Social Policy Analysis

Social Policy Analysis essay assignment

Social Policy Analysis essay assignment

Please submit your final version of your Social Policy Analysis assignment here.

I. Defining the Social Problem  (revised version)

1. How is the problem defined and documented?

a. How many people are affected?

b. What causal theories have been given for this problem?

c. What is the evidence supporting these causal theories?

d. How are people affected (i.e., what are the consequences of the problem?

Request “Write My Nursing Paper” for a 100% custom writing tailored to your instructions: Social Policy Analysis

2. How have values and self-interest shaped the definition and documentation of the problem?

II. Background/Context of the Problem  (revised version)

1. Identify at least 2 policies that have been developed to address this social problem.

2. How do historical policy approaches to this social problem shape current policy?

3. What was the cultural milieu at the time these approaches were taken?  Is the current political and economic context the same or different?

4. What were the group interests, and who were the key players involved in developing these historical policies?

5. Is there any reason to think that historical approaches would work better or worse today?

6. Did this historical policy approach build on the strengths of the target population?  Or, alternatively, was it predicated on a pathology or deficit view of the people to be helped?

7. How have definitions of the social problem and policy approaches changed over time?

III. Policy Analysis  (revised version)

1. Policy goals

a. What are the stated goal(s) of the policy?

b. What are the achievable objective(s)?

c. What are the latent goal(s) of the policy?

d. Were client perspectives taken into consideration when formulating the goal(s) and objective(s)?

2. Benefits and services

a. What benefit and/or service does this policy provide?

b. Is the benefit or service designed to remove societal barriers that prevent people from meeting their needs?

c. Does the benefit and/or service focus primarily on correcting the behavior of the target population?

d. How much consumer choice is allowed?

e. Are the strengths and resources of the community taken into account?

f. Does the benefit or service alleviate the identified need and result in positive outcomes for your clients?

3. Eligibility rules

a. Who receives the benefit or service?

b. Is eligibility tied to employee contribution, attachment to the workforce, or means tested?

c. Do the eligibility rules create incentives for people to develop their capacity to meet their own needs?

d. Will positive steps results in a loss of benefits or services?

4. Service delivery system

a. How are services delivered (e.g., public vs. private, multiple locations/providers, etc.)

b. Is the service delivery system designed to build on assets that already exist in the community?

c. Does the delivery system offer clients choice?

d. Is the service delivery system staffed by workers who reflect the ethnic diversity found within the target population?

e. Are the services available to people of all ethnic backgrounds?

5. Financing

a. What is the source of funding (e.g., public, private, taxes, out-of-pocket)?

b. How are service providers reimbursed?

c. Can this service delivery system deliver services and/or benefits in a cost effective manner that achieves the desired outcomes for clients?

IV. Evaluation and Conclusion  (new section added to revised sections)

1. Is the policy politically, socially, and economically feasible?

2. Are key social work values such as self-determination and social justice incorporated into the policy?

3. How is the policy evaluated?  Are clients involved in the evaluation of the policy?

4. Based on the best information about effectiveness, are these policies and programs likely to reduce, increase, or leave the problem unchanged?  Justify your response.