Foundations in social policy (Australia) – Policy Essay

Assessment item 2

Policy essay

Task

Select a population group relevant to social policy. Critically consider the way social policy debates and changes to the Australian welfare state have affected your selected population group.

Your discussion should focus on income security and one other domain as discussed in Chapters 7-12 of your text, Carson & Kerr (2014).

Population Category selected : Aged people.

Domain Selected : Income security & Health

Assignment is to reflect Current Policy : Australian Aged Care Reform . Living longer living better 2012 .( to come into effect 2014) Reform outline included as reading.

Instructions :

Briefly define the population group (Who they are and how perceptions of them have changed over time)
Briefly outline the social policy domains, in relation to your chosen group (income security and one other).

Income security
Health

Discuss the ways in which your chosen social policy domains impact (strengths/limitations) your selected population group. Be sure to draw on wider reading to support arguments.
In light of reading/research, conclude by predicting potential future issues faced by the group under current policies (you may suggest solutions, however they must be realistic and informed by research in the area).

IMPORTANT Prescribed text(s)

Carson, E., & Kerr, L. (2014). Australian Social Policy and the Human Services. Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press. Chapters 7 – 12 are important readings for assignment 2 and must be utalized and referenced

Reference sources

10 reference sources. Prescribed text can be included as reference source. Other reference material may be sourced from list resource / readings included or other relevant Australian Journals etc. Note this is an Australian Policy essay and as such reference material should reflect Australian content.

Rationale

Here you have the opportunity to demonstrate your additional learning from studying part 2 of this subject that relate to Australian society in a changing world. Here you will demonstrate social policy as contested terrain through discussion, in relation to Australia, of:

developments in social policy through time
contemporary differences in social experiences of particular population categories
winners and losers of social policies of reforms in various social policy domains
origins and nature of competing views that are evident in public discourse.

This assignment is designed to assess the following learning outcomes

be able to demonstrate an understanding of the significant historical and ideological shifts in Australian politics and policy
be able to demonstrate an understanding of the impacts of social policy shifts on the organisation of social service provisions
be able to demonstrate an understanding of the impacts social policies can have on diverse sectors of the population

Marking criteria

The assignment will be marked by the following criteria

Clarity of structure, written expression, presentation and correct referencing
All aspects of the task has been addressed
Evidence of relevant reading within and beyond the material provided
Evidence of understanding developments in social policy debates and changes
Evidence of critically understanding impacts of such changes on the population group
Evidence of understanding potential future issues of the group under current policies

All criteria are of equal weighting:

Criteria

0-49%

Unsatisfactory

performance

FL Grade

50-64%

An adequate

answer

PS Grade

65-74%

An above

average answer

CR Grade

75-84%

An excellent

answer

DI Grade

85–100%

An exceptional

answer

HD Grade

Clarity of

structure,

written

expression

and

presentation

and correct

citation and

referencing.

Frequent

spelling,

punctuation or

grammatical

errors.

Inadequate

citation &

referencing.

Little apparent

structure

Some imprecise

statements

requiring

elaboration

and/or clarity of

ideas expressed.

Few spelling,

punctuation or

grammatical

errors.

Development of

citation &

referencing

approach

Evidence of

structure

Very little sign

of imprecise

statements

Consistent

approach to

citation &

referencing with

few errors

Logical structure

Writing provides

evidence of

knowledge and

good engaging

writing. Consistent

approach to

citation &

referencing

Logical &

consistent

structure

Writing provides

strong evidence

of knowledge and

excellent

engaging writing.

Sustained

evidence of

correct citation

and referencing

Skilfully crafted,

logical structure

Grade Range

All aspects of

the question

have been

addressed

There is limited

evidence that

the essay

question has

been addressed

There is

evidence that

most aspects of

the question

have been

addressed

There is

evidence that all

aspects of the

question have

been addressed

There is evidence

that all aspects of

the question have

been addressed in

an engaging way

There is evidence

that all aspects of

the question have

been addressed in

an engaging,

critical and

creative way

Grade Range

Evidence of

relevant

reading within

and beyond

the material

provided

There is limited

evidence of

reading

Evidence of use

of the subject

reading

materials

appropriate to

the topic

Evidence of use

of the subject

reading materials

and beyond

appropriate to

the topic

Clear evidence of

wide reading

beyond core

subject material

Evidence of

independently

and

comprehensively

sourced wide

reading beyond

core subject

material

Grade Range

Evidence of understanding developments of social policy debates and changes

Little or no

evidence of