Lesson objectives Outline social policies in the UK Outline social policies in other countries Understand the functionalist, marxist, new right and feminism view on social policy Sociology of The family

Sociology of The family Families & Social Policy Working with your partner briefly discuss -What is a social policy?

Sociology of The family Families & Social Policy Social policies refer to laws made by the government Social policies are very important as they regulate family life, influencing the structure of the family

Sociology of The family Families & Social Policy Many students answering exam questions on the family fail to mention the implementation and effect of social policies on the family…….. Don’t fall into this category of people!!!

Sociology of The family Families & Social Policy Social policies which affect the family?

Sociology of The family Social policies in other countries Nazi family policy- in the 1930’s the government decided that only the racially pure should be able to have children Women were kept out of the workforce and confined to ‘children, kitchen and church 375,000 disabled people were sterilised who were deemed unfit to breed

Sociology of The family Social policies in other countries Nazi family policy- in the 1930’s the government decided that only the racially pure should be able to have children Women were kept out of the workforce and confined to ‘children, kitchen and church 375,000 disabled people were sterilised who were deemed unfit to breed

Sociology of The family Social policies in other countries China’s one-child policy- policy is supervised by workplace family planning committees, women must seek permission to try to get pregnant! Couples who comply get extra benefits- free child healthcare and higher tax allowance Those who do not comply pay a fine and women face pressure to be sterilised!!!!

Sociology of The family Social policies in other countries Abolishing the patriarchal family- Russian revolution (1917) encouraged laws to make divorce and abortion easier. They guaranteed equality between the sexes, women entered the work force and provided workplace nurseries! However, the new soviet state was beset by problems, so the policy was changed- parenthood was glorified, divorce laws tightened and families with more children were rewarded with bigger family allowances

Sociology of The family TASK Working in pairs you will research into social policies in place in the UK Divorce Marriage Children Welfare Domestic violence

Sociology of The family TASK You will also research the: Marxist, functionalist, new right and feminist view of social policy Produce a fact sheet Print off to put in your folder!!

Sociology of The family TASK Divorce n.htm Welfare- axAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAn dOtherSupport/index.htm

Useful websites Marriage s/marriage/ukmarriagelaws Children- sure start rs/surestart/whatsurestartdoes/ Children - Child support agency

Sociology of The family Families and Social Policy Fletcher sees social policy (such as welfare provision or divorce laws) as part of a march of progress towards a society where the family is given support by the state social policy is a form of control by the state, they are a result of class struggle! Policies provide a smoke screen to make life better Social policy is about how the government intervenes through legislation to create a fairer society and a more equal distribution of wealth…

Sociology of The family Families and Social Policy Generous welfare benefits discourage men from taking responsibility for their children, creating lone-parent families with no male role model, unruly and delinquent children, and a growing underclass X

Sociology of The family Families and Social Policy social policies work against women in areas such as housing, taxation and social security because they are based on the assumption that a wife and children are or should be dependent on a male breadwinner.

Sociology of The family Test your knowledge…… 1. what is meant by the term social policies 2. name two social policies that affect marriage 3. name two social policies that affect children 4. name two social policies that have existed in other countries

Sociology of The family True or false? 1.Functionalists see social policy as benefiting men at the expense of women 2.Marxists believe that social policies maintain class equality 3.New right believe that social policies should encourage a self- reliant family