essay on social policy

102 Social Policy Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best social policy topic ideas & essay examples, 🎓 good research topics about social policy, ⭐ simple & easy social policy essay titles, ❓ social policy essay questions.

• Social Welfare Policy That Facilitates Reduction of Poverty and Inequality in the US In spite of the scale of the increase in the inequality, the political class in the US rarely discusses this subject in the public.
• The Formation of Social Policy Based on Theoretical Assumptions The realization by the criminal justice system that members of the public can participate cooperatively in prevention of crime has led to the formulation of social policies to guide them in their participation. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Resource Distribution: Corporate Social Responsibility Policy History The vision of the organisation is to improve the lives of the most susceptible individuals in Australia and across the world by mobilisation of the humanitarian support.
• Growth and Motivation Theories: Application in Personal Behavior, Professional Goal Setting, Social Policy Formulation Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory of Growth Maslow’s hierarchy of needs growth theory states that, an individual has needs that need to be fulfilled at various levels for the individual to achieve personal and professional […]
• Understanding Public Policy. Social Impact of Policy Provided that the mistake is made at one of these stages, the policies of the government will be more likely to fail.
• Global Poverty, Social Policy, and Education Defining, compare and contrasting modernization and dependency theories in relation to development and global poverty stating suggestions and causes of poverty globally Modernization theory as the name suggests, refers to modernizing or venturing to new […]
• Contemporary Issues in Social Policy The emergent problems need to be addressed from the perspective of treating the most vulnerable members of society, as well as define to what extent the unemployment rates and low-income rates influence the accomplishment of […]
• Social Policy Regimes and Enhance the Social Conditions Social policy is a discipline that employs multidisciplinary approaches in the study of problems that affect social processes and the welfare of human beings in society.
• Globalization, Social Policy, and Social Provision In the developed countries on the other hand, majority of the citizens are able to provide for themselves, and therefore the nature of social provision is a matter of governments’ responsibility to all citizens rather […]
• The New Deal and Social Welfare Policy The great depression This is one of the major problems that led to the need to adopt the New Deal. This led to a large influx of people moving to the urban centers, and this, […]
• Social Policy: Living on a Minimum Wage One of the primary findings is that the minimum wage is not a living wage. Another matter of concern is the fact that minimum living affects children and their prospects in life.
• Child Development and Global Social Policy In order to distinguish between the rationales for actions on behalf of children’s development, it is first necessary to determine the meaning assigned to the dimensions of development, as well as the concept of development […]
• Poverty, Inequality and Social Policy Understanding The roots of inequality can relate to both welfare and some other factors, for example, the judiciary. Therefore, the principle of equality is violated, and social norms cannot be considered to be respected.
• Facebook as a Social Network and Its Privacy Policy The case study explains that the privacy policy and privacy settings on Facebook are such that they considerably violate the privacy of the social network’s users by selling their data to third parties for a […]
• American Social Security Policy Evaluation In this essay, the key concepts of program evaluation will be applied to the social security policy of the U. Thus, the issue of control and degree to which the freedom of fund usage should […]
• Australian Social Policy and Child Protection The social policy of Australia considers the protection of children and the quality of their lives a central concern. The initiative of the policy is to change the way Australian child protection agencies approach the […]
• The Social Policy of Injection Room in Australia North Richmond has a history of major drug abuse problems, which led the locals to protest and lobby for the establishment of a SIF as a way of reducing harm and fatalities in the area.
• Social Policy for Human Well-Being The main aim of the United States social health care policy is to improve the welfare of Americans in terms of enhancing social security, housing, and education and health care services.
• Social Security as a Public Policy Problem in the US Reforming the system is equivalent to doing justice for the generations of the nation that’s known for such actions. This is the same procedure that was followed in Chile, a country that was the first […]
• Society and Social Policy Analysis A corollary is that scientists debating the ethical use of their discoveries are not necessarily the best people to judge the use of that science; the best people to do so are those who understand […]
• The Social Security Pensions Policy in the EU The impact of aging on the long-term profitability of the system in turn causes the savers to go for the private pension schemes and this reduces the size of the pension scheme.
• Social Policy as an Academic Subjective Is Both Descriptive and Analytical To single out the study from the others, it should be stressed that the core subject of this course revealed through the examination and research of the policy delivery and its successfulness.
• Irish Ideology and Social Policy The understanding of the factors which limit the responsibility of any state in providing welfare services to its people call for the analysis of the merits and demerits of the mixed welfare economy.
• Social and Economic Policy Program: Globalization, Growth, and Poverty Topic: Sustainable approaches to poverty reduction through smallholder agricultural development in rural South Africa and Kenya The majority of the poor in Africa, and indeed the whole world, live in rural areas.
• How a State’s Political Culture Affects Its Social Policy To analyze the influence of political culture on the state’s social policy, one must define precisely what political culture is, and what the nuances of its existence are.
• Health and Social Care Practice and Policy It should begin by evaluating the effectiveness of the current initiatives in attaining various outcomes: William Burns can access health services with the equal quality as the other people and sleeping rough on health to […]
• Social Policy and Family Resilience This requirement is due to the fact that policies largely regulate families’ daily life and the ways in which the professionals are supposed to interact with the family members.
• Social Welfare Policy Analysis and Letter to Legislator Social welfare policy development should integrate economic and social aspects to protect vulnerable groups through social assistance and services in the current social-economic environment. Thus, the formulation of social welfare had to balance the economic […]
• Lee Enterprises Inc.’s Social Media Policy Case The NLRB concluded that the company’s action was within the law since the employer sent offensive messages that failed to involve protected concerted activity. The company intended to use the employee to facilitate the creation […]
• Social Security Benefits: A Policy Proposal At the same time, the advantage of this law is the expansion of benefits, which will contribute to the refinement of individuals and the equal provision of payments.
• Income Equality and Social Policy Advocacy Lag The lag in income equality can be seen from statistical data: the income inequality ratio in the US is nine to one, which is worse than in Portugal, the UK, France, Canada, Germany, and some […]
• Social Policy on Substance Use Disorders Notably, there is a need to account for all the specific needs of the different subsets of abusers. Owens in the fifth segment of the six podcast series on policy formation for resiliency on victims […]
• Demographic Change and Intergenerational Relations in Families: Findings and Social Policy Implications
• Alternative Sexual Orientation: Evolution of Social Policy From the Conservative Era to Contemporary Times
• Relationship Between Sociology and Social Policy
• Health and Social Policy: An Overarching Policy Objective
• Education and Social Policy: Academic Outcomes and Additional Social, Economic, and Political Conditions
• How Child Protection Legislation Has Changed Social Policy
• Economic Inequality, Social Policy, and a Good Society
• Social Work and Social Policy: Immigration and Protection
• Business Power and Social Policy: Employers and the Formation of the American Welfare State
• Citizenship: Social Policy Constructs Personal Lives
• Global Economic Trends, Development, and Social Policy
• External Liberalization, Economic Performance, and Social Policy
• Criminological Theory and Social Policy: Crime and Social Policy’s Impact
• Families, Welfare and Social Policy
• Women, Social Policy, and Alcohol Treatment
• Poverty and Its Relationship With Social Policy
• Factors Influencing Social Policy
• Implementing Social Policy Through the Criminal Justice System: Youth, Prisons, and Community-Oriented Policing
• Advancing the Human Right to Food: Social Policy and the Politics of Hunger, Welfare, and Food Security
• Child Labor, Idiosyncratic Shocks, and Social Policy
• Assess the Relationship Between Sociology and Social Policy
• European Court and Social Policy of the European Union
• The Relationship Between Sociology and Social Policy
• Cultural Attitudes Regarding Social Policy
• Balancing Economic Freedom Against Social Policy Principles: EC Competition Law and National Health Systems
• Child Abuse-Reflection and Social Policy Analysis
• Employer Preferences and Social Policy: Business and the Development of Job Security Regulations
• Corruption, Bureaucratic Failure, and Social Policy Priorities
• European Social Policy and Europe’s Party-Political Center of Gravity
• Sectoral Social Dialogue and European Social Policy: Empirical Analysis and Prospects for Development
• Economic Competitiveness and Social Policy in Open Economies
• How Political Ideology Influences Social Policy
• The Basis for Social Policy: Human Needs for Security, Education, Work, Health, and Wellbeing
• Conservative Political Philosophy and Social Policy
• European Integration and External Constraints on Social Policy: Is a Social Charter Necessary
• Gender, Class, and Social Policy in the 21st Century
• Children’s Living Arrangements From a Social Policy Implementation Perspective
• Bearing Tales: Networks and Narratives in Social Policy Transfer
• American Social Policy and Social Change
• Digitalization, Computerization, Networking, Automation, Future of Jobs, and Social Policy in Japan’s Fourth Industrial Revolution
• What Is the Importance of Social Policy?
• How Has Child Protection Legislation Changed Social Policy?
• What Are Examples of a Social Policy?
• Does Social Policy Contribute to Economic Growth?
• What Social Policies Are Most Important?
• How Does Political Ideology Influence Social Policy?
• What Are the Goals That Define for Social Policy?
• Does Social Policy Through Rent Controls Inhibit New Construction?
• What Are Some Policies That Impact Social Work?
• How Did Social Developmentalism Reframe Social Policy in Brazil?
• What Are the Implications for Social Policy of the Changes Occured in Structure and Dynamics of Family Life in Britain?
• How Does Social Policy Impact Student Live?
• What Are the Characteristics of Social Policy?
• Which Welfare Change and Social Policy Theories Strengthen the Welfare State Provision?
• How Does the Irish Famine Shape Irish Social Policy?
• Why Do Emerging Economies Need Social Policy?
• How Did the New Racial Politics and Social Policy in the Nixon Years, and Reagan and Bush Years Affect Women and People of Color?
• Why Does Social Policy Need Subjective Indicators?
• What Is the Relevance of Social Policy to Social Care Work?
• Which Comes First in the Development of Policy Addressing Discrimination Against a Particular Group of Persons – Cultural Change or Policy?
• What Is “Public Policy”? Why Is It So Important to the Work of Government?
• How Does Social Policy Affect Society?
• What Social Policies Influence Poverty?
• Does Social Policy Meet Social Needs?
• What Are Some Examples of Social Policies That Can Enact Social Change?
• Why Is Social Policy Important to Social Work?
• What Factors Influence Policy-Making?
• Do Social Welfare Policies Reduce Poverty?
• What Are Examples of Public Policy Issues?
• Is Abortion a Social Policy?
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Good Research Topics About Social Policy

