Social Studies Elective area The Home Economics Dept

Syllabus Guidelines 1.Social change and the family 2.Education 3.Work 4.Leisure 5.Unemployment 6.Poverty 7.Statutory and community responses to creating employment and eliminating poverty

Social change and the family The impact of social and economic change on family life to include: 1.The change in settlement patterns from rural to urban, 2.Reduction in working hours and 3.Improvements in the provision of education and social welfare, 4.Changing attitudes to marriage, 5.Unemployment, 6.Improved pay and conditions of work, 7.Increased participation of women in the work force, 8.Legislation on equal pay and employment opportunities, 9.Parenting and traditional roles within the family.

1. The change in settlement patterns from rural to urban Farming is becoming less labour intensive so therefore there are fewer jobs in the agricultural industry. Many services e.g. banking, post offices etc are in limited supply in rural areas due to large numbers of young people leaving. Change in employment areas draws workers to urban setting Increase in numbers attending third level in urban settings Improvement of transport systems making commuting feasible Rural areas have a large elderly population, falling birth and marriage rates and poor infrastructure.

2. Reduction in working hours EU legislation governs the number of hours a person works in a week. These working hours provide a basic wage. Any overtime or shift work will result in financial gain. There are different work patterns offered by employers today-flexitime,shift work,part-time work, job share etc allow people to enjoy more leisure time with family and friends. The restrictions on underage workers prevent the exploitation of young people in the workplace. Families now have more quality time together and due to better pay have more disposable income which allows them to spend more money.

3. Improvements in the provision of education and social welfare Social welfare payments: Increased payments in social welfare have reduced the number of people living in poverty. The payment of child benefit, family income supplement etc assist families in their day to day living expenses.

Education: Education is available to everyone aged 4-18 yrs of age. Education system free apart from books, uniforms etc. Government pays large sums of money for school buildings, sport facilities etc. Wide variety courses available in third level colleges and universities. Secondary level education consists of Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations. Introduction of new programmes LCVP and LCA intended to encourage students to remain in second level education.

4. Changing attitudes to marriage People are cohabiting first and then marrying later in life. The church’s influence on society is diminishing. Divorce and separation rates are increasing as people are no longer expected or prepared to remain in unhappy or abusive marriages. Marital breakdown is socially accepted. A decrease in birth rates has led to smaller families. Blended families are becoming more commonplace.

5. Unemployment The level of unemployment varies depending on the state of the economy. Economic growth in Ireland over the last 10 years has been consistent and has led to a significant reduction in unemployment levels. More affluent areas tend to have low employment rates whereas areas with lower socio-economic groups have a much higher percentage of unemployment. There has been a huge increase in the number of foreign workers in Ireland. Rural areas also tend to lack financial investment and can be areas of high unemployment.

6. Improved pay and conditions of work. Workers have shorter working hours & better hourly rates. People have more disposable income and a higher standard of living. Due to better pay and conditions people are happier at work which can transfer to home life. Trade unions protect the rights of workers ensuring minimum wage and proper working conditions e.g. ICTU, SIPTU. The following legislation protects the rights of workers: 1.Health and Safety at Work Act Employment Equality Act The Protection of Young Persons Act 1996.

7. Increased participation of women in the work force Better educational qualifications have lead to better paid jobs. It is socially acceptable for women to work outside the family home. Women are having fewer children and have them later on in life. Generally there is equality of pay for the same job. There is more financial security for women, especially as lone parents.

8. Legislation on equal pay and employment opportunities The employment Equality Act 2004 prohibits discrimination because of gender, martial status, family status, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or membership of the travelling community. However, pay for women is still lower in certain areas of employment.

9. Parenting and traditional roles within the family Traditional roles changing due to the increased number of women working outside the home. Egalitarian roles, where both partners are responsible for decisions in the home regarding finances, discipline etc are more common. Women are financially independent and better educated than before. It is socially acceptable for men to remain at home and look after the children in the house. Maternity and Paternity leave is available to parents. Both parents are entitled to unpaid parental leave.

Activities Interview: with a elderly relative to compare their social/family experiences with your experiences Case study: comparing family life 100 years ago with modern family life: re: roles of family members, leisure time, who attended school, what this involved, number of children, patterns of employment/unemployment etc.