Policy and Strategy

Learning outcome 1: Identify and discuss the impact of values and welfare ideologies on policy making.

Learning outcome 2: Demonstrate an understanding of the role of voluntary organisations and campaigning in the policy process.

Learning outcome 3: Show an understanding of how political values and ideologies influence the interpretation of evidence in the policy process.

Policy Report - Assignment task

Select ONE of the policy documents that have been uploaded to the Assignment Brief Information folder on VLE (Connect).
Read it carefully and write a report of 2000 words (+/-10%) that discusses the context, objectives, arguments and findings of this document.
You must draw on relevant social science theory and research, welfare ideology and values, and social policy debates, to support the discussion of your selected document.

Title - make it clear which policy document you intend to discuss in your assessment. Ensure your assessment follows this structure:
Introduction
The aims of the organisation
Discuss the aims of the organisation that has written your chosen report, the scope of its work in relation to service provision, and its involvement in policy research and campaigning
Discussion of the social problem(s)
Discuss the social problem(s) identified in and the objectives of your chosen report
Discussion of the document's principal arguments and findings
Discuss the document's principal arguments and findings, including discussion of the main recommendations made in your chosen report
Conclusion

Reference list

Task requirements

You must demonstrate that you have read and understood your selected document.
You must draw on you own independent reading of relevant theory and policy to enable you to discuss the content of your selected document.

Summarise in your own words (paraphrase) the material you use and reference it appropriately. Quotations should be a phrase or sentence and always supported with an appropriate reference. It is not acceptable to copy and paste sections of your selected document (or any other material you use) into your assessment.

Your report must contain in-text references and a reference list at the end. The reference list is not included in the word count and must be in the Harvard style. Ensure that your selected document is referenced in the text of your report and included in the reference list.
You should use sub-headings in your report and ensure that you follow the required structure that has been set out in the assessment brief.
You should write in a scholarly style. Avoid writing in the first or second person ("I", "you" or "we").