• Findings And Social Policy Implications of Demographic Change And Family Intergenerational Relations
• Alternate Sexual Orientation: Social Policy Development From The Conservative Era To The Present
• Sociology And Social Policy Relationship
• An Overarching Policy Objective For Health And Social Policy
• Educational Policy: Academic Results And Other Social, Economic, And Political Factors
• The Impact of The Child Protection Act On Social Policy
• A Good Society, Social Policy, And Economic Inequality
• Immigration And Protection In Social Work And Social Policy
• Employers’ Contributions To The Development of The American Welfare State: Business Power And Social Policy
• Citizenship: How Social Policy Shapes Individual Lives
• Trends, Development, And Social Policy In The World Economy
• The Effects of External Liberalization On Economic Activity And Social Policy
• Impact of Crime And Social Policy On Criminological Theory
• Women, Social Policy, And Treatment of Alcohol
• Poverty And The Impact of Social Policies
• Elements Affecting Social Policy
• Community-Oriented Policing And Youth, Prisons, And The Criminal Justice System: Implementing Social Policy
• Social Policy And The Politics of Hunger, Welfare, And Food Security: Promoting The Human Right To Food
• Social Policy, Child Labor, And Idiosyncratic Shocks

Simple & Easy Social Policy Essay Titles

• Examine How Sociology And Social Policy Interact
• The European Court And The European Union’s Social Policy
• Social Policy And Sociology: Their Relationship
• Cultural Perceptions of Social Policy
• Balancing Competition Law And National Health Systems With Social Policy Principles
• Social Policy Analysis And Reflection On Child Abuse
• Employer Preferences And Social Policy: How Business Helped Shape Regulations On Job Security
• Social Policy Priorities, Bureaucratic Failure, And Corruption
• Europe’s Party-Political Center of Gravity And European Social Policy
• European Social Policy And Sectoral Social Dialogue: Empirical Analysis And Development Prospects
• Social Policy And Economic Competitiveness In Open Economies
• The Impact of Political Ideology On Social Policy
• Human Needs For Security, Education, Work, Health, And Well-Being: The Foundation For Social Policy
• Conservative Social Policy And Political Philosophy
• Is A Social Charter Necessary In Light of European Integration And External Restraints On Social Policy?
• Social Policy, Gender, And Class In The 21st Century
• Children’s Living Situations Seen Through The Lens of Social Policy Implementation
• Carrying Tales: Networks And Narratives In The Transfer of Social Policy
• United States Social Policy And Social Change
• Japan’s Fourth Industrial Revolution: Digitalization, Computerization, Networking, Automation, Future of Jobs, And Social Policy

Social Policy Essay Questions

• How Important Is Social Policy?
• How Has Social Policy Changed As A Result of Child Protection Legislation?
• What Do Social Policy Examples Look Like?
• Does Social Policy Support Economic Development?
• What Social Policy Considerations Are The Most Vital?
• What Impact Does Political Ideology Have On Social Policy?
• What Are The Purposes of Social Policy?
• Do Rent Controls In Social Policy Prevent New Construction?
• Which Government Policies Affect Social Work?
• How Did Social Developmentalism Change the Way Brazil Viewed Social Policy?
• How Do The Changes In The Structure And Dynamics of Family Life In Britain Affect Social Policy?
• What Effects Does Social Policy Have On Student Life?
• What Are The Features of Social Policy?
• Which Theories of Social Policy And Welfare Reform Strengthen The Welfare State’s Provision?
• How Does Irish Social Policy Change As A Result of The Famine?
• Why Is Social Policy Important For Emerging Economies?
• How Did The New Racial Politics And Social Policy Affect Women And People of Color During The Nixon Years, Reagan Years, And Bush Years?
• Why Do Social Policy Subjective Indicators Need To Be Used?
• How Do Social Policies Affect The Work Done In Social Care?
• Cultural Change Or Policy: Which Comes First In The Development of Policy Addressing Discrimination Against A Specific Group of Persons?
• Which Social Policies Have An Impact On Poverty?
• Do Social Policies Address Social Needs?
• Which Social Policies Have The Potential To Affect Social Change?
• What Role Does Social Policy Play In Social Work?
• What Factors Affect Policy Decisions?
• Do Social Welfare Policies Help To Alleviate Poverty?
• What Are Some Issues In Public Policy?
• Is Abortion A Social Policy?

