Has social policy had a positive impact upon the family?

Social policy refers to the plans and actions of state agencies, such as health and social services, the police, and the education system. Sociologists debate whether the impact of these policies is mainly positive, improving family life, or negative, leading to greater state control and undermining families.

Arguments that social policy has had a positive impact upon the family

Functionalists believe that state policies help families to perform their functions more effectively. For example, the existence of the NHS with its midwives, health visitors, and doctors provides families with support and helps them to raise healthy children. Functionalists point to the introduction of policies such as free, compulsory education and the provision of welfare benefits as examples of how the state helps families to perform their functions more effectively. By providing free education, the state ensures that all children have the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to participate in society. Similarly, welfare benefits provide a safety net for families who are struggling financially, helping to ensure that all children have a decent standard of living.

Fletcher (1966) argues that the introduction of health, education, and housing policies in the years since the industrial revolution has gradually led to a ‘march of progress’ whereby family life has steadily improved. For example, the introduction of free, compulsory education in 1870 meant that all children had access to education, regardless of their social class. This led to a more meritocratic society, where people's opportunities in life were determined by their ability rather than their social background.

Liberal feminists argue that some social policies have helped to promote gender equality within the family. For example, the Divorce Reform Act (1969) made it easier for couples to divorce and the legal grounds were made equal for both men and women. This has given women more freedom to leave unhappy marriages and has helped to challenge the traditional patriarchal view that men are the head of the household. However, radical feminists argue that the only way to achieve true equality is to abolish the traditional family altogether.

The introduction of paternity leave is another example of a social policy that promotes gender equality, as it allows fathers to take time off work to care for their newborn children. This helps to challenge the traditional gender roles that see women as the primary caregivers and men as the breadwinners. This reflects the idea of the 'new man' and the 'symmetrical family', popularised by Young and Willmott (1973), who saw the family as becoming more equal in terms of both gender roles and the sharing of household tasks.

Arguments that social policy has had a negative impact upon the family

The New Right believe that government policies such as those that encourage divorce and the acceptance of single-parent families have undermined the traditional nuclear family. They believe that this has led to a decline in moral standards and an increase in social problems such as crime and delinquency. In their view, the traditional nuclear family, consisting of a married couple and their children, is the best environment in which to raise children as it provides stability and security, something that lone parent families find more difficult to provide.

The New Right also argue that the welfare state creates a 'culture of dependency' where people become reliant on benefits and are discouraged from working. Charles Murray (1984) argues that generous welfare benefits have created an underclass of people who are dependent on the state and have little incentive to work. He argues that this has led to a range of social problems, including family breakdown, crime, and unemployment.

Feminists argue that the state operates in the interests of the patriarchy and that social policies often reinforce existing inequalities between men and women within families. For example, although maternity leave exists, it is still often difficult for women to return to their jobs after having a baby as they may have to juggle work with childcare responsibilities. This can lead to women suffering from the 'dual burden' of paid work and unpaid domestic labour. Some feminists go further and describe women as suffering from the 'triple shift' – paid employment, unpaid domestic labour and the emotional work of caring for family members.

Donzelot (1977) takes a Marxist perspective and has argued that social policy is a form of state control over families. He argues that professionals such as health visitors and social workers use their knowledge to control and regulate family life, particularly in working-class families, who he sees as being most likely to be targeted for 'improvement'.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is evidence to suggest that social policies can have both positive and negative impacts on families. While policies such as paternity leave can help to promote gender equality, other policies such as those that encourage divorce are seen by some as undermining the traditional nuclear family. Ultimately, the impact of social policies on families is likely to vary depending on a range of factors, including the specific policy in question, the social and economic context in which it is implemented, and the values and beliefs of the individuals and families affected.