Social Policy Flashcards
What is social policy? (2)
- Public interventions relating to social needs and social problems.
- It aims to improve people’s welfare.
Why is policy political? (3)
Conflict occurs over the nature of the problems, and what should be done about them.
Sometimes addressing one problem disadvantages one group while providing an advantage for another.
Adequacy of interventions and allocating resource is also a challenge.
The social policy process (3):
1) Intentions and objectives.
2) Administrative and financial arrangements.
3) Outcomes.
Social policy as a field of study includes (3)…
- Analysing the impact of policy.
- Influence of the past on current policy.
- Influence of international policy on domestic policy.
Social work within social policy (4):
- Activism/Advocating
- Research
- Lobbyists
- Mobilisers (motivating and aiding citizens to have a say in policy affecting their lives).
The Australian Government is responsible for (11):
Taxation, national economic management, immigration and citizenship, employment assistance, postal services and communications network, social security, defence, trade and commerce, airports and air safety, foreign affairs.
State and territory governments are primary responsible for (6):
Hospitals and health services, schools, roads and railways, forestry, police and ambulance services, public transport.
Local governments (and ACT) are responsible for (10):
Street signs/traffic control, local roads, drains, parks, playgrounds, sportsgrounds, food and meat inspection, animal control, rubbish collection, community centers, etc.
Policy Making- rational model (5):
- Problem recognition.
- Propose solutions.
- Choice of solution.
- Putting solution into effect.
- Monitoring solution.
Incrementalism:
Gradual change in policy.
Bottom-up model:
- Utilises the voices of frontline staff and users of policy to define problems and their solutions.
