4.4.2
Childhood in the UK
Childhood in Contemporary Britain
Childhood in Contemporary Britain
Childhood in Britain is a distinctive privileged phase of life. Contemporary society has become ‘child-centred’ for a number of reasons.
Child protections
Child protections
- Childhood in Britain is a distinctive privileged phase of life.
- Children are protected by laws to prevent exploitation at work and from being abused by adults, including parents.
- Children get cheaper travel on public transport and have special food, toys and leisure activities.
Reasons
Reasons
- Contemporary society has become ‘child-centred’ for a number of reasons:
- Smaller families means that parents can devote for time, care and attention to each child.
- Shorter working hours have led to parents being able to spend more time with their children.
Child rights
Child rights
- Higher standards of living mean that parents can spend more money on their children.
- The welfare state provides a number of benefits to support parents (e.g. child benefit).
- Child rights and protective laws have increased demands on parents to care for their children properly.
Education
Education
- Specialist child healthcare and theories of child development emphasise the role of specialist nurturing, supervision and protection of children to encourage healthy development.
- Compulsory education has led to better educated children and more time spent in further and higher education, resulting in children becoming dependent for longer and the extension of childhood.
Supervision
Supervision
- Largely unjustified parental fears, such as stranger danger, and growing traffic hazards mean that children are now more closely supervised than they were in the past.
Consumerism
Consumerism
- Children have become consumers and the targets of advertising that uses ‘pester power’ to encourage children to nag parents into buying products.
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