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Changes in the Family
Author(s) -
Halsey A.H.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
children and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0860
pISSN - 0951-0605
DOI - 10.1111/j.1099-0860.1993.tb00574.x
Subject(s) - individualism , fertility , civilization , welfare , welfare state , value (mathematics) , demographic economics , sociology , economic growth , demography , political science , economics , population , law , machine learning , politics , computer science
SUMMARY. Written during a period of rapid change, this paper analyses a number of factors which are combining to create a changing world for children. Demographic trends are leading to lower fertility, declining populations and increasing longevity; the norms of traditional family life are weakening with increases in marital breakdown, single parenthood and births outside marriage; and this is compounded by a deterioration in the support services of the welfare state. It is argued that parents cannot escape responsibility for their children, but as increasingly individualistic value systems give greater freedom to adults, it is suggested that these gains might be at the expense of the children. The paper concludes by looking at possibilities for change, so that the quality of childhood essential to civilisation may be restored.