Social Policy, Development & Impact

Unit Outline (Higher Education)

Level of Unit in Course

AQF Level(s) of Course

Level of Unit in Course

Introductory

Intermediate

Effective Term:

2025/02

Institute / School :

Institute of Education, Arts & Community

Unit Title:

Social Policy, Development & Impact

Unit ID:

MSWPG7210

Credit Points:

15.00

Prerequisite(s):

Nil

Co-requisite(s):

Nil

Exclusion(s):

Nil

ASCED:

090501

Other Change:

Brief description of the Unit

In a society marked by increasingly inequitable distribution of resources, social workers require skills and knowledge to interpret, critique, and shape social policy. This unit provides students with foundational knowledge about how social policy influences the lives of individuals, families, communities, and how social workers and the social work profession are influenced by, and can influence, social policy. Specifically, the unit focuses on competing definitions of social policy, social welfare, the role of political ideologies and values in shaping policy development, implementation and evaluation. This unit introduces students to the ‘social construction of problems’ that influence the development, implementation of social policy using Carol Bacchi’s critical social policy framework. The unit will introduce students to social policy in action and apply theoretical frameworks of social policy to an area of social work practice, such as disability policy, housing and homelessness, family violence and poverty and welfare policy. Students will be required to develop skills to analyse discourses that underpin social policies, identify the political and ethical implications and advocate in macro settings.

Grade Scheme:

Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF)

Work Experience Indicator:

No work experience

Placement Component: No

Supplementary Assessment:Yes

Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment

Course Level:

Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge:

K1.	Identify and analyse competing definitions and explanations of social policy, social welfare, and “the welfare state”;

K2.	Examine and analyse historic and contemporary policy debates which influence social work practice, in a way which incorporates an understanding of the role of political ideologies and values;

K3.	Examine how ‘social construction of problems’ is shaped by social norms and values and this impact on different fields of social work practice;

K4.	Evaluate theoretical frameworks of social policy analysis and policy making processes;

K5.	Apply theoretical frameworks of social policy analysis to a particular area of social work practice, including mental health policy, social and economic inequities related to First Nations People and Communities, family violence, aged care and;

K6.	Apply relevant theoretical frameworks of social policy analysis to advocate for social policy reform in diverse practice settings.

Skills:

S1.	Identify definitions, critiques, and criticisms of “the welfare state” and how these influence social policies shaping contemporary social work practice;

S2.	Analyse how values, social norms and political ideologies shape ‘social problems’ and impact on social work practice;

S3.	Determine the impacts the policy process has at the community, organisational, worker and service user levels;

S4.	Develop skills to advocate for social policy reform in diverse practice settings and;

S5.	Interpret social policy in relation to core social work values.

Application of knowledge and skills:

A1.	Demonstrate an understanding of the key theoretical constructs which underpin social policy development

A2.	Analyse the social construction of social problems;

A3.	Understand the role of politiscal ideologies and values in shaping social policy development;

A4.	Apply relevant theoretical frameworks of social policy analysis to a particular area of social work practice and;

A5.	Articulate the link between social work’s core values and social policy.

Unit Content:

Topics may include: The Social Construction of Social Problems Key theoretical constructs underpinning social policy The role of political ideologies and values in shaping social policy development How social policy influences the lives of individuals, families, communities, and how social workers and the social work profession are influenced by, and can influence, social policy. Key Theoretical Constructs Underpinning Social Policy Historical and Contemporary debates about the “welfare state” Political Ideologies and the welfare state Neo-liberalism and the post-welfare state. Social Policy in Action: Macro Skills in Social Work Practice Social advocacy and social policy reform with focus on royal commission case studies, including the Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, the Royal Commission into family violence and Royal Commission into aged care.

Graduate Attributes:

Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.

FED TASK and descriptor		Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit
FED TASK and descriptor		Level
FEDTASK 1 Interpersonal	Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 2 Leadership	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 3 Critical Thinking and Creativity	Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 4 Digital Literacy	Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 5 sustainable and Ethical Mindset	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life	1 - Yes

	Learning Outcomes Assessed	Assessment Tasks	Assessment Type	Weighting
1.	K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A2, A3	Learning exercises will explore key concepts covered in the unit using a range of written and/or oral activities.	Learning Portfolio	15%-30%
2.	K1, K2, K3, K4, S2, S3, S4, S5, A1, A4	Analyse key theoretical constructs which underpin social policy development in the context of social work practice.	Essay	25%-40%
3.	K5, K6, S3, S4, S5, A1, A2, A4, A5	Choose a contemporary social policy area important to social work practice and develop a policy brief to advocate for change.	Policy Brief	40%-50%

Adopted Reference Style:

APA ()

Professional Standards / Competencies:

Standard / Competency