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What is social policy and why is it important?

Highly publicised recent examples of discrimination and abuse have focused the world’s attention on some of the key issues which underpin modern social policies, namely criminal justice and inequality. 

Given the raft of social challenges we face – from economic crisis and austerity to the effects of over population, an ageing population and climate change – never before has the study of social policy been so relevant.   

What is social policy? 

Social policy  consists of guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare, such as a person’s quality of life. 

In education, it is the interdisciplinary study of contemporary social, political and economic problems, such as poverty, inequality, crime, unemployment, healthcare, education and housing, and the potential policy responses to them.    

Why is social policy important? 

Social policy is important as the means by which governments, families, businesses and organisations can have a positive impact on welfare and social protection.

Studying social policy is also significant in order to provide an objective evaluation of how effectively resources and opportunities are being distributed to people from different socio-economic backgrounds, with a view to continuing improvement. 

What's the future look like for social policy? Explore further:

What is a well-known example of social policy? 

Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, who became the first Chancellor of the German Empire in 1871, is regarded as the creator of the first modern welfare state.

In 1881, he introduced a legislative programme of welfare reforms, including retirement pensions, national health and accident insurance.

Here in Britain, one of the most famous examples of social policy was the National Health Service Act of 1946, which established a comprehensive health service for England and Wales, free at the point of use and universally available to all.   

Where does the idea of social policy come from? 

One of the earliest examples of social policy through government intervention dates back to Umar ibn al-Khattāb’s rule as the second caliph of Islam in the 6th century.

He used zakat collections (a form of Muslim giving) and other governmental resources to establish pensions, income support, child benefits, and various stipends for people of the non-Muslim community.   

What’s the difference between social policy and public policy?  

Public policy covers any government-related actions concerning society at large –, anything from taxation and law to energy or emissions, for example.

Whereas social policy is focused on solving social problems, such as economic and educational inequality, racial and health disparities. Social policy is essentially a subset of public policy, so all social policy is public policy, but not all public policy is social policy.   

How does a career in public administration differ from social policy?  

Public administration focuses on the implementation of public policy at a local, regional or national government level, or internationally in the case of organisations such as the International Monetary Fund or European Commission.

A career in social policy offers broader opportunities to research, create, evaluate and implement welfare policies and social problems across the public, private and third (voluntary) sector.   

How can social policies impact healthcare outcomes? Read our guide:

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How do different countries address social reform?

Discover how different countries tackle social reform in this insightful blog post. Explore case...

The connection between social policy and healthcare

Discover how social policy and healthcare are linked, including how social policies can impact...

Social policy trends and challenges

Explore the future of social policy, including the latest trends and challenges that policymakers...

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• Published: October 2018
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Sociology, and the allied field of social policy, were latecomers to British universities. Their modern disciplinary identities were only established in the three decades after the Second World War, replacing the earlier, less methodologically prescriptive traditions of social enquiry that had flourished in Britain in the first half of the twentieth century. This ascent to academic respectability also had a major impact on post-war public life. Technical experts on ‘society’ began to play a more celebrated role in public policy debates and cultural commentary. 2 Close Amid the galaxy of outstanding British social scientists of the 1950s and 1960s, Richard Titmuss (1907-73) has a good claim to be the most influential.

Although eventually a beneficiary of the more technocratic and credentialed world of British higher education after the War, Titmuss had in fact left school without any qualifications at the age of 14 and spent the early years of his career working for an insurance company. But he was also a prodigious autodidact and accompanied his paid work with a growing side-line as a writer on social questions. His burgeoning reputation in this field led him to be commissioned to write the official history of the social services during the Second World War. The resulting book, Problems of Social Policy (1950), was well-received and it was on the strength of this work that he was appointed Professor of Social Administration at the LSE in 1950. From this platform Titmuss laid the foundations of the study of social policy as a separate academic field and produced numerous significant publications on key welfare issues, notably on the distribution of income and on healthcare. Titmuss’s influence extended beyond academia to broader public debates in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s about social inequality. He was close to the Labour Party and was a respected informal advisor to senior Labour politicians. The 1964-70 Labour government drew extensively on policies that he and his associates – particularly Peter Townsend and Brian Abel-Smith – had developed. Essays on ‘the Welfare State’ was published before that, in 1958, and collected together Titmuss’s key articles and lectures from his first eight years at the LSE. It was a work that triumphantly demonstrated the strengths of Titmuss’s approach to the study of social policy, incisively opening up swathes of new intellectual territory into which subsequent generations of experts and policy-makers would pour for decades afterwards.

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Social Policy, Essay Example

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Over the last century the sociological approach to criminology has become the most significant approach, thus divided into social-structural and social-process approaches. Social-structural approaches to criminology tend to investigate the way in which social situations and structures impact the criminal behavior. For instance, it looks for a description of why certain areas of a city tend to attract crime and also have less- dynamic police enforcement. Thus, urban areas in transition to residential to business uses are usually targeted by criminals. Another social-cultural approach is the criminology conflict theory, which suggests that social laws come forward out conflict and not out of consensus. Thus, the laws are made by the group in power, in order to implement control over those who are not in power. However, I think that ideally these laws should be created by all the social groups, and not simply by those in power.

On the other hand, social-process criminology theories tend to explain how people actually become criminals. Thus, they are developed through recognition of the fact that not everyone who is exposed to certain social-structural conditions necessarily becomes a criminal. Control theory tends to explain major ways to train individuals to engage in law-abiding behavior, thus making crime a result of insufficient attachment and commitment to other people in the society. Consequently, criminology and public policy focus is aimed at the contributions that criminological theory and research can provide to enhancing our knowledge and understanding of criminal behavior and developing efficient policies of crime control and crime prevention.

Sociology and Criminology . (2008). Retrieved 25 May, 2009, from http://law.jrank.org/pages/5884/Criminology-Sociology-Criminology.html

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10 Social Policy Examples

Social policy refers to government policies aimed at meeting the needs of society. It aims to influence how society is structured and influences the rights, freedoms, and responsibilities of citizens.

The primary implementation areas of social policy are:

• social security,
• employment, and
• migration (Blakemore, 2003).

Examples of social policies include raising the minimum wage , reforming marriage law, and mandating a minimum school leaving age of 16 years of age.

A government’s social policy is interwoven with the social values it aims to promote . For example:

• A social democratic government may pursue social justice reforms, resource redistribution, and increased access to healthcare.
• An economically liberal government is traditionally concerned with pursuing efficient social policies that encourage economic activity in order to raise living standards.

