Increase in the Number of Lone Parent Families in Contemporary Society
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5a) Outline and explain the reasons for an increase in the number of lone parent families in contemporary society (15)Consider the possible impact of the following: other trends (divorce), cultural attitdues/increased tllerance to lone parent families, legal changes, economic factors and changing gender roles – link to sexualityIntroductionA lone parent family is a household that contains one parent that looks after all the children. Can be mother or father. Used to be the mother but due to changing gender roles and increased tolerance it can be eitherThe increase could be because women have higher expectations of marriage and happiness and according to the New Right view marriages are too easy to leave and can be seen as casual.Male breadwinner isn’t needed, shift in nature of employment, husbands don’t necessarily need to provide Less stigma attached to single mothersChildren are more pressure on parents than they used to be – economic burdensPostmodernists – not one type of family anymore that is best for society, people are now less pressured to conform to the ideal family because people have choice (look into Cheal and Stacey)
BodyPoint 1Increase in divorce ratesDivorce was almost impossible before 1940 and difficult until 1970 – legal aid for ability of divorce was 1949150,000 marriages divorce each yearNew Right – Murray – divorce is too easy Point 2Womens rightsExpecting more from marriageLegal changes in the family, judges can give sole control to one parent – abusiveLewis – EU policies encouraged women with children into the workforce – don’t have to stay in relationships, provide for their own families, economic dependency, breadwinner themselvesMurray – links welfare and payment to unmarried women, illegititmate birthsPoint 3Changes in norms and valuesNumber of children born to unmarried mothers has risen due to sex outside marriage being more widely acceptedLess stigma with mothers who bring children up without fatherLink it secularisation – decline in religious influence, rise in own opinions