A policy is defined as an intention to adopt particular courses of action and can be an “anti-sexist” policy, a “no smoking” policy, an “anti-racist” policy and so forth. Family policy is essential as it looks at the family as the basic social institution. Hence the society is dependent on families when it comes to performing certain essential tasks throughout their life cycle. Social policies are created and adopted by distinctive political parties with a design to affect people’s life quality thus, is based on some underlying ideological principles. As such, they are state agencies actions and plans like social services and health, the school and welfare benefits system among other bodies.
Question: How does policy influence family life?
Families are known to provide individual members with basic personal and social identity. The basic needs for food, shelter, and clothing are things provided by families through their economic support, which is geared towards meeting the member’s needs. The next generation is reared and nurtured by families who are going to form productive members of the society. Disabled people, vulnerable societal members from all ages are provided with protective care through the help of families. These social responsibilities are performed well with the assistance of both private and public institutions like health care systems, schools, and agencies. The performance of these responsibilities results in them working together and acquiring value.
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In most cases, social policies are seen to affect families in one way or another such as those laws governing marriage and divorce are directly aimed at families. Others include child protection policies, contraception of abortion policies, adoptions policies and so on (Furstenberg, 2007). This is not to say that policies are specifically aimed at families, but in one way or another, they will have an effect on families. The policies in question include those on education, children, crime, housing, and education. There are also other policies that impact upon families by making legislative changes on an individual’s benefits and taxation like child tax credits ( Xia, Do & Xie, 2013 ).
In the United States, there are certain policies prescribing matters such as who becomes financially responsible for caring for children, who one can marry, and the permissible reproductive control methods in place. Family-related behavior is also rewarded through the use of less coercive policies. Welfare programs and tax laws are used in recognizing costs and needs of people living in certain family configurations thus, validating their acceptability. Engaging in socially desirable behavior has been made possible through the use of school programs and public health. Policies need to be strong and can be strengthened by opposing policies like those of family working class. The family stability indicators are able to fare better with stipulated progressive policy agendas ( Xia, Do & Xie, 2013 ).
For example, the AIDS epidemic began when many U.S. policies pertaining to families and other intimate relationships were in transition period. This resulted in AIDS raising difficult, inconvenience pertaining to family policy questions. Support programs were put in place and thus, governments and state responded to them differently as he groups aimed at eroticizing safer sexual practices among gays. Women have been mostly associated with the contracting of AIDS and hence, the advice garnered regarding sound decision-making procedures about birth control and abortion has really helped (Hass & Wisensale, 2006). Such empowerment has helped many women in making informed decisions that positively affects the lives of their children. It is in such instances that social policies are seen to be beneficial because they educate women on their health. The help accorded to these women has been channeled through welfare programs that have provided them with little financial support. Placement of children into appropriate homes has also been left to the parents, which allows these parents to be in terms with their decision and appreciate the time spent together. This shows the positive attributes of social policies with regard to family life.
Single parent family structures have become successful despite of the harsh economic times faced in the country due to governments striking a balance between supports given by the State for the family. In a way, some governments are seen to encourage this type of arrangement and policies formulated aim at achieving independence measures. For instance, the taxation system has helped single-parents into paid employment. This adds value to family relationships as it will mean that family life affects policies.
It is through taxation that marriage is encouraged and policy is seen to lay emphasis on the discouragement of other possible forms of family life. For example, homosexual marriages are not sanctioned through the law. The Marriage Act 2013 does not seem to be in support of black families during the Civil War remaining intact. As such, social policies came into play even during slavery and this influenced the form and functioning of families. In today’s society, members of the black community experience high divorce rates and this attributed to their murky origins as their marriage expectations became undermined. The evidence of such policies in the life of black families has shown that it affects family life negatively as it eventually leads to death and the dissolution of marriage (Furstenberg, 2007).
Such chronic instability saw the disruption of family life as children faced precarious conditions due to their conjugal fragility. Most of the time black children spent part of their childhood in families that were headed by females. In black families, policy has simplistic assumptions understanding given traditions and cultures. about parenting. Children re protected against abuse by Social policies have seen the implementation of labor force that have since seen women enter into the global arena. Women play an important part in the economy of their households and this has impacted family life positively as they are able to work together with their husbands (Furstenberg, 2007). Thereby, resulting in growth and this translates down to having a fast-paced growing economy. This means that women have helped in feeding and taking care of their families with the onset of such public policies.
Question: How does family life influence policy?
Family life shows the need for government officials to implement certain policies as it will help them in attaining their end goal as individuals bring value to the society and individual. A correlation exists between family life and the formation of social policies because they interplay and form a strong bond that has resulted in positive outcomes. For example, progressive policies are seen to improve on the financial security of families and make them stronger. The social policies that gave room for women to engage in efforts of nation building have seen them increase on their minimum wage. By so doing, they have provided families with solid foundations that have created and maintained strong and healthy family relationships.
Access to affordable health care plans is an effort of the State where it commits itself in ensuring family relationships foundation are created and maintained. Family members lacking health insurance has resulted in financial burden, family instability, poor health outcomes, and elevated spirit levels. Expansion of Medicare is guaranteed for low-income adults. Single family parents are relationships that foster growth channels of naming the father of their new born. The information provided can be used in pursuing the where about of their father. This is a positive ground as it enables such structural family structures to be eliminated.
In the past several decades, many women have flourished in their careers and this has resorted in the creation of unbreakable bonds between family members. Therefore, social policies affect family life positively as the needs of women in society are also put into consideration. The minimum wage for workers in America has since grown meaning and this policy has seen their financial resources are also increased (Haas & Wisensale, 2006).
Family life is also seen to influence policy by strengthening it in the society especially for those family experiences that are positively built on policies. It is vital for family life to be integrated into policies because this will help in creating a positive environment for members of a given family. The environment needs to be conducive for learning and thus, strong family ties results in bonds that are hard to kill. Ultimately, this serves as the backbone of the family as it ensures that future dreams in society are coherent with the intended goal.
A balanced family life results in the successful implementation of policies since they are aware of policy importance in promoting the well-being of their family members. It is vital for families to consider learning more about those policies affecting their lives positively and negative. The reason is that policies come in different forms and those affecting family relationships need to be adhered to promptly. There are also crime polices that cover the health and needs of their family in maintaining relationships that positively affect their future outcomes.
The Child Benefit Acts of 1975 and the current basis of significant changes will come a long way in fostering universal payment for each child care. Family-centered policy is geared towards supporting and supplementing the functioning of the family. During earlier stages, families are given prevention and support services available at earlier stages in need or problem development. Policies need to be implemented earlier to reduce the chances of massive intervention due to the problem rising to greater heights of the chronic situation.
Conclusion
Policies are seen to affect family life and the vice versa applies of family life affecting policies. Arguments raised are often geared towards giving support to families by giving them stability and strength. Progressive policy agendas have been mentioned above and show how relevant they are in affecting policy implementation. The resultant effect of such policies is the reduction of infant mortality rates as women are empowered to learn more about their reproductive health.
References
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NJ: Transaction Publishers.
Haas, L., & Wisensale, S. K. (Eds) (2006). Families and social policy: National and
international perspectives . New York, NY: Routledge.
Xia, Y. R., Do, K. A., & Xie, X. (2013). The adjustment of Asian American families to the
US context: The ecology of strengths and stress. In Handbook of marriage and
the family (pp. 705-722). Springer, Boston, MA.