Social Policy Examples

Unemployment support – Raising the amount of money people earn when on unemployment benefits, or linking unemployment benefits to job applications.

Housing – Zoning laws, laws about housing standards, and rent-to-own policies are all designed to promote home ownership for the middle and working classes.

Neighborhood renewal – Local governments are often concerned with social policies linked to ensuring people have access to greenspace, entertainment, and sporting facilities.

Child and family support – Many governments will implement child support programs like childcare support programs to help families deal with cost of living pressures and encourage parents to re-enter the workforce.

Job training – Governments often implement job training programs for the unemployed to give them the skills to work. These may be free or subsidized for candidates who meet a certain criteria.

Poverty reduction – Poverty reduction policies span a gammut of housing, food security, wealth redistribution, and subsidization plans. Governments may also provide economic incentives for businesses to employ people from impoverished backgrounds.

Pension schemes – Most societies recognize the need for support services for the elderly. Often, governments mandate pension schemes like the US-based 401K to encourage people to save for their retirements.

Schooling and education – Every country makes education mandatory for the young. This social policy ensures the workforce of the future is educated and can meet the challenges of the nation’s economy.

Public health policy – Health care systems are designed to improve the overall wellbeing of the people. Without government assistance and incentives, many parts of a society may miss out.

Disability services – Disabled people have unique needs that are often met through government programs. They may, for example, mandate building accessibility for all new buildings, and provide funds for people with disabilities to retrofit their homes for their needs.

Social Policy Case Studies

1. unemployment support.

Unemployment support is the money the state pays unemployed people regularly when they search for a job.

Unemployment supports take different names, such as unemployment benefits, unemployment insurance, unemployment payment, or unemployment compensation.

It is the state’s responsibility to protect citizens when they face loss of income and the threat of poverty because of unemployment.

This protection is among the human rights recognized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Employment Promotion and Protection Against Unemployment Convention , adopted in 1988.

There are criteria to be eligible for unemployment support. The eligibility issue has become more complex since the 1980s with the advance of globalization.

The socio-economic rationale behind the provision of this support is maintaining market and labor market stability, as well as preventing social unrest.

2.  Housing

Housing policy concerns providing adequate and affordable housing for all citizens.

A home is central to human existence, immensely impacting an individual’s and a family’s living standards in terms of physical and mental health, income security and economic chances, integration in social life, educational achievements, integration of immigrants, and community development:

“Good housing also reduces long-term costs to society in other areas such as health, education, social assistance, and employment insurance” (Carter & Polevychock, 2004).

In other words, access to safe and stable housing is a key social determinant of health .

Housing is a major policy area in a world that is rapidly urbanizing but also facing economic and ecological problems. Even in the industrialized economies of the world (Global North), there are arising challenges before the provision of housing policy.

Among these are rising housing prices, stagnating wages, demographic pressures, and declining public investment in housing.

 Although adequate housing is a human right, over 1 billion people live in slums in the Global South, missing the opportunities for an equal, healthy, safe, and decent living.

The growing social unrest in slums is the central theme in Mike Davis’ Planet of Slums , published in 2006.

3. Schooling and education

Education policy focuses on the public provision of universal education.

The development of public education indeed lies at the core of the emergence of social rights in the 19th century. The welfare state that arose after World War II provided universal education.

According to T.H. Marshall (1950), children should have equal educational opportunities to raise them to be civilized citizens able to make rational choices.

Education provides children with skills and future chances in the labor market and life. Lack of education or adequate education may cause financial insecurity.

Household poverty may be a reason for school dropouts and child labor when educational policy does not function well in coordination with other social policy dimensions.

The increasing number of private schools and the decreasing standards and investments for public schools have been challenging for general education.

This applies to colleges as well. Many students are now working and borrowing to get a degree as the tuition fees increase rapidly while public funds for college education and the number of scholarships decline.

4. Pension schemes

Pensions or pension schemes are retirement plans. During their retirement, people receive periodic payments from a fund in which money accumulates during people’s years of employment.

All workers and self-employed have the right to a pension. Pensions are meant to keep older people’s living standards up, to keep them out of poverty, and to prevent their social exclusion.

Older people, especially older women, face higher risks of poverty compared to the general population.

Older people are no longer active or are not as active in the labor market, but still need income for their living.

Pensions are the main source of income for them. In households headed by older people with children and grandchildren, benefits reach the larger family.

There is a transition, in this policy line, as well, from public-based pensions to market-based pensions (Ebbinghaus & Whiteside, 2012).

5. Poverty reduction

Poverty is a multidimensional issue. There are often class-based reasons behind it.

Poverty reduction means reducing or eradicating poverty through various policy measures. Poverty reduction requires the attention of governments, supported by civil society and international organizations.

Relief for the poor is an essential dimension of this policy.  Unemployment and housing support, decent education and health services, and pension schemes are measures to keep people out of poverty.

Economic development, social protection, political empowerment, and social participation are part of the long-term solution.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are adopted to combat extreme poverty and provide a better future for all.

Social policy is an applied social action to manage social risks and maintain a society’s social protection system. It focuses on how societies around the world provide people’s basic requirements for security, education, job, health, and prosperity.

Social policy also deals with how society responds to universal challenges such as poverty and migration, as well as social, demographic, and economic change.

It manifests itself in areas of policy intervention that vary among political systems and countries.

National governments, the family, civil society, and international organizations have a role, albeit at differing levels according to the system, in the implementation of this social action.

 Blakemore, K. (2003). Social policy: An introduction. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Carter, T., & Polevychok, C. (2004). Housing is good social policy . Canadian Policy Research Networks Incorporated. http://tdrc.net/resources/public/Report-04-12-HousingGood.pdf

Ebbinghaus, B., & Whiteside, N. (2012). Shifting responsibilities in Western European pension systems: What future for social models? Global Social Policy , 12 (3), 266-282.

Marshall, T. H. (1950). Citizenship and social class. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Popock, J. (1992). The ideal of citizenship since classical times. Queens Quarterly , 99 (1), 35–55.

Titmuss, R. (1958). Essays on ‘the welfare state’. London: Allen and Unwin.

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Essay: Social Policy

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Social Policy

The above assertion comes from Aneurin Bevan1 (15 November 1897 ‘ 6 July 1960), a British Labour Party politician who was the Minister for Health in the post-war Attlee government from 1945 to 1951. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people. He was a long-time Member of Parliament (MP), representing Ebbw Vale in southern Wales for 31 years. He was one of the chief spokesmen for the Labour party’s left wing, and of left-wing British thought generally. His most famous accomplishment came when, as Minister of Health, he spearheaded the establishment of the National Health Service, which was to provide medical care free at point-of-need to all Britons. In this 21st century that we are living, it is fair to say that Mauritius can now be tagged as a developing country. More so, the island is often seen as a point of reference in terms of quality of life, development, sustainability as well as the good implementation of social policy and planning amongst its African counterparts. Nevertheless, the exact opposite that is social problems are also present throughout the island. Despite the big leap from the 80s to the new millennium in terms of development, the government of Mauritius is still in need of new social policies to care for the welfare of its citizens and at the same time tackle the problems that exists effectively. But before going in depth about the above assertion and its relevance and application in the context of Mauritius, let us have a look at the definition of social policy first.

