SWSP6143 Public Policy and Civil Society Assessment 1 Part B

Assessment 1 Part B

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Assessment 1 Part B Details and Instructions

You are to write a report that compares two different ‘policy approaches’ to a contemporary social issue. Examples of pairs of ‘policy approaches’ are:

• Drug policy that takes a harm minimisation approach versus

Drug policy that takes an abstinence approach

• Welfare policy that takes a compulsory income management approach versus

Welfare policy that permits the spending autonomy of welfare recipients

• Justice policy that takes a restorative justice approach versus

Justice policy that takes an incarceration approach

• Child Protection policy that has emphasis on an adoption approach versus

Child Protection policy that has emphasis on use of intensive family support programs

(note that this topic relates to state-based statutory child protection not international adoption)

• Human Services Policy that has emphasis on services being delivered by public servants working for government departments and agencies versus

Human Services Policy that has emphasis on services being marketised and contracted out for delivery by private sector organisations (including not-for-profit, non-government organisations)

• Homelessness Policy that takes the ‘Housing First’ approach versus Homelessness Policy that takes the ‘Continuum of Care’ approach

If you have another social issue and policy approach you wish to examine that is not on this list you must consult with your teacher first.

The report should include:

• A brief overview of the social problem where debate between two contrasting policy approaches exists, and this should include description of the size of the problem and information about the population experiencing the problem.
• For each side of the debate (i.e., for each of the two different policy approaches):
  • A broad overview of the policy
  • A description of the key theory of government and the political ideology that underpins the
  • An assessment of the evidence for the effectiveness of the policy approach, including information from formal evaluations (if available).
  • A critique of the human rights implications of the policy approach and a position on whether the policy approach or elements of it could be considered
  • A description of the circumstances in which the policy approach would be considered an appropriate response to the social problem.
  • A description of the circumstances in which the policy approach would be considered an inappropriate response to the social
• Consider each policy approach and then describe which approach you broadly consider to be the most helpful in addressing the social problem. Support your position with reference to human rights legislation, the AASW code of ethics and/or advocacy campaigns of civil society
• Describe how you would advocate with civil society organisations to influence policy makers to strengthen implementation of the policy approach that you prefer, and include a description of how you would balance the competing claims that would be made by advocates of the other

Assessment 1 Part B Criteria

1. Relevance of answer to
2. Key issue being examined is outlined including information on population groups and government departments that address this.
3. Assertions are supported with relevant academic sources, government reports, and other relevant
4. Policy positions are reported and
5. Position taken is argued for logically and
6. Critical reflection as to how human rights are addressed in these policy positions and whether position is oppressive.
7. Main ideas are clearly and logically
8. Each element of the report has been
9. Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation used
10. Academic style guidelines followed as outlined in the learning support website https://sls.navitas- edu.au/academic-writing-0 and first/third person writing style is applied where relevant
11. Referencing using APA (7th edition)
12. Word count is within + or -10% of

How to do well in Assessment 1 Part B

• Attend all sessions and complete the set readings.
• Participate actively in class
• Use a range of academic resources, including books and journal articles that are
• Use a minimum of eight academic
• Use the grading rubric below to guide your work.