families and social policy

• What does social policy refer to?

  Plans and actions of state agencies
• How are social policies typically established?

  Based on laws introduced by the government
• How do social policies generally affect families?

  Most policies affect families in some way
• How does compulsory education policy affect families?

  It allows parents to work while children are in school
• What does the 'care in the community' policy imply for families?

  Families often care for sick or elderly members
• How do taxation policies impact families?

  They affect income and available services for families
• What is the relationship between family policy and government actions?

  • Government actions can profoundly affect families
  • Policies can be extreme in different societies
  • Examples include China's one-child policy
• What is China's one-child policy aimed at?

  Discouraging couples from having more than one child
• Who supervises China's one-child policy?

  Workplace family planning committees
• What benefits do couples receive for complying with China's one-child policy?

  Longer maternity leave and higher tax allowances
• What happens to couples who break the one-child policy in China?

  They must repay allowances and pay a fine
• What extreme measures were taken by the Romanian government in the 1980s?

  Restricted contraception and made divorce difficult
• What was the goal of Nazi family policy in the 1930s?

  To breed a 'master race' and restrict certain groups
• What was one of the actions taken by the Nazi regime regarding disabled individuals?

  Compulsory sterilization of 375,000 disabled people
• How do democratic societies differ in their approach to family policy?

  They often do not intervene unless issues arise
• What do sociologists argue about the role of state policies in democratic societies?

  State policies significantly shape family life
• What are the perspectives on families and social policy among sociologists?

  • Sociologists agree on the impact of social policy
  • They hold different views on its effects
  • Examining these perspectives is essential
• What can social policy impact significantly?

  Families
• How do some sociologists view social policy in the UK?

  As a means to help or oppress families
• Who is associated with the functionalist perspective on social policy?

  Fletcher
• What has the introduction of health, education, and housing policies led to, according to Fletcher?

  The development of the welfare state
• How does the NHS support families, according to Fletcher?

  By enabling better care for sick members
• What concept did Donzelot theorize regarding families?

  The policing of families
• How do social workers and health visitors control families, according to Donzelot?

  Through surveillance and knowledge application
• Which social class is more likely to be seen as 'problem' families according to Donzelot?

  Poor families
• What does Donzelot argue about social policy?

  It is a form of state control of the family
• What does Murray argue about state welfare benefits?

  They are overly generous
• What are 'perverse incentives' according to Murray?

  Rewards for irresponsible or antisocial behavior
• Who is associated with the feminist perspective on social policy?

  Leonard
• How do policies that seem to support women still reinforce patriarchy, according to Leonard?

  By implying women are natural carers
• What are the two types of gender regimes according to Drew?

  • Familistic gender regimes: Traditional gender divisions, minimal state funding (e.g., Greece)
  • Individualistic gender regimes: Equal treatment of husbands and wives, separate entitlements (e.g., Sweden)
• What characterizes familistic gender regimes?

  Traditional gender divisions between males and females
• What is a key feature of individualistic gender regimes?

  Husbands and wives treated equally
• Which country exemplifies individualistic gender regimes?

  Sweden
• Which country exemplifies familistic gender regimes?

  Greece
• How do gender regimes affect family dynamics?

  They shape roles and responsibilities within families
• What is the role of state funding in familistic gender regimes?

  It is minimal for childcare
• What is the implication of policies in individualistic gender regimes?

  Each partner has separate entitlement to benefits