Student’s Last Name 1

Student’s Name

Instructor’s Name

Course Title

Date

Sociology

Introduction

Policies, legislation, and social change have both positive and negative influences on

society. Due to their state as factors that are instituted by a section of society, they can be

effectively used to promote a positive impact among young people, parents, and families. As

western culture continuously influences cultures across the world, it is essential for countries to

merge indigenous and modern lifestyles with the hope of creating a better society. This can be

achieved by ensuring that systems that support social structures have a positive influence on

young people, parents, and families.

Policies, legislation, and social change that is aimed at the public have a positive and

significant effect on individuals and families at large. Aspects such as education, employment,

welfare benefits, and health services are all controlled through policies and legislation. Policies

and legislation are determined through political structures. Social change is defined as the

alteration of a society’s social order (Dunfey 1). This process takes place through changes made

within social institutions, social relations, and social behavior. As such, social change has an

extended effect on the life of an individual and family through their interaction with society. This
 Student’s Last Name 2

essay will analyze the role of policy, legislation, and social change in positively influencing

society.

Role of Policy

Policies are positional statements that provide a framework for development in any field.

They safeguard the rights of both the service providers and beneficiaries in the field to ensure

none of the parties is shortchanged. The history of social policy in England dates back to the

New Labour agenda between 1997 and 2010. The agenda of the New Labour was to focus on

service delivery to the local communities (Anning 127). The agenda was characterized by the

need to ensure social structures work in tandem to deliver competitive and integrated services to

the public, with specific interest on the welfare of children. The policies that established and

propelled the New Labour agenda were instituted by the Labour government, which was in

power at the time. The government-aligned the social institutions to adhere to their view of social

behavior. The institutions and programs that target children were built based on the Labour

government’s view of the role and position of children within the society.

Children and young people make up a large percent of the society in the U.K, and around

the world. This demographic is viewed as the future, and their upbringing should reflect the

intended structure for the future society. Besides, every child requires an environment that is safe

and caters to their needs. The policy push in the early years of the new millennium led to the

establishment of the Children Act of 2004 in the U.K. This Act was intended to provide a

framework for organizations working with children to provide the highest level of care to

children. The Act was improved in 2006 with the introduction of the Childcare Act. The

Childcare Act was expected to reduce child inequalities and poverty, and allow all children to

access the same quality of services. The Act covered aspects such as education and health that
 Student’s Last Name 3

are key developmental aspects for young children. Social services focused on parenting and

families in general. Workers in the social services area ensured each home provided children

with a conducive environment that supported their growth.

As from 2010 to 2015, a coalition government assumed power in England. The

established multi-professional working practice that had been developed by the New Labour

agenda was eroded over time. This was mostly due to the shift in focus on the new government.

Various institutions that dealt with the rights of children were abolished (Anning 133). The

coalition government did not set up new institutions in place of those that had been abolished. As

a result, they did not have a clear policy on their position concerning the welfare of children in

England. The coalition was focused on the tensions between the constituent parties. These

tensions prevented any formal agreement on policies on issues surrounding the welfare of

children. The policies made by the coalition were more rhetorical than real. As a result, they

were more difficult to analyze and implement. Ultimate, the coalition government came to power

with that aim of ensuring austerity (Anning 133). This led the government to truncate programs

that they considered unnecessary to the public, such as some child-centered programs.

Based on the above cases, the current obsession with ‘Brexit' is bound to deteriorate the

welfare of children in England further. Under the coalition government, the levels of inequality

rose sharply. More children have fallen into poverty are require protection and help (Digby 70).

This was due to the shifting focus of the government. The current government is facing the

uncertainty of the ‘Brexit’ move. As such, their focus on public policies is low as they seek to

create a post-Brexit era that will work for the country’s economic stability. However, children's

services such as the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) have stepped in to

ensure the voice of children is heard. Such non-profit welfare organizations are significant
 Student’s Last Name 4

players in the formulation of policies. These organizations have recognized the shifting policies

under different governments and have sought to take up the policymaking process to ensure

children, parents, and families benefit from outlined policies (ADCS 5).

