Routledge Library Editions: Family – serie

This 19-volume set has titles originally published between 1960 and 1993. Broadly sociological the collection covers a variety of family issues including: child abuse and family violence; housing and community; mental health; parenthood in its various guises; the impact of ageing; the relationship with school and social services; and the family in Europe and Asia.

Originally published in 1987, now with a new preface, the focus of this book is the distribution of material resources, notably money, work, care and food, within and between households. Hitherto, social policy research had tended to roll households and families into one and consider them as ‘private’ spheres which only connected with society via the male head of household – the ‘breadwinner’. Examination of resource distribution had stopped short at the door of the household.The contributors to Give and Take in Families open up the ‘Black Box’ of the family and explore the assumption that resources are equitably distributed between household members. A dominant concern is with gender relations. Each study attempts to make women – as resources in caring for other people, as providers of income, as transformers of income into goods and services – visible in the household unit. Findings from nine empirical studies are presented, examining resource distribution in relation to the composition of households, and the life cycles and life experiences of household members. A wide variety of household types is considered, and attention is given to households undergoing changes (such as divorce and unemployment) that are likely to have major implications for household structure and resources.The implications of these innovative and thought-provoking studies for social policy are considerable, with relevance to the fields of inequality and income support, the provision of care for children and the elderly, the labour market and divorce law. This book will still appeal to practising researchers and students in the social sciences, particularly women’s studies.

Originally published in 1987, now with a new preface, the focus of this book is the distribution of material resources, notably money, work, care and food, within and between households. Hitherto, social policy research had tended to roll households and families into one and consider them as ‘private’ spheres which only connected with society via the male head of household – the ‘breadwinner’. Examination of resource distribution had stopped short at the door of the household.The contributors to Give and Take in Families open up the ‘Black Box’ of the family and explore the assumption that resources are equitably distributed between household members. A dominant concern is with gender relations. Each study attempts to make women – as resources in caring for other people, as providers of income, as transformers of income into goods and services – visible in the household unit. Findings from nine empirical studies are presented, examining resource distribution in relation to the composition of households, and the life cycles and life experiences of household members. A wide variety of household types is considered, and attention is given to households undergoing changes (such as divorce and unemployment) that are likely to have major implications for household structure and resources.The implications of these innovative and thought-provoking studies for social policy are considerable, with relevance to the fields of inequality and income support, the provision of care for children and the elderly, the labour market and divorce law. This book will still appeal to practising researchers and students in the social sciences, particularly women’s studies.

Originally published in 1980 when about a third of all British children found to be in need of statutory care were living at home ‘on trial’ with parents or relatives. Still under-researched today, little had yet been written about these children, so this book, based on a detailed study of a sample of such children and their families, was welcomed by all who worked in the field of child care. It is especially concerned with the arguments about the ‘least detrimental alternative’ for children at risk. After a summary of the debate about how best to help such children and a survey of the relevant research, tape-recorded comments of parents and social workers are used to describe emotional, health and environmental problems of the families and the help offered at various stages. Comments and discussions are included about the legal and administrative procedures; the social workers’ use of authority, and the parents’ reactions to it; the process of decision making; and the problem of child placement. The book concludes with the author’s suggestions about how the service to such families could be improved.

Originally published in 1980 when about a third of all British children found to be in need of statutory care were living at home ‘on trial’ with parents or relatives. Still under-researched today, little had yet been written about these children, so this book, based on a detailed study of a sample of such children and their families, was welcomed by all who worked in the field of child care. It is especially concerned with the arguments about the ‘least detrimental alternative’ for children at risk. After a summary of the debate about how best to help such children and a survey of the relevant research, tape-recorded comments of parents and social workers are used to describe emotional, health and environmental problems of the families and the help offered at various stages. Comments and discussions are included about the legal and administrative procedures; the social workers’ use of authority, and the parents’ reactions to it; the process of decision making; and the problem of child placement. The book concludes with the author’s suggestions about how the service to such families could be improved.

