Motherhood in modern society and the impact on woman’s lives Part B - Where are we now? By Bernadette Gregory Images have the same licence as the project ( CC BY NC SA ) unless otherwise noted.CC BY NC SA

What is it like to be a woman in UK today?

Why the inequalities ? So what are the reasons why some achieve and others do not? How is it that a woman can become a prime minister, lead a political party, advise a US president, run a multi millionaire business BUT others face stoning for having an affair, honour killings, no education, female genital mutilation honour killingsfemale genital mutilation

Child care Most social policies have the implicit assumption that the role of women in the family is the most important and that woman have the major role in childcare (Welton, Dunn and Hammer, 2009). However, majority of childcare is informal and organised in families and other groups Also ‘Care in the Community’ (DH 1993) policies have led to women taking on more of the caring roles of elderly and disabled Some women are also in paid care roles (ONS, 2012). Many woman have all/ more than one of these roles

Why are women seen as the carers? Historical Social construction Patriarchy and social oppression Primary socialisation Secondary socialisation The role of the state Age Ethnicity Cultural norms (Welton, Dunn and Hammer, 2009).

Examples of the costs of childrearing in the UK Free antenatal care with no sanctions or expectations Maternity leave and pay Paternity leave and pay Universal child benefit Free nursery places especially for 3-4 year olds Free state education 4-16 years Extra curricular activities Leisure facilities Child tax credit Free prescriptions Free health care 0-18 years (dentists, opticians) Exemptions from council tax See

For the more vulnerable members of society Free school meals & milk & fruit Sure Start funding in specific areas Healthy start vouchers Help with transport to schools Inclusionary education policies and facilities Additional help with NHS support Child support agency started in 1991 Monies available to encourage fostering and adoptive families Legislation to help those who are intentionally or unintentionally single Legislation for those who wish to adopt an alternative lifestyle See

How does the state help with the costs of caring? Means tested benefits Income support Grants Loans Legal aid system Pensions Additional benefits for older people Housing benefits Prescription costs Exemption costs See The Department of Health and Carers UKThe Department of HealthCarers UK

Exercise What I am entitled to? Have a look for some information on maternity benefits For example: See Consider what the following women would be eligible to: -Woman in full time work, has had same job for five years -Woman in part time work, started job three months ago -16 year old teenager still a school -Asylum seeker arrived in UK recently.

How does this caring role affect the health of women? Different factors affect individual women in different ways at different times in their lives Physical Psychological Emotional Spiritual Cultural

What work are women doing ? The lack of adequate child care provision means that women are restricted to taking low paid, part time work and may be caught in the poverty trap (ONS, 2012) Despite equal opportunity legislation there is still evidence to demonstrate that woman are being discriminated against Are there still “glass ceilings” and do some women encounter greater employment difficulties due to age, culture or race? Why is this allowed to continue? See - The Equality Act (2010)The Equality Act (2010)

Some wider social issues also affect women’s health Teenage pregnancy rates Obesity Domestic violence Drug addiction management Poverty Social deprivation gradient Poor communities Disability awareness

References Department of Health (1993) Community Care Act ONS (2012) Office of National Statistics labour Market Welton, W. and Dunn, D and Hammer, E. (2009) Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21 st Century Ch.10 7th edition Belmont, Wadsworth.