
A
- Increased life expectancy
- Reduction of death rate
16
Q
Date & Government of the Family Planning Act
A
- 1967
- Labour
17
Q
Description & aims of the Family Planning Act
A
Made contraception easily available through the NHS.
18
Q
Impact of the Family Planning Act on families & households
A
- Greater independence to women can be linked Giddens’ pure relationships / confluent love and the increase in divorce.
- Reduction in birth rate leads to an increase child-centred families.
19
Q
Date & Government of the Abortion Act
A
- 1967
- Labour
20
Q
Description & aims of the Abortion Act
A
- Legalised abortion
- Made abortion available on the NHS
21
Q
Impact of the Abortion Act on families & households
A
- Women have greater control over reproduction
- Decline in birth rate
22
Q
Date & Government of the Divorce Reform Act
A
- 1969
- Labour
23
Q
Description & aims of the Divorce Reform Act
A
- Abolished the need to prove a “matrimonial offence”
- Reduced time to 2 years of both agreed / 5 if only one agreed.
24
Q
Impact of the Divorce Reform Act on families & households
A
- Increased divorce
- Increase in lone parent families
- Increase in reconstituted families
25
Date & Government of the Equal Pay Act
- 1970
- Labour
26
Description & aims of the Equal Pay Act
Ended inequality in pay and conditions of work between men and women.
27
Impact of the Equal Pay Act on families & households
- Feminisation of the economy.
- Women’s increased independence in the family has led to an increase in divorce.
28
Date & Government of the Sex Discrimination Act
- 1975
- Labour
29
Description & aims of the Sex Discrimination Act
Made it illegal to discriminate against someone on the grounds of their sex (male / female) and marital status
30
Impact of the Sex Discrimination Act on families & households
- Feminisation of the economy.
- Women’s increased independence in the family has led to an increase in divorce.
31
Date & Government of the Child Benefit Act
- 1975
- Labour
32
Description & aims of the Child Benefit Act
A benefit for each child is paid to mothers
33
Impact of the Child Benefit Act on families & households
Could argue it has led to an increase in child centredness
34
Date & Government of Section 28 (repealed 2003)
- 1988
- Conservative
35
Description & aims of Section 28 (repealed 2003)
Prevented the “promotion of homosexuality” by local councils e.g. in schools / libraries
36
Impact of Section 28 (repealed 2003) on families & households
Increased discrimination against gay couples
37
Date & Government of the Children's Act
- 1989
- Conservative
38
Description & aims of the Children's Act
Outlined the responsibilities of local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies to ensure children are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted.
39
Impact of the Children's Act on families & households
- Increased protection for children.
- Links to child- centred family / March of Progress.
40
Date & Government of the Child Support Agency
- 1993
- Conservative
41
Description & aims of the Child Support Agency
To ensure absent fathers paid maintenance for the upbringing up their children
42
Impact of the Child Support Agency on families & households
New Right could argue this has allowed an increase in lone parent families
43
Date & Government of Sure Start Children’s Centres
- 1998
- Labour
44
Description & aims of Sure Start Children’s Centres
To support children under 4yrs in disadvantaged areas e.g. early education, health and parental support.
45
Impact of Sure Start Children’s Centres on families & households
Greater support for families in deprived areas
46
Date & Government of Parenting Orders (part of Crime and Disorder Act)
- 1998
- Labour
47
Description & aims of Parenting Orders
Required the parent of a child that had been convicted of an offence or had been involved in ASB to attend parenting courses / counselling / ensuring child’s attendance at school / imposing a curfew on the child
48
Impact of Parenting Orders on families & households
Families are under increased surveillance
49
Date & Government of the Adoption Act
- 2002
- Labour
50
Description & aims of the Adoption Act
Allowed unmarried couples and same sex couples to adopt children.
51
Impact of the Adoption Act on families & households
More gay families and families with children that are not married.
52
Date & Government of Working Family Tax Credits
- 2003
- Labour
53
Description & aims of Working Family Tax Credits
- Replaced the married man’s tax allowance.
- Provided a tax allowance for families with children – regardless of whether they were married – to help pay for childcare.
- Designed to encourage both partners to work.
54
Impact of Working Family Tax Credits on families & households
Encouraged dual earner families
55
Date & Government of Civil Partnership Act
- 2004
- Labour
56
Description & aims of Civil Partnership Act
- Gave very similar rights as marriage to same sex couples
57
Impact of the Civil Partnership Act on families & households
- Increased number of civil partnerships
58
Date & Government of the Health Act
- 2002
- Labour
59
Description & aims of the Health Act
- Ban on smoking in enclosed public places and work places
60
Impact of the Health Act on families & households
Increased life expectancy
61
Date & Government of the Education and Skills Act
- 2008
- Labour
62
Description & aims of the Education and Skills Act
Raised the minimum age in which a person in England can leave education or training from 16 to 18.
63
Impact of the Education and Skills Act on families & households
Increased dependency of children on parents.
