A Level Sociology
Families and Social
Policy
Topic 7-Families and Households
, What is social policy?
Social policy is the policy that is usually within a governmental or political setting such as the welfare state system a
study of social services. It is concerned with the ways societies across the world meet human needs for security,
education, work, health and wellbeing. It addresses how states and societies respond to global challenges of social
demographic and economic change and of poverty, migration and globalisation.
Most social policies affect the family as there are laws governing marriage, divorce, abortion or contraception, child
protection, adoption and so on.
Policies are not necessarily aimed specifically at families, but they do have an effect on family life. For example, pol
that make changes to the legislation on taxation and benefits like child tax credits, impacts family life.
Brief overview of some important social policies of the last 50 years:
• 1984 Divorce Act- previously in 1969, one partner had to prove that the other was ‘at fault’ in order to be grante
divorce and they had to wait 5 years from the date of marriage to get one. However this changed in 1984 as a di
could be granted within one year of marriage.
• Adoption Act 2005- the law on adoption changed as unmarried couples, including gay couples, were given the ri
adopt just as how married couples were.
• Child Benefit Act- in 1998, new labour government increased the child benefit rate for the first child by more tha
20%. Then from 2013, those who earned more than £50,000 per year would have part of their benefit withdraw
those who earned over £60,000 would receive nothing at all.
Families and Social
Policy
Topic 7-Families and Households
, What is social policy?
Social policy is the policy that is usually within a governmental or political setting such as the welfare state system a
study of social services. It is concerned with the ways societies across the world meet human needs for security,
education, work, health and wellbeing. It addresses how states and societies respond to global challenges of social
demographic and economic change and of poverty, migration and globalisation.
Most social policies affect the family as there are laws governing marriage, divorce, abortion or contraception, child
protection, adoption and so on.
Policies are not necessarily aimed specifically at families, but they do have an effect on family life. For example, pol
that make changes to the legislation on taxation and benefits like child tax credits, impacts family life.
Brief overview of some important social policies of the last 50 years:
• 1984 Divorce Act- previously in 1969, one partner had to prove that the other was ‘at fault’ in order to be grante
divorce and they had to wait 5 years from the date of marriage to get one. However this changed in 1984 as a di
could be granted within one year of marriage.
• Adoption Act 2005- the law on adoption changed as unmarried couples, including gay couples, were given the ri
adopt just as how married couples were.
• Child Benefit Act- in 1998, new labour government increased the child benefit rate for the first child by more tha
20%. Then from 2013, those who earned more than £50,000 per year would have part of their benefit withdraw
those who earned over £60,000 would receive nothing at all.
