The effect of government laws and social policies on family life.

Following this the abortion act was legalised in 1967 under the labour government. This meant that even if women did become pregnant they to some extent still had the choice of whether they actually had the child. This had basically the same affects on the family as the contraceptive pill becoming available did because it gave women a choice which gave them more power both in society and the family.

Also in 1967 homosexuality was decriminalised this meant that family life would have a big change as the whole structure of it would have to change because the 'ideal family' the nuclear family couldn't be reached. This also meant the roles in the household would change which undermines the idea of the nuclear family where the dad is the household wage earner and the mother stays at home brings up the children and looks after the house.

In 1969 still under the labour government the divorce act was created. This made it much easier to get a divorce as the grounds were much more lenient to apply for one. This meant that the structure of the family was changed and a new structure was to become more common, the lone-parent family. This again undermined the nuclear family which made it harder for lone mothers who still had to look after their children harder as they had all of the domestic work to do as well as go out and find a job so bring money home.

In 1970 the conservative government put in to place he equal pay act this was a very important and big change in the family life and households. Having equal pay meant that the roles in the household could change and women didn't rely on the men to earn the money they could go out and work to. It also meant that women who did want a career could go out and get their selves a job and could survive on their own and could worry about having a family later. This affected family life as in the nuclear family because women had more freedom but it supported the divorce act as it made it easier for mothers who were lone parents.

The conservative government then made the child support act in 1991. This act gave children a voice and rights, it made sure that they were treated and protected properly. It made people consider and think about what was best for the child. In most cases this act was put into place in a divorce as it made sure the children were the main priority. This didn't have that much of a change on the family but a change on how children were valued in the household.

In 2000 the labour government ended the married couple's tax allowance. This had an effect on not so much the family but on marriage as it stopped encouraging people to get married. This also meant that because the allowance was given to the men when it ended it made the marriage more equal.

All of these policies and acts made by each government changed families to how they are today, each of the acts have made a difference which is good but they all undermine something whether it is roles in the family, the structure of families or the power throughout the family. For example the feminist theory agrees with the equal pay act as they want men and women to have equal opportunities. However the new right would disagree with this as they would say that having a nuclear family and that meant the woman's main role was to raise the children and look after the house.