Contemporary Family Issues

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Contemporary Issues for Children and Families ‘Both the status of children and the role of the family have undergone significant changes over the course of this century’ Contemporary Issues in the Early Years, Gillian Pugh (ed.) Page 71. Although the nature of childhood may have changed considerably in the last 30 years. It is difficult to argue that the needs of children have changed much at all. Maslow’s early theory of the hierarchy of needs (1943) was developed by Mia Kellmer Pringle (1975) in relation to children. Pringle discusses the physical and social needs as well as the need for praise and recognition as core to the needs of children. Jennie Lindon (2002) also focused on the physical, emotional and cognitive needs of the child. The similarity of all these key theorists through the years demonstrates that the needs of children have remained constant and are the same today as they were 30 years ago. In terms of the rights of Children a definitive change came with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. This was a worldwide change to the rights of children and was signed by the UK in 1990 becoming law in 1992. This legislation meant all children had the right to safety, education, protection and health. The Commission for Children and Young People (Scotland Act 2003) put in place rights for children in Scotland. Further developing the rights for the child in recent years. The interest of children is possibly the area that has seen the biggest shift in the last 30 years. In the 1980’s prior to the explosion of media technology. Children’s interests focused on outdoor activities, social interaction and spending more time away from the family home to explore their environment. Today, children‘s interests are influenced heavily by the development of a high tech world. Palmer (2006) talks about the death of childhood where the TV has become the
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