Download Social Trends 2012

Social Trends 2012
Topics
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Expansion in early years education
Ageing population and home carer abuse
Divorce rate increase
Unemployment and benefits
High fertility rates and age patterns
Expansion in early years
education
• More children under 5 are now enrolled in some form of
education in various settings such as nursery schools.
• 21% in 1970/71 to 63% in 2008/09
- What are the reasons for this?
- What are the possible effects of this on child/society?
Reasons
• Growth in number of early years places – 723 in 1970/71 to
3209 in 2008/09
• More women in work or with careers so more nursery places
needed
• Improved standards in early years education in recent years
• More free nursery places for disadvantaged families – up to 15
hours per week
• Government initiatives – Early Years Strategy
Impact of this on children
Class debate
One half of the group will research the advantages of nursery
and the other half will research the suggested disadvantages.
We will then hold a debate on this.
Impact on society
• More people able to work due to more access to free
childcare – employment levels may increase
• Better educated children of the future
• More money going into economy – costs of childcare
Ageing population & home
carer abuse
• Read and highlight key points from the following articles
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/8908425/Vulne
rable-elderly-abused-by-their-home-carers-says-inquiry.html
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/elder_abuse_physical_emoti
onal_sexual_neglect.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/20/home-careelderly-human-rights
http://www.theweek.co.uk/welfare/42972/elderly-abusedhome-care-because-ingrained-ageism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15836500
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-andfamilies/health-news/scandal-of-elderly-facing-abuse-andneglect-in-own-homes-6266363.html
Why is there an ageing
population?
• Rising longevity – people are living longer thanks to
improvements in health, diet and preventative health care.
During the 20th century the average life expectancy in Britain
increased by 30 years.
• Lower/declining birth rates – over the last 40 years women
have been having fewer children, however in the last decade
birth rates have risen slightly. Women in UK are currently
having 1.9 children, the highest figure since 1973, but far
lower than 2.93 in 1964.
Effects of ageing population
• A main concern is that with the retirement of the baby boomers, the number of
people of a working, taxable age will shrink or become stagnant. This could
result in gaps in the jobs market, with businesses and public services lacking the
workforce required.
• With the elderly being the fastest growing age group in Britain, increasing
pressure is being put on healthcare and social services. A report in 2005 said a
key aim of government policy should be to encourage people to remain active,
engage in regular exercise and refrain from behaviours that could have a
detrimental effect on their health.
• In a speech on NHS reforms in January 2008, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown
discussed a change of emphasis to prevention rather than cure, and the need to
ensure the NHS benefits from new and innovative technologies.
• Ageing population ‘to strain NHS’ - BBC News
• Personal savings is another potential dilemma; societies must save to be able to
allocate funds for investment for the future, in such things as factories, offices,
transportation, schools, energy and hospitals.
• If older people don’t save or run down their savings while a smaller working age
population does not save enough to compensate for the shortfall, then a
shortage of savings could seriously affect economic performance
Divorce rate increase
• Pressure - being put on family life by an increasingly "individualistic
way of living".
• Changes in the law - several laws have been passed to make divorce
easier to obtain.
• Ease of divorce - the stigma of divorce is greatly reduced in society
today, so people no longer feel ashamed to be divorced. Sociologists
point to a decline in the influence of religion as another factor.
• Change in attitudes - some sociologists argue that marriage is highly
valued in society, partly due to the image the media present of
marriage as based on romance and happiness. People now demand
more from marriage and if it does not live up to the ideal they hold
then they will get divorced and try again - this explains the growing
number of remarriages.
• The changing role of women - approx. 70% of divorces are initiated
by women. Women today are more likely to be independent - with a
good education, fewer children and a job. If they are unhappy in a
marriage it is easier for them to leave and start again.
Consequences of divorce
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More single parent families
More one person households
More remarriages
May be more poverty if the person who has the children gets
no financial support from their ex partner.
• Children may lack a male role model (as most often the female
gets custody of the children) and therefore not be socialised
properly which according to the New Right may lead them to
do badly in education.
• Feminists might say that divorce is a positive thing for women
and children as only men benefit from family life. They believe
that female single parent families are better than nuclear
families for women.
Unemployment and benefits
• Research the following:
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Income support
- New Deal
Employment rates
• What impact do you think the benefits
system has on levels of employment?
• Why do you think employment levels are
beginning to increase again?
Consequences of
unemployment
• Social unrest – as people become detached from the labour
market, and disillusioned by government, there is more likely
to be riots etc.
• Recession – more people on unemployment benefits and less
contributing to the economy could lead to further economic
problems
• Increased crime rates – people out of work may become
bored and commit more crime or commit crimes for financial
gain etc.
Consequences of employment
Age & Fertility Rates
More older women having babies because:
• Women in less of a rush to have children/get married due to
more equality in the labour market and putting careers first.
• Fertility treatments have made it easier for older women to
ensure that they have more chance of getting pregnant.
• More divorces and remarriages mean women may not be
rushing in to having children as quickly.
• Less financial pressure as get older – cost of a child may put
younger adults off.
What is the impact of this?
• More young women within the labour force
• Less ‘glass ceiling’ as women pursuing careers and postponing
children