The impact of the social environment (family)

1. The impact of the social environment (family) Page 269

2. Family socioeconomic status The key elements of income, education level, employment status and occupational type determine a person’s socioeconomic status. • Parental education Higher levels of education are related to higher income and better employment prospects. It can also have a more direct influence on health by providing knowledge and skills to assist in accessing health services and live a healthy lifestyle. 2. Parental employment status Unemployment reduces the opportunity for an individual to purchase health-related goods and services such as health care and nutritious food, for themselves or a family member. It can also have negative psychological and social impacts.

3. 3. Occupation Generally, people who work in blue collar or manual and low skilled jobs are exposed to a greater range of physical hazards. They may also experience poor social and mental health due to the lack of control they have in their job. As a result, they tend to have poorer health, more disability and higher mortality than people in professional occupations. 4. Parental income Living on a low income can affect access to nutritious food, medical services, appropriate housing and a safe environment.

4. Parental health and disability Having a parent with a long-term chronic condition or disability may impact on the needs of the child, especially if that parent is not available to provide for the social, emotional and financial needs of the child. The impact is obviously more significant in the case of single parent families.

5. Parenting practices • Authoritarian These parents are often critical, tell children what to do and try to make children obey them. This parenting style may result in children who do not learn to think for themselves. 2. Authoritative or democratic These parents may allow their children to make some decisions appropriate to their age with a limited number of options. They also aim to improve behaviour through teaching their child rather than punishing. This parenting style may result in children who are responsible and are able to think about the consequences of their behaviour.

6. 3. Permissive Permissive parents tend to resent routine and offer their children a great deal of freedom. Children with permissive parents tend to have more trouble with authority so may have difficulties at school. 4. Uninvolved Tend to have few rules and expectations, however, unlike the permissive parent, the uninvolved parent does not offer the same warmth and affection. They tend to disengage from their child’s life and offer little communication or interaction.

7. Positive parenting The program equips parents with skills and strategies to do the following: • Create a supportive family • Encourage appropriate behaviour in their children • Deal with problem behaviour in a positive, consistent and confident way • Build positive relationships with their children • Resolve conflicts D:\Users\08470047\Documents\Unit 2 Health and Human Development\Positive Parenting Program (Triple P).mp4