What is Social Policy?

"Social policy is an instrument applied by governments to regulate and supplement market institutions and social structures. Social policy is often defined as social services such as education, health, employment, and social security. However, social policy is also about redistribution, protection and social justice. Social policy is about bringing people into the centre of policy-making, not by providing residual welfare, but by mainstreaming their needs and voice across sectors, generating stability and social cohesion.

Social policy is also instrumental in that governments use it pragmatically to secure the political support of citizens, and to promote positive economic outcomes by enhancing human capital and productive employment. Social policies can also create a virtuous circle linking human and economic development that, in the long run, will benefit everybody by boosting domestic demand and creating stable cohesive societies2."

From the above definition, we have learnt that social policy is used mostly by a particular government to enhance social services such as education, employment, and social security. In addition to that, social policy also deals with redistribution, protection and social justice. What is meant by this? According to us, redistribution is the tax money of those who have contributed to it and the government using it in order to enhance the social services for the benefit of the population. Protection is having law and order in the country to keep things in balance and Mauritius being one of the country around the world not using military services, it is the police force who ensure that law and order is being respected. Social policy is also important because governments makes use of it in different ways to secure the political support of citizens in order to win an election. In order to win one, a particular government has to make sure that it is fighting for the interests of the country and its citizens by enhancing social welfare in the process as well as providing numerous facilities for everyone to benefit from.

What are the different views on Social Policy?

Marxist views on social policy3: "Karl Marx suggested that there is an inequality between capitalists and the working class." Marxists focus on the inequalities that exist in society between the bourgeoisie or capitalists (owners of factories and businesses) and the proletariat or working class (everyone else). The relationship between these two groups is not equal as the working class are forced to sell their labour to the capitalists in return for money. The capitalists make a profit as they pay the workers less than the value of what they produce. For some Marxists social policies such as free education, health care, and welfare state are the result of class struggle. For other Marxists social policies are just ‘smokescreens’ to make life appear better.

Feminist views on social policy4: Feminists support benefits for single parents because most single parents are women. They argue that most women do not want to be single parents but may have been left abusive or empty shell marriages and should be supported by the state. The feminists argue that if benefits for single parents are reduced then the children will suffer. Feminists are also in favor of divorce laws because they enable women to free themselves from patriarchal control, and would welcome the recent civil partnership law which enables gay couples to gain similar legal rights to heterosexuals. Feminists also argue that many social policies are sexist and stereotypical. One example is maternity leave which although on one level is far more generous for women than paternity leave is for men. This includes the assumption that women will want to stay at home and look after their child whilst men will want to go back to work. Child benefit is also normally paid to the women, which assumes they are the primary one looking after he/she.

What are Social Problems?

"The concept of "social problem5" is a claim that some condition, set of events, or group of persons constitutes a troublesome situation that needs to be changed or ameliorated."

Having defined a condition as a social problem there then is a legitimate basis for bringing public resources to bear upon it. Defining a condition as a social problem, gaining acceptance of that definition among a significant proportion of the population, and garnering public resources to address the problem in a certain manner usually are not easy tasks to accomplish. A condition is not a social problem unless it is seen as violating certain fundamental values and beliefs about how society should operate. Achieving widespread consensus about whether a condition contradicts these values and beliefs can be difficult to obtain.

All human problems do not become public ones. A social problem is a socially constructed way of seeing certain conditions that provides a claim to change through public actions. Thus, a social problem is not separate from everyday interactions of citizens in a society. Nor is it separate from the operations, goals, and objectives of social institutions. The process of constructing the idea of a "social problem" also defines and reinforces what is considered to be a standard for behavior or social conditions. That is, defining a condition as a social problem also defines what society considers to be the "right" way to do things.

Mauritius: fact file6

Population: 1.3 million (according to UN figures for 2010) Area: 2,040 sq km (788 sq miles) Capital city: Port Louis GNI per capita: US$7,240 (??4,560) Life expectancy: 76 years for women, 68 years for men Languages: English (official), Creole, French, Indian languages Religions: Hinduism (52 per cent), Christianity (28 per cent), Islam (17 per cent) Main industries: Tourism, Tea, Textiles, Banking and Business outsourcing, Sugar

Social Problems in Mauritius

For many, Mauritius is a paradise island and to protect their belief, they will usually overlook the inherent problems in the country to avoid the challenges of the truth. To be patriotic is a good thing but to be ignorant is undoubtedly foolish. When you’re released from the mesmerizing beautiful beaches and comforting weather, you find yourself in a society full of knaves. As many other countries around the world, Mauritius too have many social problems arising. Though the government has strived very hard in implementing new social policies to counteract those problems, the solutions seemed to make very little effect in enhancing the welfare of its citizens. Below we will have a look at the Health problems, Aging population and Unemployment because according to us, these tend to be the main problems that the government has to face. We will provide new social policies that the government can use in order to tackle these problems.

The Mauritian Health Care System

The Ministry of Health operates under the portfolio of the Minister of Health and Quality of Life. Some of its many functions include: developing comprehensive health care services to meet the population’s Health Needs, to manage facilities for the treatment and prevention of diseases, including mental diseases, by maintenance of hospital, health centre and other health facilities. The Ministry regulates the practice of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy and conducts operational bio-medical health studies of diseases of major importance in the country. It also makes provisions for the rehabilitation of the disabled. It is hence the organisation responsible for the formulation of Mauritian health policy and administers the country’s health system through planning, resource allocation, monitoring and overall coordination.

According to the Health Systems Performance exercise carried out and published by the WHO in its Annual Report 2000, the Mauritian Health Care System was ranked as 56th in terms of responsiveness but only had an average ranking of 78th out of 191 countries when taking into account ‘health distribution’, ‘performance’, ‘overall health system attainment’, ‘fairness of contribution to health system’, ‘responsiveness’, ‘health expenditure per capita’ etc. Based on data from 1997, the health per capita expenditure was estimated at $152. To this day 4 main sources of financing healthcare exist in Mauritius namely: tax funded; private household out-of-pocket payment; private firms and corporations, including health insurance and foreign aid.

However, there have been improvements in the past decade. In 2008 the health spending per capita was US $502, public health expenditure as a per cent of GDP was 2% and private health expenditure as a per cent of GDP reached 2.1 %. It is also important to note that in recent years, the public sector has undertaken efforts to acquire its own equipment for specialised diagnostic services such as renal dialysis, CT scanning and MRI services, which were previously provided mostly by the private sector. At the end of 2009, there were 1,500 doctors in the Republic of Mauritius, representing 11.7 doctors per 10,000 population. Of those doctors, 887 (59.1%) were employed in the public sector. This shows an increase compared to the year 2000 when there was 1,080 doctors, that is, 9.1 per 10,000 population. Private healthcare consists in the private practice of medical and dental care, private clinics with in-patient beds and facilities for examination, consultation and diagnostic procedures. According to the WHO the Private Sector continues to provide quality care but at a lower volume of services. The total number of beds in the public and private sectors as at the end of 2009 was thus 4,281, that is, 290 inhabitants per bed. In 2000, the corresponding ratio was 264 7.

