The Influence Of Social Support On Shanghai Family’s Choice Of Giving Birth To A Second Child Under The Universal Two-child Policy

In the fifth Plenary Session of the 18 th CPC Central Committee,the party made a decision on the implementation of the universal two-child policy,which is a major adjustment of China’s population fertility policy.As an important economic center of our country,Shanghai is a large city with large population.Shanghai family’s choice of giving birth to a second child directly determines the effect of the implementation of the two-child policy,and also plays an important role in the future demographic situation of the city.Based on relevant research results,this paper aims to understand and explore Shanghai family’s willingness to give birth to a second child as well as the factors in making these decision under the universal two-child policy.We summarize and analyze the influencing factors of making decision on giving birth to a second child,such as maternal age,educational background,family financial status,costs of parenting,child care,policy,etc.According to the subject of social support,the types of social support are divided into four categories in this paper: family support,enterprise support,community support and policy support to sum up and analyze the status of social support and how it works in Shanghai family’s choice of giving birth to a second child.Through investigation and research,the family in Shanghai has shown obvious ambivalence in the choice of giving birth to a second child,and there exists the worry of "want to have" two children and "dare not to have".Most families show the ideal number of children and gender preference for "one boy and one girl",but only a few have made it clear that they will have a second child.Factors such as child care,economic situation and education costs are the main reasons why Shanghai families do not have two children.This study argues that Shanghai families lack adequate social support which influences their choice of giving birth to a second child.Among them,the lack of individual support is difficult to improve through family or individual efforts.Therefore,community support and policy support are important means to compensate for this deficiency.In addition,the influence of women’s employment factors should also be focused on.Bearing and raising children is a family decision,but it is also a citizen’s responsibility and contribution to national and social development.The government should assist the family in achieving the goal of reproducing,which will require the improvement of supporting policies and further improvement of public services.Thus,some suggestions are put forward as follows.First,formulate family policies so as to match the universal two-child policy which can be learned from the experience of some developed countries.Second,strengthen the allocation of public service resources based on the whole process of breeding and rearing of new life.Third,attach importance to the internal relationship between female reproduction and career development,and improve policies to promote women employment.Fourth,realize the function of family planning department from controlling population to servicing family.