Last Updated on September 4, 2023 by Karl Thompson
A summary grid of how twelve social policies might affect different aspects of family life from 1969 to 2024.
Some of the different aspects of family life you should consider include:
- the effects on marriage, divorce and family diversity.
- Equality between men and women in relationships.
- The effects on children.
- Whether the policy supports or undermines the traditional nuclear family.
These grids are designed to help students revise for A-level sociology – the families and households topic.
The main post covering the details of these polices is here: social policy and the family.
Social policy and the family 1969 – 2004
Social Policy and the family summary grid part 1
| POLICY | How might this affect family life? | Traditional Nuclear family? |
| 1969 Divorce Act | Rapid increase in divorce. Subsequent increase in single person, single parent and stepfamily households. | Undermined |
| 1975 Employment Protection Act | Increase in maternity pay should = increase in children. Larger family sizes. | Undermined traditional gender roles. |
| 1974 Child Benefits Act | Increase in family size.Increase in lone parent families. | Undermined |
| 1998 change to child benefits | = Abolition of 50p extra lone parents. Reduction in number of lone parent families. | Supported |
| 2005 Adoption Act | Increase in same-sex families | Undermined traditional gender roles. |
| 2004 Civil Partnership Act | Increase in legally recognised same sex partnerships. More openly visible same-sex relationships. | Undermined traditional gender roles. |
Social policy and the family 2013-2024
Social Policy and the family summary grid part 2
| POLICY | How does this affect family life? | Pro Nuclear family? |
| 2013: Child Benefit means tested > £60K | No child benefit for those with over £60K. Possible reduction in larger families. | Neutral |
| 2013 Paternity Act | Greater equality between men and women. Increase in number of men being stay at home parents. | Undermined traditional gender roles. |
| 2015 Shared Parental Leave | ||
| 2017: 2 child tax credit policy | = no extra benefit after 2nd child. Decrease in larger families. | Neutral |
| 2022 Marriage Age Raised from 16 to 18. | Reduction in forced teenage marriages. | Neutral |
| 2024: 15 hours free childcare for children from 9 months | Should mean increase in gender equality as women are the main child carers. Might increase family size. | Undermines traditional gender roles. |
To return to the homepage – revisesociology.com
