Policy Press
Eleven Family policy: the Mods and Rockers
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Abstract
This chapter examines Mod (a ‘modernising’ and investment agenda for change) and Rocker (seeking to conserve established doctrines) approaches to coalition family policy. It argues that Mod and Rocker tensions and alliances can be demonstrated in the socially liberal opening up and moral universalisation of marriage, and the economically liberal and morally categorical dividing off particular sorts of families as in need of targeted early or turn-around intervention to turn them into responsible worker-citizens. It explores the government’s division of ‘hard-working families’, and ‘shirker and scrounger families of Broken Britain’ through considerations of the treatment of marriage and stability in and for families and two key forms of social investment in families (early intervention and interventions to turn around dysfunctional families).
Abstract
This chapter examines Mod (a ‘modernising’ and investment agenda for change) and Rocker (seeking to conserve established doctrines) approaches to coalition family policy. It argues that Mod and Rocker tensions and alliances can be demonstrated in the socially liberal opening up and moral universalisation of marriage, and the economically liberal and morally categorical dividing off particular sorts of families as in need of targeted early or turn-around intervention to turn them into responsible worker-citizens. It explores the government’s division of ‘hard-working families’, and ‘shirker and scrounger families of Broken Britain’ through considerations of the treatment of marriage and stability in and for families and two key forms of social investment in families (early intervention and interventions to turn around dysfunctional families).
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- The transformation of the welfare state? The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government and social policy 1
- The coalition government, public spending and social policy 27
- The changing governance of social policy 53
- The coalition, social policy and public opinion 79
- Health policy and the coalition government 99
- The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: a reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present and yet to come 127
- Coalition housing policy in England 153
- Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners 179
- Welfare and active labour market policies in the UK: the coalition government approach 201
- ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’: adult social care under the coalition 221
- Family policy: the Mods and Rockers 243
- One step forward, two steps back: children, young people and the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition 265
- The coalition and criminal justice 285
- Equalities: the impact of welfare reform and austerity by gender, disability and age 309
- Social policy, the devolved administrations and the UK coalition government 325
- Conclusions 247
- Index 371
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- The transformation of the welfare state? The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government and social policy 1
- The coalition government, public spending and social policy 27
- The changing governance of social policy 53
- The coalition, social policy and public opinion 79
- Health policy and the coalition government 99
- The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: a reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present and yet to come 127
- Coalition housing policy in England 153
- Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners 179
- Welfare and active labour market policies in the UK: the coalition government approach 201
- ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’: adult social care under the coalition 221
- Family policy: the Mods and Rockers 243
- One step forward, two steps back: children, young people and the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition 265
- The coalition and criminal justice 285
- Equalities: the impact of welfare reform and austerity by gender, disability and age 309
- Social policy, the devolved administrations and the UK coalition government 325
- Conclusions 247
- Index 371
