More children are born in Britain today outside of marriage than in most other European countries. This has been linked to many explanations such as; poor education in sexual health and the lack of knowlege on different types of contraceptives. Nearly a quarter of children lived with only one parent (25%) last year and nine out of ten of these households were headed by mothers. Dennis and Erdos believe that is is down to most families being fatherless, meaning they automatically have poor health and lower educational attainment, however this is only one theory. Another main reason is the simple fact people are marrying later for many reasons, more because of the change in attitudes towards education and religion (seclurisation).
Secondly, feminism is another reason that some people believe that nuclear families are no longer the norm. Within the 1940’s women were seen simple as housewives and mother, and education within their life wasn’t even thought about. Essentially they were expected to conform to the nuclear family model. Now women are just as likely to be in paid employment like men and therefore this gives them much more status and independence, which makes the nuclear family less likely. Yet others would argue that even the media still supports nuclear families and is socializing the next generation into thinking that it is right for example ‘The Simpsons’, so despite the increase in divorce and feminism the nuclear family will remain popular in British society.
Examine the ways in which government policies and laws may affect the nature and extent of family diversity? Over the years, government policies have been introduced which have affected the nature of several family types. These policies are mainly seen as beneficial to family life; however, sociologists such as functionalists may see it as a threat to the traditional nuclear family. One of the main families which have been affected by a number of policies is the nuclear family. One of these policies is the divorce act 1969; which has made it easier for couples to get divorced.
The lack of education leads to further development of barriers such as a financial barrier and poor lifestyle that makes them unable to provide for themselves and their child. Most jobs that do not require a high school diploma only offer a minimum wage and do not offer adequate benefits to meet all medical needs. “key indicators of health, infant mortality rates and low-birth weight rates, were elevated when infants were born to mothers who were less educated” (Flores et al,1998). Considering that statement I believe that the biggest barrier affecting this vulnerable population’s health is education. Vulnerable mothers that do not finish getting their education become discouraged and loose the motivation and drive to tackle the oncoming challenges that life brings, creating for them another barrier on the micro level; it being a financial barrier.
Vulnerable is defined as being without adequate protection, being susceptible or open to physical or emotional harm physically or psychologically weak, unable to resist illness, debility, or failure. Vulnerable mothers and children usually live in poverty stricken areas and deal with abuse at some point in their lives. To tackle the issue of vulnerable mothers and children we must first turn to our community and address the issue. In 2008, more than 14 million children under 18 years of age lived in households with incomes below 100 percent of the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty threshold of $22,025 for a family of
Overall, being taken out of a stressful household is an easier transition that being a yanked out of a peaceful one. The University of New Hampshire(extension.unh.edu.family/documents.divorce.pdf) found that age and gender play a large role in how each child reacts to having divorced parents. When an infant's parents get divorced it doesn't understand what is going on but feels the low energy level of its parents. The baby will most likely lose its appetite and spit up more. Preschool children often believe that they caused the divorce.
In the beginning of the 1900s, social agencies started to supervise foster parents. This was the beginning where children’s needs as individuals were considered when placements were made. Foster care is a system of institutions, group homes, and private homes for abandoned, maltreated, and orphaned children. Placement in foster care is a solution to the care problems of children whose parents are unwilling, unable, or judged by the legal system as unfit to care for them. Foster care is unfavorable to American society, because “according to national statistic 40 to 50 percent of those children will never complete high school.
Assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm The nuclear family is seen as a family unit consisting of a married couple; a mother, a father and their biological children. Where the father would be seen as the bread winner and the mother seen as the one who would be more designed to stay at home and do the domestic chores. It has been argued that nuclear family could no longer be seen as the norm, I will be assessing this by looking at the views the sociologists theorists hold over this as well as their evidence. There are many different forms of families such as; nuclear family, extended families, reconstituted, same sex and single parent families. The diversity of families has increased over these following years, due to the changes in society and values.
Overpopulation or overcrowding occurred in various villages or communities because of the lack of housing and also of the lack of education; people kept having children and with this being a key factor to overpopulation. At early 20th century, people began migrating from rural areas to more urbanized settlements. This however
Increasing family diversity suggests that the nuclear family is no longer the norm. FUNCTIONALIST THEORIES ON THE FAMILY The Functionalist Perspective Society is a interrelated whole; every institution performs important functions. Family helps society run smoothly. George Peter Murdock (1949) Murdock identified four functions of the family: Sexual function - Family limits sexuality to monogamous relationships, preventing conflict that might arise from sexual desire. Reproductive function – Family ensures the next generation of society.