Welfare and social policy - family study

The first 200 words of this essay...

WELFARE AND

SOCIAL POLICY

-FAMILY

HEALTH & CARE

Word count 1,669

JANUARY 2008

MAXINE JACKSON

What is family?

* A social unit living together

* People descended from a common ancestor

* Primary social group, parents and children

* Caring community

What does a family consist of? Mum, Dad and 2.4 children? Maybe one parent, Mum or Dad. Perhaps two Mums or two Dads. What about Grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.

The family is changing. The typical family headed by two parents has undergone substantial changes during the last century. There has been a rise in the number of single-person households. Fifty years ago this would have been socially unacceptable in Britain.

In the past, people got married and remained married. Divorce was difficult, expensive and took a long time. Today, people's views on marriage are changing. Many couples live together without getting married. Only around 60% eventually get married.

In the past, people married before they had children, now around 40% of children in Britain are born to unmarried parents. Before 1960 this was very unusual.

People are generally getting