Originally published in 1986, this title was a landmark study of ageing in Australia and a major contribution to the study of gerontology at the time. It highlights major themes on ageing in ‘western’ industrialised societies, as well as pinpointing new, emerging themes. For instance, the initial speculations in the 1960s that informal groups such as the family, neighbours, and friends play crucial helping roles for older people. The book also presents data and summarises past studies that show the common characteristics of those delivering and receiving services, such as the special role of women; and within that gender related services, the special importance of children and spouses, the importance of close proximity when people are chronically disabled, the fact that most retired people manage their own lives without help and in fact provide services to their children, and much more, is dealt with. It also looks at how such informal support works alongside the formal agencies, such as nursing homes. The systematic study of how informal and formal systems link together was one of the gaps in gerontological research at the time.

Originally published in 1986, this title was a landmark study of ageing in Australia and a major contribution to the study of gerontology at the time. It highlights major themes on ageing in ‘western’ industrialised societies, as well as pinpointing new, emerging themes. For instance, the initial speculations in the 1960s that informal groups such as the family, neighbours, and friends play crucial helping roles for older people. The book also presents data and summarises past studies that show the common characteristics of those delivering and receiving services, such as the special role of women; and within that gender related services, the special importance of children and spouses, the importance of close proximity when people are chronically disabled, the fact that most retired people manage their own lives without help and in fact provide services to their children, and much more, is dealt with. It also looks at how such informal support works alongside the formal agencies, such as nursing homes. The systematic study of how informal and formal systems link together was one of the gaps in gerontological research at the time.

In the early 1970s ‘baby battering’ accounted for an estimated 700 child deaths a year in Britain, while a further 4-5,000 children were seriously injured – all this in spite of the knowledge gained from the research done both in Britain and in the United States. How could such tragedies be prevented? What is known about the parents, the family patterns and social situations that gave rise to baby battering? Extraordinary public interest had been aroused by the appalling case of Maria Colwell, and the problem of baby battering was now receiving the close attention it had long warranted.Originally published in 1974, Jean Renvoize had spent two years interviewing the battering parents themselves, as well as social workers, doctors, the police and psychiatrists. The special virtue of Children in Danger was that, apart from being the first fully-researched book on the subject, the author was able to look at baby battering as an outsider, seeing the picture as a whole. Her overwhelming impression is that although lip-service was paid to the idea of cooperation between all professionals working in the field, the truth was that too frequently a deep distrust existed between them, particularly between social workers and the police. The result of this distrust was that every year thousands of children fell through the social welfare net with tragic results. Jean Renvoize discusses frankly and impartially the ways the various professions regard each other, and she makes constructive suggestions for the future.The taped stories of several battering parents, which illustrate how narrow the line is between necessary discipline and near-cruelty, between extreme exasperation and uncontrolled attack, are a moving and illuminating feature of the book. These parents talk not only about their lives and the events which led them towards actions they will never cease regretting, but also about their views of the help that was given them, or the lack of it. They are articulate and self-aware, and here for the first time their story is heard, along with the various professional explanations of why some people cannot stop themselves attacking the children whom they long to love.

In the early 1970s ‘baby battering’ accounted for an estimated 700 child deaths a year in Britain, while a further 4-5,000 children were seriously injured – all this in spite of the knowledge gained from the research done both in Britain and in the United States. How could such tragedies be prevented? What is known about the parents, the family patterns and social situations that gave rise to baby battering? Extraordinary public interest had been aroused by the appalling case of Maria Colwell, and the problem of baby battering was now receiving the close attention it had long warranted.Originally published in 1974, Jean Renvoize had spent two years interviewing the battering parents themselves, as well as social workers, doctors, the police and psychiatrists. The special virtue of Children in Danger was that, apart from being the first fully-researched book on the subject, the author was able to look at baby battering as an outsider, seeing the picture as a whole. Her overwhelming impression is that although lip-service was paid to the idea of cooperation between all professionals working in the field, the truth was that too frequently a deep distrust existed between them, particularly between social workers and the police. The result of this distrust was that every year thousands of children fell through the social welfare net with tragic results. Jean Renvoize discusses frankly and impartially the ways the various professions regard each other, and she makes constructive suggestions for the future.The taped stories of several battering parents, which illustrate how narrow the line is between necessary discipline and near-cruelty, between extreme exasperation and uncontrolled attack, are a moving and illuminating feature of the book. These parents talk not only about their lives and the events which led them towards actions they will never cease regretting, but also about their views of the help that was given them, or the lack of it. They are articulate and self-aware, and here for the first time their story is heard, along with the various professional explanations of why some people cannot stop themselves attacking the children whom they long to love.

