Social policy, family and community

Abstract

The women whom midwives meet in their day-to-day working lives are part of a new and rapidly changing environment. Child-bearing women live in the world shaped by social policy. In this chapter we will discover how social policy is framed and how government decisions impact on the lives of women and their families. The midwife who works in a hospital or in the community, or both, must be aware of the issues and their implications for the lives of women. A midwife should be able to understand the complexities of social policy, its driving forces and effects and be able to give women appropriate advice. Where the advice is complex she should know where to turn for help. It is crucial therefore that midwives understand the effects of policies on women’s lives and subsequently on their own practice.