Despite this, the public health care in Mauritius has got a bad name. The reason is simple – the service isn’t good. We are not saying there are bad doctors, no. You will eventually get treated but you would have lost all your self-respect in the process. You will have to bow down to all sorts of stupid procedures. You will be called for an appointment at a specific time and be seen some 3 hours later if you’re lucky. You will undergo so much frustration and stress that you’d wish you had more money to go to a clinic. Of course, people still believe it’s a good service because what can you expect for free, eh? And they’d argue that there are too many patients to cope with. These are the same people who go to private clinics.

So here arise the big question. How can the government implement new policies in order for people to see the public health service as one of quality in terms of service and treatment given?

We particular think that the government should carry out workshops and seminars in educating the personnel of public health service on how to approach patients as well as dealing with their problems. There should be a set guidelines in terms of speaking to people. It is not because the service is free that we should take people for granted. Nevertheless, the public also has the perception that if it is free, then they can do whatever they want or more often you will hear Mauritians claiming that it is their tax money and therefore they can abuse the free service. Campaigns should be made in order to educate people on how to behave towards civil servants. If they feel that respect is being shown to them, then they will surely act in a more positive manner. It is a two way process.

Moreover, we have the problem of big queues in hospitals. The government should make sure that people with minor problems such as contracting influenza should go to their respective community health centre instead of coming to the hospital and overcrowding it. People should be encouraged to adopt this approach and surely the positive results should be seen. However, if the problem persists, then according to us, the government should impose a fee of 25 rupees per head of patient. This will discourage people coming to the hospital unnecessarily and only those who are really in need of medical attention will be seeking the service. Also, the government will be making money from this policy and this particular money can be ploughed back in the health care system in order to ameliorate the infrastructures and services given. This can be seen as a win-win situation for both the government and the public.

We must also not forget that Mauritius is facing the dilemma of high rise in obesity, cancer and cardio vascular diseases as well as diabetes amongst its population although according to the International Diabetes Federation Atlas 2012, Mauritius, with a prevalence of 15.53% 8, no longer features among the ten countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes in the world amongst its population.

Obesity is one of the largest health challenges Mauritius is facing currently. Results from the government’s Global School- based Student Health Survey performed in 2011 divulged that over 28 per cent of children aged 6 to 19 years were overweight or obese. With only 19 per cent of students assessed were physically active for a total of at least an hour per day, and 39 per cent spent three or more hours per day doing sedentary activities. Recent government statistics suggest that the trend will continue beyond 30 per cent in 2012; in 2004 child obesity prevalence was 16 per cent. The causes behind the rising level of childhood obesity in Mauritius are the swing in diet towards an augmented intake of fast foods and high carbohydrate meals that are excessive in fat with vitamin and mineral content coupled with sedentary lifestyles, which include computer games and the rise of social networking sites. According to WHO9, the frequency has increased at a frightening rate .In 2010,worldwide the amount of overweight children below the age of 5 has been estimated to be over 42 million. With around 35 million of them residing in developing countries.

So what should be done to fight obesity and cancer?

We clearly think that campaigns ads should be done more often in order to captivate the attention of the public when it comes to the problem of obesity. Having the problem of obesity arising in children, this surely does not bode well for the future of Mauritius. What will happen to the future workforce? If the coming generation is not healthy, this will result in the collapse of the Mauritian economy. According to us, taxes should be placed on fast foods as well as other unhealthy food products. Nowadays, fast foods are prevalent throughout the island. More and more people are seeing it as a substitute to homemade food. The government should encourage people to buy healthy by reducing the price for healthy commodities and thus making it available for everyone to acquire. Moreover, the government should sensitized parents on how to control the eating habit of their children. Workshops should be carried out in order to reach those parents because they are the first ones concerned and if they have grasped the concept of eating healthy, then the government can claim a first victory towards fighting obesity.

Concerning cancer10, it is the third most common cause of death after diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in Mauritius. From 2006 to 2010, the Ministry of Health registered 7,700 new cases of cancer, compared to 4,818 from 1991 to 1995. Every year, 1,500 new cases are registered. Several factors are associated with cancer: genetic deformity, cigarette smoking, alcohol, obesity and excess consumption of meat among others. Note that 250 out of 1,000 deaths are due to cancer and 80% of lung cancer are linked to cigarette smoking while alcohol causes mouth and stomach cancer. Although smoking is prohibited in indoor public places, on public transport, and in public transport facilities, the consumption of tobacco is still very popular in Mauritius. Moreover, Mauritians have the habit of drinking too much alcohol.

According to us, the government should impose more taxes on cigarettes and alcoholic products. The pessimists will say that the government has already taken that route but we cannot find any change. During each budget, taxes are imposed on cigarettes and alcoholic products. Yet, this seems to have no effect on Mauritians. Therefore, we think that by charging a higher rate of tax, say for example increasing the price of a packet of cigarettes from 155 rupees to 200 rupees, we tend to think that this will act as a deterrent to the cigarettes consumption.

Or what about the craziest idea of legalizing marijuana? The government can take examples from Uruguay who has become the first country to do so. We clearly think that marijuana can be used as a substitute to cigarettes. According to scientists, cigarettes are more harmful. By legalizing marijuana, it will have many positive effects in terms reducing cancer related to cigarettes. Furthermore, the crime rate of using drugs will be reduced and the government can be the one responsible for cultivating and distributing it among the public. The state will be able recover most of the money going out on the black market and use it in order to fight poverty.

However if the government feels reluctant to choose this option, then why do we not promote the use of electronic cigarettes? Last but not least, if the above solutions does not work, then we think it is high time to make people who are suffering from cancer related to cigarette and alcohol consumption start paying for their treatment instead of receiving it for free. Now this will surely withhold people from consuming these products!

The Problem of Aging population in Mauritius

"The process of aging goes beyond academic and didactic spheres, particularly demography, and will soon ply all societies, of which we are part, in a very pervading and impressive way5." (Frank W. Notestein) 11

Aging is a silent process, which remains hidden in the vicissitudes of a population with no external and noisy display, as for example in the case of unemployment. It manifests itself as a completely new issue in the history of mankind, upsetting age-old balances, and there is not temporal, territory, political or operative elements and parameters to make references to.

Mauritius has been one of the countries where the demographic transition had been completed in a very short lapse of time. The aging process has and will continue to be almost equally precipitous and dramatic. The two determining factors have been the decline in the fertility levels, which took place principally between 1962 to 1973 and which is still continuing and the improvement in the health of the population that is measured by the increase in life expectancy. The main improvements in life expectancy set in as from 1960’s and are still continuing. They increased from 60.8 years for males and 65.89 years for females in 1971-73 to 67.37 years for males and 74.62 years for females in 1998- 2000.12

The most important impact of both these phenomena – the decline in fertility rates and the improvement in life expectancy ‘ has been on the age structure of the population, and is having significant implications on the economy and the government budget. The age structure of the population the Republic of Mauritius has been changing as from 1962. The population below 15 and above 60 as a percentage of the total population fell from 50.7 in 1962 to 37.7% in 1990 and 34.5% in 2000. As from 2020, this trend will be reversed and the percentage will increase to 36.3% in 2020 to reach 42.0 % in 2040.13 The dependency ratio will follow a similar trend.

