Policy analysis, policy development and policy activism are essential aspects of effective social work practice as they protect the interests of disadvantaged and disempowered people. Social workers increasingly require the knowledge and skills to understand how policies are initiated, designed, resourced, and changed. This involves both an awareness of policy processes in relation to specific areas of social policy and an understanding of theory and concepts relevant to the dynamics of policy processes. This unit of study is designed to assist students to develop transferable skills in social policy analysis. It revisits the policy cycle and the sociopolitical and economic context of Australian social policy as introduced in the units 'Introduction to Social Policy' and 'Social Welfare: History and Current Context'. This unit uses the knowledge and insights of the discipline of social policy, along with political science, economics, sociology, and organisational theory to analyse and interpret policy processes and important areas of social policy.
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
This unit is not compulsory for any specific course. Depending on the course you study, this unit may be taken as an elective.