Some of the most frightening and harmful violence in modern society takes place inside the family. Wives, children, grandparents, all of them can be subject to attacks that range from mild ‘roughing up’ to assaults that leave the victim physically or psychologically crippled.What causes this violence? What sort of people are the attackers and the victims? What can we do to diminish it and to help those who suffer? Originally published in 1978, Jean Renvoize author of the highly praised Children in Danger traces the web of violence along many different strands. She covers baby battering and child abuse, violent husbands and wives, ‘granny bashing’ and incest. She looks at the psychological roots and the social patterns; she also surveys the agencies that act to prevent family violence, from social workers and those who run refuges to police and doctors. She suggests a number of positive steps that could and should be taken to improve society’s response. As in Children in Danger, she draws on many first-hand sources of information, not only professionals working in the field but also the detailed and intimate self-revelations of both victims and batterers. The first chapter – an almost unbelievable account by a girl caught up in four generations of violence, whose sufferings make her recoil from it and yet at the same time draw her inexorably deeper in, both as victim and aggressor – is the first of many case histories on which Jean Renvoize draws. Her book is an extraordinary document about humanity, as well as an essential guide for anyone who has to deal with the problems it discusses with such insight and objectivity.

Some of the most frightening and harmful violence in modern society takes place inside the family. Wives, children, grandparents, all of them can be subject to attacks that range from mild ‘roughing up’ to assaults that leave the victim physically or psychologically crippled.What causes this violence? What sort of people are the attackers and the victims? What can we do to diminish it and to help those who suffer? Originally published in 1978, Jean Renvoize author of the highly praised Children in Danger traces the web of violence along many different strands. She covers baby battering and child abuse, violent husbands and wives, ‘granny bashing’ and incest. She looks at the psychological roots and the social patterns; she also surveys the agencies that act to prevent family violence, from social workers and those who run refuges to police and doctors. She suggests a number of positive steps that could and should be taken to improve society’s response. As in Children in Danger, she draws on many first-hand sources of information, not only professionals working in the field but also the detailed and intimate self-revelations of both victims and batterers. The first chapter – an almost unbelievable account by a girl caught up in four generations of violence, whose sufferings make her recoil from it and yet at the same time draw her inexorably deeper in, both as victim and aggressor – is the first of many case histories on which Jean Renvoize draws. Her book is an extraordinary document about humanity, as well as an essential guide for anyone who has to deal with the problems it discusses with such insight and objectivity.

In the early 1980s incest was ceasing to be a taboo subject. In Britain there was much conjecture but little knowledge about it, although some estimates suggested that as many as one child in ten would experience some form of sexual abuse within the family. Originally published in 1982, Jean Renvoize had travelled around the USA, where considerable attention had been paid to incest in the previous few years, meeting professionals ranging through paediatricians, policemen, university researchers, social workers, lawyers, and – more important – victims and abusers themselves.This knowledge, added to the sparser British research, opened up a hitherto closed subject, bringing a wide range of controversial information to an audience composed of the general public as well as professionals involved in this field at the time. The author’s clear and easy style, which characterised her earlier books on related subjects – Children in Danger and Web of Violence – makes this a work of general as well as specialist interest.

In the early 1980s incest was ceasing to be a taboo subject. In Britain there was much conjecture but little knowledge about it, although some estimates suggested that as many as one child in ten would experience some form of sexual abuse within the family. Originally published in 1982, Jean Renvoize had travelled around the USA, where considerable attention had been paid to incest in the previous few years, meeting professionals ranging through paediatricians, policemen, university researchers, social workers, lawyers, and – more important – victims and abusers themselves.This knowledge, added to the sparser British research, opened up a hitherto closed subject, bringing a wide range of controversial information to an audience composed of the general public as well as professionals involved in this field at the time. The author’s clear and easy style, which characterised her earlier books on related subjects – Children in Danger and Web of Violence – makes this a work of general as well as specialist interest.

Originally published in 1985, this, at the time, controversial book explores the fundamental changes in personal relationships that had taken place over the previous decade, focusing on women who had deliberately chosen to have children outside a permanent relationship. After travelling widely throughout Britain, the United States and Holland meeting those personally involved, Jean Renvoize discusses why a growing number of women were deciding to become single mothers. She discovers the implications of this for the future of the family and for old-style love and commitment between the sexes. She analyses the position both of the children of these single families and of their mothers. She looks at men’s feelings about being used a ‘stud’ and uncovers the desire of some men to have a family without being financially and emotionally involved with a long-term partner. Importantly, Jean Renvoize places the new style of personal relationship in the context of the advance of the women’s movement. It is clear that ordinary and non-political women’s and men’s lives have been more fundamentally changed by feminism than they may realise. But few of the mothers interviewed by the author are actively feminist: lesbians apart, they all have in common past relationships with men, and would happily settle with the right man could their high expectations be met. Without exception, all those who made the deliberate choice to ‘go solo’ have loving, joyful and rewarding experiences of motherhood. Having a child alone has been fraught with problems for all, but those who have met the challenge have found such great fulfilment that one is faced with an inevitable question: are a woman and her child better off without a man? When so many marriages end in divorce, is a stable unit of two better than a broken unit of three?But also, might those without the motivation of successful ‘solo mothers’ rush thoughtlessly into motherhood – and find themselves exhausted, broke and very unhappy?Presenting in their own words the experiences of those directly involved, this was above all a practical book. It provided welcome and necessary insights into the changing pattern of relationships at the time – for the married and unmarried; for parents and non-parents. Today it can be read and enjoyed in its historical context.

Originally published in 1985, this, at the time, controversial book explores the fundamental changes in personal relationships that had taken place over the previous decade, focusing on women who had deliberately chosen to have children outside a permanent relationship. After travelling widely throughout Britain, the United States and Holland meeting those personally involved, Jean Renvoize discusses why a growing number of women were deciding to become single mothers. She discovers the implications of this for the future of the family and for old-style love and commitment between the sexes. She analyses the position both of the children of these single families and of their mothers. She looks at men’s feelings about being used a ‘stud’ and uncovers the desire of some men to have a family without being financially and emotionally involved with a long-term partner. Importantly, Jean Renvoize places the new style of personal relationship in the context of the advance of the women’s movement. It is clear that ordinary and non-political women’s and men’s lives have been more fundamentally changed by feminism than they may realise. But few of the mothers interviewed by the author are actively feminist: lesbians apart, they all have in common past relationships with men, and would happily settle with the right man could their high expectations be met. Without exception, all those who made the deliberate choice to ‘go solo’ have loving, joyful and rewarding experiences of motherhood. Having a child alone has been fraught with problems for all, but those who have met the challenge have found such great fulfilment that one is faced with an inevitable question: are a woman and her child better off without a man? When so many marriages end in divorce, is a stable unit of two better than a broken unit of three?But also, might those without the motivation of successful ‘solo mothers’ rush thoughtlessly into motherhood – and find themselves exhausted, broke and very unhappy?Presenting in their own words the experiences of those directly involved, this was above all a practical book. It provided welcome and necessary insights into the changing pattern of relationships at the time – for the married and unmarried; for parents and non-parents. Today it can be read and enjoyed in its historical context.

Originally published in 1976, Elizabeth Gittus explores two contemporary social issues which were central to future housing policy in Britain at the time: the implications, for families with young children, of both the increased use of flats in new local authority housing, and the sporadic expansion of nursery education and other services for the under-fives. Discussion of these general issues is referred to the findings of a survey of families occupying local authority flats, maisonettes and houses, in four selected areas around Newcastle, centring on the mothers’ reactions to their housing situation and its effects on their children.The author documents the issues that had contributed to the pattern of new public housing from 1960 to the general election of 1974. Significant published data from a variety of sources are analysed at national, regional and local levels. The author’s findings support the contention that, for some young families, flat life remains unavoidable, and she examines the problem of providing opportunities for young children to play in such surroundings within the wider context of nursery education and other facilities for the pre-school child. She strongly advocates the fusion of official provision, voluntary effort, and parents’ participation in meeting the need for supervised play in the children’s free time.

Originally published in 1976, Elizabeth Gittus explores two contemporary social issues which were central to future housing policy in Britain at the time: the implications, for families with young children, of both the increased use of flats in new local authority housing, and the sporadic expansion of nursery education and other services for the under-fives. Discussion of these general issues is referred to the findings of a survey of families occupying local authority flats, maisonettes and houses, in four selected areas around Newcastle, centring on the mothers’ reactions to their housing situation and its effects on their children.The author documents the issues that had contributed to the pattern of new public housing from 1960 to the general election of 1974. Significant published data from a variety of sources are analysed at national, regional and local levels. The author’s findings support the contention that, for some young families, flat life remains unavoidable, and she examines the problem of providing opportunities for young children to play in such surroundings within the wider context of nursery education and other facilities for the pre-school child. She strongly advocates the fusion of official provision, voluntary effort, and parents’ participation in meeting the need for supervised play in the children’s free time.

In the 1980s families other than those made up of the natural mother, father, and siblings were increasing in number. Originally published in 1988, this book looks at these ‘alternative’ families and considers the psychological and social consequences of growing up in a family where the genetic link between parents and children is missing or incomplete. The authors discuss adoption, fostering, stepfamilies, and parenthood by donor insemination, as well as such areas as ‘womb-leasing’ and homosexual parenthood, considered controversial at the time. A recurring theme is whether, when, and what to tell children of their extrafamilial origins, and how they and other family members react to the knowledge.Families with a Difference is a comprehensive new analysis of the changing nature of family life in western society which, in the aftermath of the influential Warnock Report in 1984, would have been important reading for students and professionals in social policy, social work, psychology, and the social aspects of medicine.

In the 1980s families other than those made up of the natural mother, father, and siblings were increasing in number. Originally published in 1988, this book looks at these ‘alternative’ families and considers the psychological and social consequences of growing up in a family where the genetic link between parents and children is missing or incomplete. The authors discuss adoption, fostering, stepfamilies, and parenthood by donor insemination, as well as such areas as ‘womb-leasing’ and homosexual parenthood, considered controversial at the time. A recurring theme is whether, when, and what to tell children of their extrafamilial origins, and how they and other family members react to the knowledge.Families with a Difference is a comprehensive new analysis of the changing nature of family life in western society which, in the aftermath of the influential Warnock Report in 1984, would have been important reading for students and professionals in social policy, social work, psychology, and the social aspects of medicine.

Originally published in 1978, this book was written in response to the growing need for resource material for Home Economics courses in which the sociological content was becoming increasingly important. It was particularly valuable for A level teachers and students, and it provided a clear and useful introduction to the subject for students following courses in Home Economics, Social Studies and General Studies in colleges of education and polytechnics at the time. It brings together material from a number of disciplines – sociology, economics, psychology – on the home, the family and the community, which had not previously been presented in the context of a single study. The select bibliography suggests further reading for both teachers and students, graded according to difficulty. Today it can read and enjoyed in its historical context.

Originally published in 1978, this book was written in response to the growing need for resource material for Home Economics courses in which the sociological content was becoming increasingly important. It was particularly valuable for A level teachers and students, and it provided a clear and useful introduction to the subject for students following courses in Home Economics, Social Studies and General Studies in colleges of education and polytechnics at the time. It brings together material from a number of disciplines – sociology, economics, psychology – on the home, the family and the community, which had not previously been presented in the context of a single study. The select bibliography suggests further reading for both teachers and students, graded according to difficulty. Today it can read and enjoyed in its historical context.

Originally published in 1975 and based on a study of the memories and perceptions of twenty-seven families known to a Family Service Unit, and of their most recent social workers, this book was an important contribution to our knowledge of consumer opinions of the social services at the time. In particular, it draws attention to factors relevant to the evaluation of social work practice and to the definition of success.The family members describe for themselves, by means of extracts from tape-recorded interviews, what it feels like to have problems, to be referred for help – in short, to be a ‘client’. They give an account of the help they have received and define the personal attributes and activities which they have found helpful and appropriate in social workers.This book would have been of special value to social workers, to social work students, and to all those concerned with social policy and administration. Today it can be read in its historical context.