Thus in Mauritius for example because of falling fertility rates in the past decades and the decline in the size of women in the fertile age, the population will continue to age. This is further accentuated by the rising survivor rates and because of the male/female differences in survivor rates the aging of female populations has and will continue to be more intense than for males.

So what should be done to overcome this problem?

Most governments are not prepared either from an organizational or structural point of view to face all aspects of aging. In Mauritius as in most countries there are two ministries dealing what the problem of the elderly. As aging is increasing the number of chronic illnesses and the spread of disability also increases. In order to better cope with problems and policy actions required it would be better to have a single institution for health and social affairs. While policy making will continue to be made at a central level, some amount of flexibility at the local level may be required.

In Mauritius, social welfare is well decentralized and health care for the aged will also need to be organized to allow for greater flexibility at the local level. Although families remain the main care providers and within families the women, little has been done to evaluate the needs of families ‘ in terms of physical, economic and even emotional and psychological support – to provide this care. The challenge is to find solutions that divide the care between the family, the state, and private organizations in an effective way. The setting up of a National Institute of Aging to study all the aspects ‘ individual and collective, bio-sanitary and socio-economic ‘relating to aging needs to be given serious consideration. The Mauritius Institute of Health could have a unit devoted to geriatric issues to start with.

Over the years, in Mauritius the over 60s will constitute an increasing share of the total population as the baby boomers reach retirement age and because of higher survival rates. The fiscal headache that the aging phenomenon causes is the one that is catching the attention of policy makers. Non-contributory pension is almost universal while other pensions schemes as Pay as you earn (PAYE) and privately funded pensions schemes affect only a minority of the population. So the shift to some form of private pre-funded and sustainable pension scheme may not be the immediate answer but could provide a long-term solution. The ‘parametric’ reforms that boost revenue (such as increasing pension contribution or the number of contributors) or cutting pension spending (reducing benefits or the number of pensioners) could help. Some of these measures could be difficult to implement as it ‘would require a graying electorate to accept an erosion of its promised benefits. Resolving pension would require gradually building a private pension component so that it will eventually help to compensate for the unavoidable future cutbacks in public pensions benefits without pitting younger and older generations against each other.

While accepting the fiscal aspects of the graying population, the social implications are more important and definitely more difficult to resolve. In fact, what appeared to be an ideal solution to an over populated world may bring an unwelcome old age to a large segment of the population. But the ingenuity of the human race is unlimited. Just as over population has been managed, diseases have been conquered so that human life span has been extended, solutions to cope with the new enigma will be found. But it is necessary to take stock of the situation at every level. Individuals, families, organizations, state planners and policy makers will all have to work together. This is a situation where the solution cannot be wholly ‘top down’ or’ bottom up’.

Fertility control in Mauritius was pioneered by groups of concerned individuals with the support of the Mauritius Family Planning Association (MFPA) in 1957 and another association, approved by the Catholic church – the Action Familiale. In the case of ‘aging’, leadership seems to be diffused and/ or lacking. The solution appears to be piece meal. International support also does not appear to be dynamic enough to make much headway. Much strengthening is required to what is already on the pipeline to have the same impact as the efforts of the early pioneers who introduced family planning in Mauritius.

Unemployment In Mauritius

The latest official unemployment figures are alarming in Mauritius: 13,700 more unemployed between March 2012 and March 2013. 37% of 52 500 unemployed people under 15, while 8200 are heads of households. The government, through the YEP, NEF, the Service program to Mauritius, SMEDA and NWEC trying to find a solution while the Minister of Labour encourages youth emigration. The economic situation does not inspire hope either … Rising unemployment starts to worry. If, at the end of last year, the unemployment rate was 7.8%, it reached 8.7% in the first quarter of this year. The number of Mauritians with employment was 549,200 at March 31, against 556,100 at 31 December 2012. However, the Central Bureau of Statistics is reassuring providing an increase of 2,100 in the number of employees at the end of this year. The final rate could reach 8.3% for 2013. Of the 52,500 registered unemployed, there are 22,100 men and 30,400 women. About 19 300 people under the age of 25 years. Note that almost 10 000 unemployed people do not even have the CPE, while 17,000 others are not SC. About 11 100 people seeking employment for over a year, while 16,700 are seeking their first job. The most serious is that 8,200 unemployed have a family to feed.14

How about employment? Employment (‘000) 2009 2010 2011 2012 Labour Force (Mauritian) 572.2 581.3 582.8 596.4 Male 360.3 362.4 363.6 372.3 Female 211.9 218.9 219.2 224.1

Employment (Mauritian) 524.8 536.1 536.7 544.8 of which: Men 342.3 345.7 344.8 348.7 : Women 182.5 190.4 191.9 196.1 Employment (Foreigners) 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 Total Employment 545.8 558.1 559.7 568.8

Unemployment (‘000) 41.5 45.2 46.1 47.1 Male(‘000) 15.8 16.7 18.8 18.6 Female(‘000) 25.7 28.5 27.3 28.5 Unemployment Rate (%) 7.3 7.8 7.9 8.1

The above table taken from The Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry gives us a more easier way to see employment in Mauritius.15

They are many graduates who are unable to get a suitable job. Worse, faute de mieux, some graduates willing to do small jobs in order to have a minimum income. With the explosion in the number of tertiary institutions, the number of graduates certainly increase, thanks to the policy of ‘One Graduate per Family’. However, the fear of not finding a job wins youth.

Below is a recent interview taken from Le Mauricien newspaper done by Roland Dubois on 22 February 2014, senior adviser to the ministry of finance in promoting Youth Employment.16

What is the unemployment situation in Mauritius? Bureau of Statistics refers to an unemployment rate of 20 500 people under the age of 25 in 2012. According to the International Labour Office, in 2011 there were 74.8 million young people aged 15-24 unemployed. This represents an increase of more than 4 million since 2007 on the international scene. The rate of youth unemployment is around 12.7 percent. And the global trend shows that three times as many young people are affected by unemployment than adults.

What are the means put in place to hire young people? The government is aware of the problem of unemployment. Thus, a program of Rs 330 million was proposed in the 2013 budget. The goal: to increase the likelihood of youth employment. When young, despite his qualifications, looking for a job, he calls what he experienced. However, it is often not obvious to one who has completed his studies. Another problem: his qualifications do not meet the business demand. In addition, when companies cannot find people with the skills they employ foreigners. Thus, the government and business work together to ensure that young people develop an industrial experience that will help them meet the hiring criteria.

How will this be practice? A steering committee, the Skills Working Group (SWG) was established for the implementation of this program. It will be chaired by Roland Dubois, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Finance and Makoond Raj, Director of the Joint Economic Council. Other members will include representatives of the Ministry of Employment, Ministry of Education and Human Resources, the Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of ICT, HRDC, the MQA, the MEF, the NCB and NEF. This committee meets at least once a week.

