Social Policy and social work (SW-2206)

Section One: Introduction to the course

1. Meaning, Concepts, and importance of social policy and welfare state

2. Definition of social justice, social protection, social development ,social welfare
service and social policy
3. Importance of social policy in social work
4. Objectives, Dimensions and important areas of social policy
5. Typology and needs for social policy

Social work : is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes

social change and development,social cohesion,and the empowerment and liberation of
people.

Social work is a profession helping the people to help themselves.social work is a

method or process based on scientific knowledge and skill to assist the individuals
,groups,and communities, with the view to enhance their social functioning to grow in
accordance with their knowledge,capacities and capabilities .

central to social work are:

 Principles of social justice

 Human rights
 collective responsibility
 Respect for diversities

Welfare State:The government plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the
economic and social well-being of its citizens. A social welfare system provides assistance
to needy individuals and families. The types and amount of welfare available to individuals
and families vary depending on the country, state or region.

Social service: “Helping the helpless”

It is a service rendered by any person on the basis of desire to serve

which is inspired by the feeling of helping others. Social service does not require training in
social work, scientific knowledge, skills in professional techniques .Social service meant for
normal population.

Social welfare:Social welfare refers to various arrangements that exist to meet the needs of
individuals and groups in society, tackle social problems and concern with quality of life.
Social welfare services provided outside the market forces and promoting integration.

Social welfare service: Organized public or private social services for the assistance of
disadvantaged groups.Social welfare services are designed for weaker sections of the
society or services for particular group of people.

social welfare services help the weaker section to reach the main stream of society.
Social Justice :is based on the concepts of human rights and equality .All the members of
society have equal rights and opportunities.

Eg: Discrimination based on race,gender,age money etc.

Social Development: is about improving the well-being of the every individual in society so
they can reach their full potential .The success of society is linked to the well-being of each
and every citizen.Social development means investing in people.

Social security:Social security is a system under which a government pays money regularly
to certain groups of people,for example the sick,the unemployed, or those with no other
income…
Social protection: is concerned with preventing, managing and overcoming situations that
adversely affect people’s well being. It is a protection provided by social security systems in
the case of social risk and need. protection provided by social security system in the case of
social risks and needs. it consists of policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and
vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, Diminishing peoples exposure to risks,
and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks such as unemployment,
sickness, disability and oldage.
Social Policy:

Concept:

Policy can be defined as a specific guideline for a plan of action to attain a specified goal
within a designated period.

The term ‘policy’ refers to the general guidelines or principles, which give direction to a
particular course of action by the government or by an organisation.

Definition:
Policy can be defined as a specific guideline for a plan of action to attain
a specified goal within a designated period

The word social in social policy means dealing with non-economic aspects.

The name of 'social policy' is used to refer to the policies which governments use for
welfare and social protection, to the ways in which welfare is developed in a society.

- Social policy is particularly concerned with social services and the welfare state.

Importance of social policy:

Social policies have key role for the wellbeing and welfare of the citizens.Policies are
everywhere … examples of some common policies related to education are Scholarships of
different types,Issuing of bus /train passes to bonafide students,
Minimum & cut of marks to enter into courses supported by the govt.
Reservation of seats for scheduled castes, handicapped, ex-servicemen etc.
Other policies
Govt run public distribution system (ration shops)
Free electricity
**Policy process …a series of steps undertaken before deciding a course of action
 Policy is rather like an elephant …
You recognize it when you see it ….
But cannot easily define it

Importance of Social Policy in Social Work:

Policies are important to social workers because they help our client’s live better
lives. Policies help to protect our clients from discrimination, racism, or bullying.
Policies help our clients live more productive lives by supplementing their income, providing
health care, or by obtaining needed medical treatments

Important areas of social policy are:

 The welfare state.
 Economic
 Political
 Cultural
 Social
 Legal
 Environmental
 Technological
 Social security, Assistance and justice
 Unemployment insurance
 Employment,Pensions
 Healthcare and nutrition
 Social housing
 Social care
 Social exclusion
 Education policy
 Crime and Criminal justice
 Labour regulation

The term 'social policy' can also refer to policies which govern human behavior.
'Social policy' may refer to the following issues:
 abortion and the regulation of its practice
 the legal status of euthanasia(mercy killing)
 the legal status of homosexuality
 the rules surrounding issues of marriage,
 divorce, and adoption
 poverty, welfare, and homelessness and how it
is to deal with these issues
 the legal status of recreational drugs
 the legal status of prostitution

Objectives:
1. To bring about social change.
2. To help in proper redistribution of social resources.
3. To improve the quality of life of people.
4. To protect the weaker sections of the society.
5. To eradicate poverty.
6. To provide people’s participation in development process.
7. To develop and protect children, youth, women and community.
8. To generate opportunities of employment.
9. To develop human resources.
10. To ensure proper wages and conditions of work.
11. To provide facilities for leisure and recreation.
12. To minimize disparities of income, wealth, status and opportunities.
13. To provide for integrated rural development.
14. To provide social security in times of danger to life and property.
15. To ensure medical health services.

Dimensions of Policy
Dimensions of Policy
1. Guide to administrative decisions It (policy) is problem oriented
2. Decisions about what to do or not to do It is oriented towards future
3. Settled course of action It is linked with creative imagination
4. Values and principles involving It has global perspective
government prescriptions
5. Perspective (visionary, way of looking) It has sharpened sense of time
and prescriptive (instructive & recipe)
6. How to use resources and power to achieve objectives
7. Way of deciding, choosing, evaluating the relevance of all available knowledge for the
solution of problems

Needs for Social Policy:

1. Social policy can discharge the social services successfully.

2. Social objectives can be achieved through social policy.
3. Evaluation and assessment of social services can be conducted on the basis of
social policy.
4. It prevents problems and mismanagement among the administrators.
5. Long –term and short-term objectives are set up by social policy.
6. Social policy takes into consideration the social situation prevailing in the country.
7. A balanced socio-economic development is possible through formulating social
policy.
8. Social planning for development can be done on the basic of social policy.
Policy typology
Policies may be classified in many different ways. The following is a sample of several
different types of policies broken down by their effect on members of the organization.
 Distributive policies
Distributive policies extend goods and services to members of an organization.
Examples include government policies that impact spending for welfare, public education,
highways, and public safety, or a professional organization's
 Regulatory policies
Regulatory policies, or mandates, limit the discretion of individuals and agencies, or
otherwise compel certain types of behaviour. These policies are generally thought to be best
applied when good behavior can be easily defined and bad behaviour can be easily
regulated and punished through fines or sanctions. An example of a fairly successful
public regulatory policy is that of a speed limit.
  Constituent policies
Constituent policies create executive power entities, or deal with laws. Constituent policies
also deal with Fiscal Policy in some circumstances
 Miscellaneous policies
Policies are dynamic; they are not just static lists of goals or laws. Policy blueprints have to
be implemented, often with unexpected results. Social policies are what happens 'on the
ground' when they are implemented, as well as what happens at the decision making or
legislative stage.
Types of policy
Communications and Information Policy Defence policy
Domestic policy Economic policy
Education policy Energy policy
Environmental Policy Foreign policy
Health policy Housing policy
Human resource policies Information policy
Macroeconomic policy Monetary policy
National defense policy Population policy
Privacy policy Public policy in law
Social policy Transportation policy
Urban policy Water policy