Policies affecting Family

• Equal Pay Act 1970 / Equality Act 2010 / Sex Discrimination Act 1975

  Allowed women to have the same employment rights as men; amended to include transgender and equality for men.

  This created more equality in the family as the women could now go out to work and take the instrumental role in

  the same way a man could.

  This could explain the rise in divorce, rise in single parent families, decline in

  traditional gender roles in the nuclear family, support for feminism and criticism of Marxist feminist Benston.
• Divorce Law Reform Act 1969

  Allowed easier and quicker divorces; allowed women to instigate divorce without needing to provide evidence

  of adultery or cruelty; changed the social norm of marriage for life.

  This allowed unhappy couples to split which would account for the rise in divorce and single parent families. It can

  also be used when explaining the dark side of family – victims of domestic abuse can now leave the marriage.

  This would also support feminist views that women no longer needed men and postmodern views that we are no

  longer tied to tradition or religious views.
• Abortion Act 1961

  Contraception available to married women 1961. Allowed women to control the size of their family. Decreased the control of the church on family life.

  This allowed women to choose when to have children which resulted in more freedom and equality – this criticises Engels view that women are there to produce heirs, Murdock’s views that the main function of the traditional nuclear family is to reproduce and Greer’s views that the woman’s bodies are exploited for reproduction.

  This also shows how society was becoming less influenced by religious views.
• Child benefit bill 1975

  Fixed payment to the mother for each child; reinforces the expressive role.

  Allows women to have some financial independence.

  This gave some financial control to women (often for the first time) which goes against Murdock’s claims that the family provides economic security for the woman.

  This can be used to show the rise of feminism.

  This contributes to the rise in divorce and rise in single parent families.
• Child Support Act 1991

  Provided financial assistance from the father even if he is an absent parent.

  Allowed women to be financially independent and raise children without father.

  This contributes to the rise in divorce as women would now be financially supported by ex-husbands (and vice versa) as well as rise in single parent families.
• Children Act 2004

  Protection of children from neglect and abuse. State intervention in family life.

  This can be used to support claims that the family has become more child-centred. It also helps explain the rise in divorce as many couples raising children in a family with domestic abuse would be forced to separate if the victim of abuse wanted to keep the children.
• Civil Partnership Act 2005 / Marriage (Same Sex) Act 2015

  Allowed legal status to same sex couples. Allowed equality for same sex couples.

  Explains rise in secularisation and rise in same sex families.
• The Childcare Act 2006

  Provided free nursery care for 4-year olds (then amended to 3 year olds and currently for 2 year olds). Allowed women to return to work earlier.

  This allowed women to return to work after having children so contributes to changing gender roles. It also would allow parents to raise children on their own as they could work to support their children – rise in single parent families.
• Adoption and Children Act 2002

  Allowed fostering and adoption by single people and same sex couples.

  Allowed children without a nuclear family or a partner.

  This allowed same sex couples to adopt children, which may have contributed to a rise in this family type. It might explain the decline in the nuclear family as Murdock suggested that one function of the nuclear family was to reproduce.
• Working Family Tax Credit 2011 / Replaced with Universal Credit 2017

  Provided in work benefits for parents allowing women financial independence and allowed them to go back to work.

  This allowed parents to be single and take on both the instrumental and expressive role – they can work part time and have their wages subsided to an amount that they could live on while they raise their children.
• Cuts to social care

  Elderly people requiring residential care or nursing care are not supported by the state if they have assets (over £25k) which means they would have to sell their homes to pay for their care.

  This contributes to the rise in beanpole families as many families cannot or do not want to sell the family home to pay for extortionate care home costs. They adult children will decide to move in with the elderly parent and care for them at home.