Assignment: Analyzing Social Problems and Social Policy
You might think that social problems only affect those who suffer from the problem directly, but they actually have much broader impact. For example, the public education system shapes the educational experiences of those who are not a part of the private school system. The government provides policies and procedures necessary to develop the public education system and make recommendations on ways to engage youth. If the system does not adhere to these policies or engage the youth effectively, we may be faced with a population of adults that have not received an adequate education. Social problems, if unchecked, may affect a large number of people in the society. As a social worker, you should be keen in discerning social problems and addressing them.
For this Assignment, you will identify a problem that affects populations that social workers serve. Some examples of social problems include poverty, child welfare/abuse, and homelessness.
By 09/17/2021
Assignment (2-4 double-spaced pages in APA format): In addition to a minimum of six scholarly references, which may include electronic government documents and reputable websites, your paper should include:
- A description of the social problem you selected and any known causes or explanations for the problem
- A description of the problems prevalence in society
- A description of the specific population impacted by this social problem, if any. If the social problem you selected does affect a specific population, include an explanation of why that might be the case.
- An explanation of the theories that support the problem and approaches scholars and policy analysts use to address the problem
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
- “Social Work Policy: Benefit Administration and Provision” (pp. 7576)
- “Working with Immigrants and Refugees: The Case of Luisa” (pp. 7980)
Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2019). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
- Chapter 3, Social Welfare Policy Analysis (pp. 33-53)
- Chapter 5, Social/Economic Analysis (pp. 76-94)
Follow rubric please
Responsiveness to Directions
27 (27%) – 30 (30%) Paper fully addresses all instruction prompts.
Content 36 (36%) – 40 (40%)
Paper demonstrates an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Paper provides significant detail including multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other sources, and discerning ideas. Paper demonstrates exemplary critical thought.
Writing 27 (27%) – 30 (30%)
Paper is well organized, uses scholarly tone, follows APA style, uses original writing and proper paraphrasing, contains very few or no writing and/or spelling errors, and is fully consistent with graduate level writing style. Paper contains multiple, appropriate and exemplary sources expected/required for the assignment.
