4.2.4
Child-Bearing
Changes in Child-Bearing
Changes in Child-Bearing
Over the past one-hundred years or so, families have been getting smaller.
Smaller families
Smaller families
- Over the past one-hundred years or so, families have been getting smaller due to:
- Women having fewer children.
- Delaying having children.
- Choosing to remain childless.
Reasons
Reasons
- These changes have been caused by a number of factors including:
- The changing role and independence of women.
- The rising costs of raising a family.
- The growing individualisation.
Female careers
Female careers
- Women now often place a greater priority on their career than they once did.
- This means that woman may delay having children until they have established themselves in the job market or may decide to concentrate on their career and forego have children entirely.
Cost
Cost
- The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimate that it now costs more then £200,000 to raise one child from birth until the age of 21, so many couples may decide that having children (or having more children) isn’t a financially sustainable option.
Individualisation
Individualisation
- More people are becoming reluctant to trade in their former life-choice options for the lifetime commitment involved in raising children.
The Rise in Births Outside Marriage
The Rise in Births Outside Marriage
The number of births outside marriage in England and Wales has risen significantly since the early 1970’s.
Birth rates
Birth rates
- The number of births outside marriage has risen significantly since the early 1970’s.
- Now nearly half of all births in England and Wales are outside marriage and civil partnerships.
Explanation
Explanation
- Reasons for this include:
- The reduction in social stigma.
- The changing position of women.
- Secularisation.
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
Jump to other topics
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered