Reasons for the Decline in Family Size in Modern Britain - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

10 original exam-style questions - 4 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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This topic is chapter 1 of GCSE Sociology: Families Practice Book 2.

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3.8 Reasons for the Decline in Family Size in Modern Britain

AQA 8192 · about 70 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. For questions that ask for two reasons or two examples give both in full sentences. Spend about 60 minutes on the whole pack.

Explain one way the rising cost of housing in Britain can affect family size decisions for young couples starting out.

(Total for Question 1 is 4 marks)

Explain two ways greater female participation in the paid workforce can lead to smaller family sizes in Britain.

(Total for Question 2 is 6 marks)

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that economic reasons are the main cause of the decline in family size in modern Britain. Write your answer in the context of the UK and refer to different sociological explanations.

(Total for Question 3 is 8 marks)

Identify and explain two practical barriers that might prevent some low income families in Britain from accessing contraception or family planning services.

(Total for Question 4 is 4 marks)

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that cultural changes, rather than economic pressures, are the main reason for the long term decline in family size in Britain. Use sociological perspectives where relevant and reach a reasoned conclusion.

(Total for Question 5 is 12 marks)

Identify and explain one way wider access to contraception has contributed to smaller family sizes in the UK since the late 20th century.

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Give one example of a financial reason why many UK couples choose to have fewer children today, and briefly explain it in the context of raising a child in Britain.

(Total for Question 7 is 3 marks)

Explain two reasons why changing cultural attitudes in Britain have contributed to families choosing to have fewer children.

(Total for Question 8 is 6 marks)

Item A: A short clinic report from a hypothetical community family planning service in a northern English town. The report notes that in the last ten years the clinic provided more information on long acting reversible contraception, appointment times outside school hours, and contraceptive counselling for university students living away from home.

(a)Using Item A and your knowledge of family size, identify one way the clinic changes might lead to fewer children in families from this town.(2)

(b)Using Item A, explain one limitation of assuming clinic improvements alone will cause smaller families across the whole town.(2)

(Total for Question 9 is 4 marks)

Give one sociological reason why men and women might disagree about family size decisions in a couple in modern Britain.

(Total for Question 10 is 2 marks)

Mark scheme · 3.8 Reasons for the Decline in Family Size in Modern Britain

Question 1

B1 identifies the rising cost of housing as a real pressure
B1 explains how high housing costs reduce disposable income or delay moving to suitable family housing
B1 develops how reduced disposable income or delays make couples postpone children or choose fewer children
B1 offers brief consequence or example, e.g. renting in a small flat makes having more children impractical
Answer: Rising housing costs reduce disposable income and can delay moving to a larger home suitable for children, so young couples may postpone having children or decide on fewer children because smaller homes and tight budgets make larger families impractical.

Question 2

B1 identifies first way, e.g. conflict between career and childrearing
B1 develops first way, e.g. women may delay or limit childbirth to protect career progress
B1 identifies second way, e.g. returning to work increases the monetary cost and childcare needs
B1 develops second way, e.g. high childcare costs can make additional children economically unattractive or impractical
B1 links both ways to the decision to have fewer children
B1 adds brief illustrative example or consequence, e.g. part time work decisions reduce time for more children
Answer: One way is career conflict: as more women participate in paid work they may delay or limit childbirth to protect career progress. Another way is that returning to work increases childcare needs and costs, so high childcare expenses make having additional children less affordable, leading couples to choose smaller families.

Question 3

Level 1 (1-2): Simple assertions that economic reasons matter or do not matter with little development or reference to other explanations.
Level 2 (3-5): Some developed points arguing economic reasons are important, with at least one alternative sociological explanation considered, but limited evaluation or balance.
Level 3 (6-8): A balanced discussion weighing economic explanations against other sociological factors such as contraception, education, and cultural change, with a supported judgement about the relative importance of economic causes.
Indicative content:
- Economic reasons to include: rising cost of housing, childcare and general living costs making larger families unaffordable.
- Explain how economic pressures can lead to postponement of parenthood and a reduction in desired number of children.
- Alternative explanations: greater access to contraception and family planning allowing choice, more women staying in education and employment delaying childbirth, cultural shifts prioritising careers and personal choice.
- Consider how economic and cultural factors interact, for example economic constraints influencing attitudes and vice versa.
- Possible conclusion: economic reasons are influential but need to be seen alongside education, contraception and cultural change; on balance sociologists might argue a combination of factors best explains the decline.

Question 4

B1 identifies first barrier, e.g. lack of transport or clinic hours that clash with work
B1 explains how it prevents access, e.g. inability to attend appointments reduces uptake
B1 identifies second barrier, e.g. stigma or lack of culturally appropriate information
B1 explains how it prevents access, e.g. fear of judgement or materials not in relevant languages reduces use
Answer: One barrier is lack of transport or clinic hours that conflict with working schedules, preventing attendance at appointments. Another barrier is stigma or lack of culturally appropriate information, which can discourage some groups from seeking contraception or make services less accessible to them.

Question 5

Level 1 (1-3): Basic, undeveloped points that cultural change or economic pressure matters, with little use of sociological perspectives or balance.
Level 2 (4-6): Some developed arguments using at least one sociological perspective to support cultural or economic explanations, with limited counter-argument and an attempt at a conclusion.
Level 3 (7-9): Clear discussion using multiple sociological perspectives, for example functionalist, feminist and Marxist explanations, considering both cultural and economic factors and giving a balanced judgement.
Level 4 (10-12): A well-developed, balanced evaluation that integrates several sociological perspectives, analyses interaction between cultural and economic causes, addresses limitations of evidence, and reaches a reasoned and supported conclusion.
Indicative content:
- Cultural explanations to consider: changing values prioritising individualism, career and lifestyle choices, shift in gender roles and acceptance of childfree lifestyles.
- Economic explanations to consider: rising costs of housing and childcare, insecure employment, austerity or welfare changes reducing affordability of larger families.
- Use perspectives: functionalism might argue social institutions and modernisation change family roles and expectations; feminism might emphasise women's greater education and work opportunities changing choices about children; Marxism might stress economic constraints and class differences shaping family size.
- Consider interaction: cultural shifts may be enabled by economic changes and policy, and economic pressures may influence cultural priorities; evidence limitations include reliance on surveys of attitudes rather than causal proof.
- Possible supported conclusion: many sociologists would argue no single cause explains the decline; cultural change is powerful but works alongside economic constraints, so the best explanation is a combination with relative weight depending on social class and local context.

Question 6

B1 identifies wider access to contraception as reducing unplanned pregnancies
B1 explains that reducing unplanned pregnancies means couples can limit the number of children they have
B1 identifies availability of family planning services or contraceptive methods as part of the explanation
B1 develops this by noting access gives greater control over timing of births and effective spacing between children
Answer: Wider access to contraception reduces unplanned pregnancies, so couples can limit the number of children they have; family planning services and more contraceptive methods give people control over the timing and spacing of births.

Question 7

B1 gives a correct example, e.g. the high cost of housing or childcare
B1 explains how that cost affects decisions, e.g. expensive childcare makes having more children unaffordable for working parents
B1 brief development linking the example to choosing fewer children overall
Answer: Example: the high cost of childcare and housing. Expensive childcare can make it hard for parents to work and pay for care, and high housing costs reduce disposable income, so couples may decide they cannot afford more than one or two children.

Question 8

B1 identifies first reason, e.g. greater emphasis on personal choice and self-fulfilment
B1 develops first reason, e.g. people may prioritise careers, travel or leisure over having many children
B1 identifies second reason, e.g. changing attitudes to gender roles and parenting responsibilities
B1 develops second reason, e.g. with more equal expectations, couples negotiate smaller families so both partners can work and share childcare
B1 offers a linking point, e.g. these cultural shifts change social norms about how many children are desirable
B1 adds a brief example or consequence, e.g. later marriage or cohabitation as part of lifestyle choices leads to smaller families
Answer: One reason is a greater emphasis on personal choice and self fulfilment, so people often prioritise careers, travel or leisure over having many children. Another reason is changing gender role attitudes and parenting expectations, meaning couples often choose smaller families so both partners can work and share childcare; together these shifts change social norms about how many children are desirable and are linked to later marriage or delayed parenthood.

Question 9

(a) B1 identifies a clinic change, e.g. more information on long acting contraception or appointments outside school hours
(a) B1 links it to fewer children, e.g. better access reduces unplanned pregnancies or helps students avoid early parenthood
(a) Answer: More information on long acting contraception or out of hours appointments improves access and reduces unplanned pregnancies, helping people avoid early parenthood and therefore contributing to smaller family sizes.
(b) B1 identifies a limitation, e.g. not everyone uses the clinic or cultural beliefs may limit use
(b) B1 develops the limitation, e.g. some groups may still face barriers such as stigma, cost, or lack of transport so overall family size may not change uniformly
(b) Answer: Not everyone will use the clinic and cultural or practical barriers such as stigma, cost or transport may limit take up, so improvements may not produce smaller families uniformly across all groups in the town.

Question 10

B1 gives a reason, e.g. different expectations about careers and parental roles
B1 brief development, e.g. one partner may prioritise career advancement while the other prioritises family time, affecting desired number of children
Answer: They may have different expectations about careers and parenting, for example one partner may prioritise career advancement while the other values family time more, leading to disagreement about how many children to have.

Reasons for the Decline in Family Size in Modern Britain - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

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