Dr. Platt has written that – Social policy is concerned with the ways societies across the world meet human needs for security, education, work, health and wellbeing. Social policy addresses how states and societies respond to global challenges of social, demographic and economic change, and of poverty, migration and globalization. Social policy analyses the different roles of: national governments, the family, civil society, the market, and international organizations in providing services and support across the life course from childhood to old age. These services and support include child and family support, schooling and education, housing and neighborhood renewal, income maintenance and poverty reduction, unemployment support and training, pensions, health and social care. Social policy aims to identify and find ways of reducing inequalities in access to services and support between social groups defined by socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, migration status, gender, sexual orientation, disability and age, and between countries.
Social welfare policy are government programs to address healthcare, housing and other programs geared towards assisting the poor, unemployed and marginalized in society (see the distinction from social policy?) Such programs include Medicaid, TANF (temporary aid to needy families), WIC (women, infants and children) programs, SNAP (supplemental nutritional assistance programs), SSI (supplemental security income), Section 8 housing.
So we need to be clear about social policy’s intent as social workers, and realize that social policy is not necessarily meant to equalize the playing field, create opportunity, etc….we need to be clear about who we are –
Social Work is a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development, cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities. Social work practice involves a scientific understanding of human development, behavior, social, economic and cultural institutions and interactions, and best practices through the creation of systems of organized help.
But what social workers need to remember is that social policy predicated upon ideology – An ideology is a collection of ideas or beliefs shared by a group of people. It may be a connected set of ideas, or a style of thought, or a world-view. Every group of people share ideological viewpoints, yet people in power are able to assert their ideological beliefs in policy. Are we together? Social policy analysis explores how a social policy is implemented, which is the final assignment in our course.