64
Date & Government of the Equality Act
- 2010
- Labour
65
Description & aims of the Equality Act
Promotes fairness, equality and inclusivity
- Prevents discrimination on a number of certain protected characteristics (e.g. sexuality / age / disability).
66
Impact of the Equality Act on families & households
- Greater independence for women.
- Improved rights for gay families / couples.
67
Date & Government of Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act
- 2013
- Conservative
68
Description & aims of Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act
Introduced same sex marriage in England and Wales.
69
Impact of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act on families & households
More same sex marriages and families.
70
Date & Government of Shared Parental Leave Act
- 2014
- Conservative
71
Description & aims of Shared Parental Leave Act
Provides shared rights to parental leave in the first year after a child’s birth.
72
Date & Government of the Childcare Act
- 2016
- Conservative
73
Description & aims of the Childcare Act
Provides 30 hours free childcare to working parents (15 if only one parent is working
74
Impact of the Childcare Act on families & households
Encourage parents to return to work – dual earner families.
75
Date & Government of the Domestic Abuse Act
- 2021
- Conservative
76
Description & aims of the Domestic Abuse Act
Introduced changes such as new powers to provide victims with immediate protection, extension of the law to include partners who do not live together and ex-partners.
77
Impact of the Domestic Abuse Act on families & households
- Raise awareness of domestic violence
- Improve protection for victims.
78
Date & Government of Divorce, Dissolution & Separation Act
- 2022
- Conservative
79
Description & aims of Divorce, Dissolution & Separation Act
Aims to reduce the potential for conflict between couples by removing the ability to make allegations against a spouse & removing the option to contest a divorce.
80
Impact of the Divorce, Dissolution & Separation Act on families & households
- Makes divorce easier
- More lone parent and reconstituted families.
81
Do functionalists take a positive or negative view of the impacts of social policies on the family?
Positive view
82
According to the functionalists, what is the main purpose of social policies?
To help families perform their functions more effectively and make life better for its members
83
Which sociologist supports the functionalist view that social policy helps the family perform its functions?
- Fletcher (1966)
- Argues post-WWII social policies supported the family’s role in society.
84
Give one example of a policy that supported the family and aligns with the functionalist view.
- NHS(1948)
- Provided free healthcare and medicine
- Helped families care for sick members
- Strengthened the family's ability to perform its welfare function
85
How would feminists evaluate the functionalist view on social policy and the family?
Social policy often benefit the men in the family rather than the women as well
86
How would Marxists evaluate the functionalist view on social policy and the family?
- Policies do not benefit all families.
- For example, welfare benefit cuts
have negatively impacted poorer families making life harder for them rather than better.
87
Who is the sociologist for Surveillance?
Donzelot
88
Does Donzelot take a positive or negative view of the impacts of social policies on the family?
Negative
89
What does Donzelot mean when he says that policies are involved in the “policing of families”?
The government target problem families to keep ocntrol of them
90
Give one example of surveillance of families
1998 Parenting Orders
91
How would marxists evaluate the surveilance view on social policy and the family?
Poorer families are often the most heavily “policed” and that the surveillance policies work to keep control over a potentially rebellious working class.
92
How would feminists evaluate the surveilance view on social policy and the family?
Donzelot fails to recognise that women are often the targets of surveillance and that men are the main beneficiaries of policies of surveillance.
93
Do the New Right take a positive of negative view of the impacts of social policy on the family?
Negative
94
What is the New Rights greatest concern regarding current government policies?
Current government policy threatens the nuclear family and heterosexual marriage
95
Give one example of a policy that the New Right disagree with and explain why:
Divorce Reform Act 1969 has made divorce easier and undermined marriage according to Almond
96
Explain why Murray is against increasing welfare benefits:
He argues it supports lone parent families, a dependency culture and therefore encourgaes dysfunctional families
97
What is the New Right's solution
- Cuts to welfare benefits as it would give fathers an incentive to work and discourage teenage pregnancy
- Campaign for policies that encourage and support the nuclear family e.g taxes which favour married couples
98
Explain the feminist evaluation of the New Right's view on social policy & the family. (4 bullet points)
- The New Right view is patriarchal and an attempt to return to the nuclear family which subordinated women
-Abbot and Wallace argue that cutting welfare benefits would increase poverty
- The nuclear family is socially constructed and not natural as the New Right claims
- They ignore the existing policies that maintain the nuclear family
99
Do feminists take a positive or negative view of the impacts of social policy on the family?
Negative and they operate to maintain women’s subordinate position in society and in the family.
100
What do feminists mean when they say that policies are a self-fulfilling prophecy?
- Policy makers assume that the nuclear family is the ideal family type
- This family type is reinforced
- People end up into these family types because they internalise them being ideal
101
Give one example of a policy that feminists see as patriarchal:
- Shared parental leave exists, but uptake is low (e.g. ~9,000 couples in 2019).
- Feminists argue this is due to patriarchal workplace culture.
- Many employers discourage men from taking leave, reinforcing traditional gender roles.
102
Provide one criticism of this approach
They ignore policies which have sought to challenge patriarchy and improve rights for women e.g Sex Discrimination Act