Originally published in 1975 and based on a study of the memories and perceptions of twenty-seven families known to a Family Service Unit, and of their most recent social workers, this book was an important contribution to our knowledge of consumer opinions of the social services at the time. In particular, it draws attention to factors relevant to the evaluation of social work practice and to the definition of success.The family members describe for themselves, by means of extracts from tape-recorded interviews, what it feels like to have problems, to be referred for help – in short, to be a ‘client’. They give an account of the help they have received and define the personal attributes and activities which they have found helpful and appropriate in social workers.This book would have been of special value to social workers, to social work students, and to all those concerned with social policy and administration. Today it can be read in its historical context.

Originally published in 1960, the authors of Family and Kinship in East London then made an intensive study of a middle-class dormitory suburb. Here families were more often on their own than in the East End, but, despite the differences between the districts, there were some similarities. The bond between mother and married daughter was almost as strong in the suburb as in the city. Most old people, too, were cared for in both places by their children and other relatives, though the authors show how serious were the special problems of the aged in this suburban setting.The enquiry examined the influence of social class upon community life. This is reviewed in relation to club and church membership and to friendship patterns, and the behaviour of middle and working-class people to each other is discussed. Class tensions, and their effect on the otherwise friendly and neighbourly atmosphere that the authors found in the suburb, provide the main theme of the final chapters.

Originally published in 1989, this cross-national study investigates the role and pattern of family life in fourteen countries in contemporary Europe. Providing a wealth of information on European families, it is a key source for anyone wishing to understand the changes in the family at that time.The contributors argue that, far from withering away, the family remained a very important social unit which continued to have considerable influence on other social institutions such as the state and the labour market. The central theme is the interrelation between changes in production and working life on one hand, and changes in family life and reproduction on the other. The contributors focus on the pressures and contradictions produced by the division of functions between family and work, and on problems which have arisen as a consequence of the sometimes incompatible and even conflicting demands of the two institutions. They show that the evolution of the nuclear family model in Europe had led to a great diversity of family patterns, and conclude that the family in modern European societies still had a contribution to make which no other institution could provide.

Originally published in 1989, this cross-national study investigates the role and pattern of family life in fourteen countries in contemporary Europe. Providing a wealth of information on European families, it is a key source for anyone wishing to understand the changes in the family at that time.The contributors argue that, far from withering away, the family remained a very important social unit which continued to have considerable influence on other social institutions such as the state and the labour market. The central theme is the interrelation between changes in production and working life on one hand, and changes in family life and reproduction on the other. The contributors focus on the pressures and contradictions produced by the division of functions between family and work, and on problems which have arisen as a consequence of the sometimes incompatible and even conflicting demands of the two institutions. They show that the evolution of the nuclear family model in Europe had led to a great diversity of family patterns, and conclude that the family in modern European societies still had a contribution to make which no other institution could provide.

Originally published in 1983, this book offers a perspective on the secondary school years from the standpoint at home. In the early 1980s as now, there was no shortage of advice to parents on how they should bring up their children, and what their relationship should be with the schools their children attended. More rarely heard was the parent’s voice of experience on the stages of family life and how the children’s school life is seen from the family point of view. The purpose of this book was to urge reconsideration of taken-for-granted assumptions about the appropriate relationship between home and secondary school. It can be read today in its historical context.

Originally published in 1983, this book offers a perspective on the secondary school years from the standpoint at home. In the early 1980s as now, there was no shortage of advice to parents on how they should bring up their children, and what their relationship should be with the schools their children attended. More rarely heard was the parent’s voice of experience on the stages of family life and how the children’s school life is seen from the family point of view. The purpose of this book was to urge reconsideration of taken-for-granted assumptions about the appropriate relationship between home and secondary school. It can be read today in its historical context.

In the 1960s the family had been described as ‘by far the most important primary group in society’. The primary concern of the sociologist was to understand the functioning of family life in any given society and to set his observations in the wider framework of the relation of kinship systems to social structures. In this study, originally published in 1969, Dr Turner’s aim was to present a conceptual scheme for the analysis of family and kinship in modern Britain at the time. However, in doing so, he was able to use the particular example to illustrate general principles of the analysis of kinship. But the family is not a static entity and the author’s approach to his subject is processual. He views the family both as an entity passing through a cycle of development and decline and also as an element in an ever-changing social structure.This study is necessarily inexorably linked with other aspects of sociology: with class, education, socialization, occupation and many other topics.