L040: How do social policies shape family life?

Define social policy and distinguish intentions, mechanisms and outcomes using family-formation, care and resource examples.

Source note: Source note: GOV.UK Shared Parental Leave and Pay explains that eligible parents can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay.

Connect and Check

Social policy means state action, law or provision that can shape family choices, responsibilities and resources.
Policy affects families through mechanisms: rules, money, services, rights, sanctions and definitions of eligibility.
Intentions and outcomes can differ: the same policy may affect families differently by class, gender, ethnicity, disability and work pattern.

Choose your route

Access

Access: identify the policy, mechanism and intended outcome.

Core

Core: explain two mechanisms using family examples.

Stretch

Stretch: evaluate why the same policy may have unequal effects.

Sociologist / perspective comparison

FunctionalistNew RightFeministMarxist

Exam practice

Outline and explain two ways in which social policies may influence the organisation of family life. [10 marks]