Family policy for all South African families

Type Journal Article - International Social Work
Title Family policy for all South African families
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2016
URL http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0020872816655866?journalCode=iswb
Abstract
The ‘White Paper of Families in South Africa’ is critically analysed in this article. It is shown that although family diversity is acknowledged in the aforementioned document, certain implications of the document undermine such professed diversity, not all caretakers of children are acknowledged and supported, and financially vulnerable families are not strengthened. Instead, narrow ideals of family life are at times promoted, suggesting middle-class heterosexual values. It is argued here that the realities of family life should be accepted as such and family in different forms should be supported consistently, not subtly pushed to conform to restricted interpretations of what families should be like.

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