The government of the day is responsible for formulation or supporting the formulation

of policies on various issues. These policies have a significant role in supporting the operation of

public programs and institutions. The institutions have an influence on the public by creating

environments that direct the public towards a specific behavior. The discussion presents the case

of policy under the Labour government in comparison to the policy under the coalition

government. It is evident that the child welfare policies established under the Labour government

have a positive impact on children and society at large. The policies under the coalition

government are not in the interest of the children. These policies hamper the welfare of the

children and limit their ability to utilize opportunities available to them. As such, the policies

harm the children and society at large.

Role of Legislation

The legislation refers to the rules and regulations or the laws that guide a geographical

entity. Legislation in England is mainly made by parliament, which is a political structure.

Politicians, as representatives of the people, make laws that are used to create an environment

that is expected to provide equality to members of society. In special cases, laws can also be

made by the judiciary. This is the case when an aspect that is before the judiciary lacks clear

guidelines based on the existing laws of the country. Legislation plays a large role in social

contracts. Unlike policies that provide guidance, legislation embodies legal and illegal, right and
 Student’s Last Name 5

wrong. It promotes specific behavior and deters other forms of behavior. A clear case in point is

the place of same-sex marriages in countries or societies around the world (Lester 27).

Legislation has been a key factor in deciding if a country accepts same-sex marriages or rejects

the same. Due to the direct control legislation has on society, it plays a vital role in influencing

social change.

One key function of legislation is to ensure equity within society. Equality is defined as a

state where every individual has access to the same opportunities regardless of the differences

between the individuals. A society that lacks prejudice and discrimination is defined as one that

possesses the quality of equity (Lester 7). However, equality seems to be more of an ideal aspect

as opposed to an achievable goal. In every area of society, discrimination of some sort is usually

evident. The trend is similar in courts of law that are intended to uphold the quality of equity. In

some cases, human nature prohibits society from attaining equity. In other cases, social structures

and the freedoms accorded to the structures prevent society from achieving equity.

Legislation has a significant role to play in achieving equality within society. Through

legislation, various aspects can be legalized while others are made illegal in a bid to influence

social behavior. The legislation provides the working mechanics of a system generated through

policy. The judiciary focuses its energy on the law and its constitutional mandate. As a result,

when a case is presented before the courts, the rulings are based on aspects of the law and focus

on human rights as enshrined in the last (Lester 8). Social and economic aspects of the legislation

are decided in parliament. The legislation from parliament seeks to ensure economic and social

disadvantages are dealt with effectively.

The family unit is a social entity that is guided by laws from various jurisdictions. The

first is the position of religion in ensuring the moral fabric of the family is intact. The second is
 Student’s Last Name 6

the parliament that supports the laws outlined by various religions and seeks to harmonize these

laws. The third entity is the judiciary that upholds the laws set by parliament and religion. It also

provides an avenue for redress in the event an individual feels disadvantaged. Over the years, the

family unit has been male-dominated. This is due to the laws that gave men in the family more

power over the women. These laws have been upheld by a large male majority in positions that

make legislation. However, the last few years have witnessed an active campaign for gender

equity in different aspects of society. More women have ascended into positions of power to

ensure legislation favors women as much as it does favor men. Issues such as voting rights for

women and equal pay have been key issues for gender equality (Lester 22). This depicts the

positive and negative influence legislation has on society. A male-dominated parliament is

skewed towards the dominance of men. This creates a negative influence. On the other hand, a

gender-balanced parliament ensures the legislation has a positive influence on society as they

uphold gender equality.

The judiciary deals with human rights legislation. This is a key factor in influencing the

behavior of society. The number of first-time youths in prison has decreased over the years

(Johns 3). The focus on youth offenders has shifted to repeat offenders. The courts are coming up

with legislation that uses specific parameters to support positive development and decrease the

number of repeat offenders. This is in recognition of the role of legislation in creating systems or

structures that will eventually lead to a positive influence on the repeat offenders. One such case

involves positive development through the use of relationships. This case calls for repeat

offenders to build personal relationships with an active youth development group (Johns 5). The

case proposes that the time and interaction between the offender and the development group will

ensure the offender has an environment and a roadmap that will lead them out of criminal
 Student’s Last Name 7

activities. The quality of the relationships an offender has is also critical in ensuring they are

influenced appropriately. This is an example of a legislative action taken by the judiciary to

positively influence the lives of young people who would, otherwise, be lost in criminal

activities. The legislation covers different aspects and is one of the most important elements in

influencing society due to its direct impact on social practices.

