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The sins of the parents: Conceptualising adult-oriented reforms to family policy

Author

Listed:
  • Ruth Patrick
  • Aaron Reeves
  • Kitty Stewart

Abstract

A core element of a welfare state is the support that is provided to families with children, in recognition of the additional needs that dependent children create. Variation in the design, generosity and implementation of this provision is significant, reflecting underpinning perspectives towards children, families, and the state's role in supporting them. Recent work by Mary Daly developed a new typology of social policy towards children, differentiating between 'childhood-oriented', 'child-oriented' and 'family-oriented' policies. In this paper, we explore how far this typology enables us to classify recent significant changes to social security support for children within the UK, in particular the 2013 benefit cap and the 2017 two-child limit. We propose that an extension to Daly's typology is needed to make sense of these changes. We develop a new category of 'adult-behaviour-orientated' child-contingent policy, encapsulating policies that are directed towards children but made conditional on the behaviour of the adults in their household. We go on to analyse support for children across Europe through the lens of this extended framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruth Patrick & Aaron Reeves & Kitty Stewart, 2023. "The sins of the parents: Conceptualising adult-oriented reforms to family policy," CASE Papers /228, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:sticas:/228
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    File URL: https://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/cp/casepaper228.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mary Reader & Jonathan Portes & Ruth Patrick, 2025. "Does Cutting Child Benefits Reduce Fertility in Larger Families? Evidence from the UK’s Two-Child Limit," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 44(2), pages 1-26, April.
    2. Hamish Low & Costas Meghir & Luigi Pistaferri & Alessandra Voena, 2018. "Marriage, Labor Supply and the Dynamics of the Social Safety Net," NBER Working Papers 24356, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Gerry Redmond, 2000. "Children in Large Families: Disadvantaged or Just Different?," LIS Working papers 225, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    4. Reeves, Aaron & Fransham, Mark & Stewart, Kitty & Patrick, Ruth, 2022. "Does capping social security harm health? A natural experiment in the UK," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 111825, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. repec:cep:sticas:/176 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Kitty Stewart, 2013. "Labour's Record on the Under Fives: Policy, Spending and Outcomes 1997 - 2010," CASE - Social Policy in a Cold Climate Working Paper 04, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    7. Koch, Insa & Reeves, Aaron, 2021. "From social security to state-sanctioned insecurity: how welfare reform mimics the commodification of labour through greater state intervention," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 107017, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Norbert Schady & Ariel Fiszbein & Francisco H.G. Ferreira & Niall Keleher & Margaret Grosh & Pedro Olinto & Emmanuel Skoufias, 2009. "Conditional Cash Transfers : Reducing Present and Future Poverty," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2597, April.
    9. Sheliza Ladhani & Kathleen C. Sitter, 2020. "Conditional cash transfers: A critical review," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 38(1), pages 28-41, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mari, Gabriele, 2023. "Less for more? Cuts to child benefits, family adjustments, and long-run child outcomes in larger families," SocArXiv e3n82, Center for Open Science.

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    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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