SOCW 6351: Social Policy, Welfare, and Change Week 8

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Discussion: Social Policy: Child Abuse and Neglect

Protecting children from abuse and neglect is a cornerstone of the social work profession. Social work professionals strive to ensure that children grow into healthy, well-developed adults. They also develop, implement, and evaluate policy initiatives regarding child welfare. Such initiatives should aim to not only reduce child abuse and neglect, but also provide support for children’s development and resources that will enhance their well-being. As a social worker, to what extent do you understand the existing policies addressing child abuse and neglect? In addition, how prepared are you to propose new policy initiatives in this regard?

For this Discussion, review the resources, including the NASW’s policy statement on child abuse and neglect on the NASW website. Pick one of the NASW positions and consider a policy initiative you would introduce to further that initiative. Be sure to think about the policies that already exist in your state and how this initiative might alter existing policies.

Post by Day 3 a brief description of the position you selected from the NASW policy statement on child abuse and neglect. Then, describe a policy initiative you might introduce to further that position. Finally, describe the policies that already exist in your state and explain how your initiative might alter these existing policies.

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Learning Resources

Week 8: Child Welfare Policy II

Policies in any domain determine what can and cannot be done within that domain, and social work is no exception. Social workers need to be prepared to assume and maintain leadership roles in public discussions about policies, programs, and services affecting children and their families. In fact, the social work profession’s role as a voice for children, their families, their education, and their future was a key element in its development—and it is as vital today as it has been at any other time in history.

How do you think understanding and being able to analyze policies in social work could help you as a social worker? Could you operate within the guidelines of policies without thoroughly understanding them? Could you propose amendments to existing policies or argue for new policies without being able to analyze the existing policies?

This week, you analyze the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) child welfare initiatives, as well as past and current social policy related to a social issue you select. You also identify funding levels associated with a specific welfare policy.

Required Readings

NASW. (2009). Social work speaks. Washington, DC: NASW Press.

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (n.d.) Laws & policies. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/

The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2013). Kids count data center. Retrieved from http://www.datacenter.kidscount.org

Responsiveness to Directions

27 (27%) – 30 (30%)

Discussion posting fully addresses all instruction prompts, including responding to the required number of peer posts.

Discussion Posting Content

27 (27%) – 30 (30%)

Discussion posting demonstrates an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Posting provides significant detail including multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other scholarly sources, and discerning ideas.

Peer Feedback and Interaction

22.5 (22.5%) – 25 (25%)

The feedback postings and responses to questions are excellent and fully contribute to the quality of interaction by offering constructive critique, suggestions, in-depth questions, additional resources, and stimulating thoughts and/or probes.

Writing.

13.5 (13.5%) – 15 (15%)

Postings are well organized, use scholarly tone, contain original writing and proper paraphrasing, follow APA style, contain very few or no writing and/or spelling errors, and are fully consistent with graduate level writing style.