Changing Family Structure in Modern Society

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This essay will identify how modern day society is changing with regards to family structure in particular marriage, cohabitation, step families and lone parenting explaining how this may or may not impact on parenting practices in turn influencing the outcome of children and the formation of their identities. It will also discuss the Governments role in aiding families and protecting children with regard to current policies and procedures. Also the current perception of childhood and the increasing role media play in portraying child delinquency. Almost every minute of every hour of every day of the year, a baby is born in Britain (Thomas, B and Dorling, D 2007). For young children the initial awareness of behaviour and morals are learned from the home they are born into, children watch, learn and can imitate the conduct of others. Adult’s perceptions of good behaviour will be heavily influenced by their own cultural, religious, social and moral beliefs (Dowling 2005). However the main role of any parent is to contribute to the social development of their child this is supported through teaching social rules and expectations for behaviour. (McCartney & Phillips 2008) Modernity is related to the rise of capitalism, a society that encourages change and diversity. (Haralambos et al 2004) The 1960’s and 1970’s was a turning point throughout Western Europe and the perception of societal standards altered, attitudes towards family structures with regards to childbearing, marriage cohabitation and divorce changed.(Hunt 2009) Within today’s society there are many variations of family units, there are lone parents, blended families, mixed race families, unmarried co-habiting parents, married parents and same sex parents. Many diff... ... middle of paper ... ...://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/PO/releases/2004/june/stepfamilies Haralambos, M Holborn,M Heald,R.(2004) Haralambos and Holborn: Sociology Themes and Perspectives Hunt, S A. (2009) Family Trends: British Families since the 1950’s, Suffolk: The Lavenham Press Ltd Hill, M Tisdall, K.(1997) Children and Society, Essex: Addison Wesley Longman Ltd Lee, N. (2001) Childhood and Society: Growing up in an Age of Uncertainty, Buckingham: Open University Press McCartney, K. Phillips, D (2008) Early Childhood Development, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Stones, C. (1994) Focus on Families: Family Centres in Action, Hampshire: The MacMillan Press Thomas ,B Dorling,D (2007) Identity in Britain: A Cradle to Grave Atlas, Bristol: The Policy Press Wyness ,M. (2006) Childhood and Society: An Introduction to the sociology of Childhood, Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan

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