Role of Social Change

Social change refers to the behavioral alterations within society through different

generations. These changes are mostly generational, hence, lead to profound social

consequences. The youth sub-culture is an area of interest in Britain and around the world. A

study by King et al. (2018), revealed the existence of youth sub-cultures and the particular

subcultures in the 21st century. The study focused on youth from wealthy backgrounds who had

created a sub-culture for elite youth. Despite the effort put in by the British government through

policy and legislation to ensure university students have access to the same quality of education,

sub-cultures such as the elite in various universities have continued to maintain an exclusive

group (King 63). Comparisons were drawn to fans of a football club who went against the norm

to create an exclusive club that recognized their longtime status fans of the football club. Such

instances portray the inability of policy and legislation in ensuring positive social change. This is

true, especially in cases where the society itself controls an aspect.

Stereotypes are also sub-cultural groupings that are decided on based on the frequency of

an aspect within a group (NTU 26). Gender stereotypes have led to the propagation of gender

roles and the discrimination of females. Often, women are prevented from accessing similar
 Student’s Last Name 8

social opportunities as their male counterparts in similar positions. Besides, they are expected to

carry out the majority of societal tasks due to these stereotypes. These issues affect the state of

relationships within a family. Parents often propagate gender stereotypes towards their children

(Holmes 207). This binds the children in a cycle that carries on negative influence from one

generation to another.

The current century has witnessed a social change concerning stereotypes and

subcultures. Through years of legislation and policy, women have been able to ascend into

positions that allow them to shape the discourse of Britain. These women have been able to

tackle stereotypes and influence social change within the younger generation. Globalization has

also had a greater effect on social change as different cultures interact and give rise to a new

culture. The family models of the current century have changed due to an increase in the number

of single-parent homes. Each of these factors had has a different impact on society. It is

important to note that aspects that are examples of positive influence such as equality have been

achieved over the years through policy and legislation. As a result, long term policy and

legislation have a similar impact on social change. It is important for a society to invest in long

term legislation and policy that is positive, to promote positive social change.

Conclusion

Legislation, policy, and social change each have a role in the behavior of society. Each

of these aspects can influence society positively or negatively. As a result, it is essential for

sociologists and any professionals dealing with social sciences to understand the roles of these

aspects in influencing society. By understanding the various roles of these aspects, one can
 Student’s Last Name 9

appreciate the impact they have on a specific area of society. Furthermore, one can use these

aspects to influence positive change in society. Britain lacks a clear vision for young people in

the country. This is dangerous as the number of youth in the country remains high. It is important

for the country to adopt methods that can positively influence this demographic. Policies work

best in developing frameworks that can support agencies. The legislation works best in

developing the direct laws that enable the structures to be operational. Social change takes into

account years of policy and legislation to create non-verbal cues that societies follow without any

prompt from legislation or policy.

 Student’s Last Name 10

Works Cited

Association of Director of Children’s Services (ADCS). A Country That Works for All Children.

October 2017. (Web). Accessed on May 18, 2019.

Anning, A. and Frost, N. ‘Working in a multi-professional world,' in Frost, N. and Robinson, M.

(eds) Developing Multi-professional Teamwork for Integrated Children’s Services,

London, Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education. (2016).

Digby, A. and Fu, E. Impacts of homelessness on children – research with teachers, London,

Shelter / Kantar Public. (2017).

Dunfey, S. Theo. ‘What is Social Change and Why Should We Care?’ Southern New Hampshire

University. 2017. (Web). Accessed on May 18, 2019.

Holmes, M., Jamieson, L., and Koslowski, A. ‘Focus: The State of Families and Relationships’,

Discover Society. 2017. (Web). Accessed on May 18, 2019.

Johns, Diana F., Kate Williams, and Kevin Haines. "Ecological youth justice: Understanding the

social ecology of young people’s prolific offending." Youth justice 17.1 (2017): 3-21.

King, Anthony, and Daniel Smith. "The Jack Wills crowd: towards a sociology of an elite

subculture." The British journal of Sociology 69.1 (2018): 44-66.

Lester, A. ‘Equality’, in Lester, A. Five Ideas to Fight for: How Our Freedom is Under Threat

and Why it Matters, London, Oneworld. ( 2016)

National Union of Teachers. Stereotypes stop you doing stuff, London, Ruskin Press. (2013)