How do you encourage young recruits? Youth will be recruited by companies for a year. Graduates will be paid up to Rs 15,000 per month (the government will contribute half and the other half will be paid by the company). Those who did not receive diplomas up to Rs 8000 per month, half of which will be paid by the Government and the other by the company. In cases where young people will follow other courses, the government will contribute half of the cost up to Rs 7500. The Mauritius Qualifications Authority (MQA) will help facilitate the approval of these training programs.

What is business? The company that hires ten or younger is required to use at least half of these young people for an additional year. But if a young person shows good occupational provisions, it is likely that the company employed on a permanent basis. The SWG is working on an efficient system for recruitment, employers can identify directly recruits and make a request to the SWG for inclusion under the Youth Employment Program. This program does not apply to areas of trade and financial services. For more details, interested parties may contact the Ministry of Finance. Very soon, a website will be available and employers and job seekers can register there.

According to us, if Roland Dubois and company keep their words towards promoting youth employment, then surely the policies adopted above will be very much welcome and appreciated. Though unemployment is seen as a major problem Mauritius including the government as well, we cannot hide the fact that much solutions are being monitored and steps forward are being taken in order to face off this social problem.

The government should note that having one ‘graduate per house’ is a very good policy but it should not be done and accomplish just for the sake of doing it. The youth cannot be taken for granted because we are relying on them to contribute towards the development of the country and the society as well. We must not be quick to draw conclusion such as Rajesh Jeetah had done by saying " Young people need to make the right choice. They must learn before embarking on higher education. My ministry is to open access to higher education and not to decide the place of youth in their career choices. Some graduates do not even know how to write a CV correctly17."

From the above statement, we clearly think that the blame must not be put on young people’s shoulders. If they are to make the right choice, then it is surely the responsibility of the concerning bodies to see to it that redundant courses, where demand on the job market is very low to be taken off the program course offered by Universities in Mauritius. Alternatively, the government should set up a career guidance committee for young people in order for them to make the right choice in the future. Then surely, Mauritius will not be having so much difficulty in dealing with unemployment especially among the youths. Otherwise, they will be thinking of migrating in other countries where their skills will be in much demand. The Labour Minister Shakeel Mohamed, sparked controversy when he urged young people to seize any opportunity hiring beyond our borders. This statement has caused several reactions in the press and on social networks. Those who are against this idea argue that it is the responsibility of government to help create jobs for citizens through economic policy. Encourage young people to go look elsewhere is a failure of the whole system and the government must act immediately before it is too late!

To conclude, we can say that the social problems that we have seen from the Mauritius Health Care System, the Aging Population across the island as well as the unemployment rate are very alarming. The government of Mauritius should seek to it that new social policies as well as its planning are being studied by the policy makers accordingly. The above policies that we have proposed can be seen as satisfactory in regards to the problems assigned. However, the experts that are employed by the government should be able to find the necessary solutions and answers to these social problems. We should note that social problems will always exists within any country. Social policies are therefore necessary because the benefits of economic growth do not automatically reach all. Inadequate social policies ultimately limit growth in the medium and long term. Social policies are justified not only from a humanitarian viewpoint; they are an economic and political need for future growth and political stability, minimally to maintain citizen support for their governments. "Applying social policies to particular problems is truly an art" said Aneurin Bevan. So it is the role of the government to be successful in conducting this particular art. Failure to do so can bring the Mauritian economy down on its knees and this is the last thing that the State will want to face. Here is hoping that the government of Mauritius does its job correctly so that the future generation can look ahead to a brighter tomorrow!

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Home — Essay Samples — Economics — Economic Growth — Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Policy

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Policy

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Apply to the MS in Social Policy Program

Admissions Requirements

The MSSP program at Penn values our students’ academic and professional experience from social policy-related sectors and fields. We believe that these experiences help students ground their studies and enrich discourse and learning in the classroom. In addition to a demonstrated interest in social policy, some form of policy experience is preferred. Therefore, we will consider your policy-related internships, professional background, and academic work in the application.

Applicants to the MSSP program are expected to have:

• A Bachelor’s degree and grade point average that reflects strong academic ability;
• A demonstrated interest in social policy, social justice, and/or social justice-oriented policy;
• For international applicants whose first language is not English, TOEFL score (Institutional Code 2926; Department Code 95) of 100 or higher or IELTS score of 7.5 or higher taken within the last two years.

MSSP+DA Admissions Requirements

The MSSP+DA admissions criteria are the same as the criteria for the standard MSSP program; however, MSSP+DA applicants are expected to have taken at least one statistical analysis course and/or done statistical analysis work prior to application. No prior coding or programming experience is necessary. The required application essay should address the applicant’s particular interest in Data Analytics.

Applications must be made directly to the MSSP+DA certificate program. No variation or extension in the MSSP+DA is possible.

MSSP-only applicants should not expect to be able to transfer into the MSSP+DA program; interested applicants should apply to the DA program directly.

Applicants to the MSSP+DA may be eligible for and accepted into the MSSP (alone) even if they are not accepted into the MSSP+DA.

Application Deadline

The early application deadline is December 1st.

The final application deadline is February 1st.

Application Components

Online Application

Your admissions process begins with submitting your application online . After creating an account to start your application, you will be able to return to your application as many times as you wish before submitting. You can track the status of your application, including the receipt of letters of recommendation and any other supplemental materials, at any time by logging into your account.

You must submit a resume as part of your online application.

Application Essay

All applicants are required to respond to several questions for their application essay.

Transcripts

Applicants must submit transcripts detailing all undergraduate and postgraduate study via the online application. This includes coursework conducted at an applicant’s degree-granting institution(s) as well as in study abroad programs and at institutions out of which an applicant may have transferred. Applicants should upload copies of their official transcripts (i.e.  not  screenshots from a student record or student grade system) that clearly display their name, dates of enrollment, the names of all courses in which they enrolled, and the credits and grades awarded for each class. Applicants  should not   mail hard copies of transcripts to the School for purposes of application review.

ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS:

Transcripts reflecting more than two semesters of study at  institutions based outside of the United States must   be evaluated  on a course-by-course basis by a third-party evaluation service such as  WES  or  Educational Perspectives , or another  NACES-accredited member . This applies even if the studies were conducted in English and even if the transcript is printed in English.

Applicants with these international transcripts should upload their university-issued transcripts into the online application and order their official, third-party evaluations sent to the School of Social Policy & Practice. Please note that these international transcripts cannot be considered official until they have been evaluated and that their respective applications cannot be reviewed until the evaluations have arrived in the Admissions Office.

Letters of Recommendation

Each application requires three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be submitted directly to the online application.

Applicants are required to have two academic references and one employment or volunteer reference.

Test Scores

Applicants are not required to submit GRE scores.

For international students whose first language is not English, we require official TOEFL or IELTS scores taken in the last two years. A minimum of 100 on the Internet-based (iBT) TOEFL or a minimum Overall Band Score of 7.5 on the IELTS is required.

TOEFL scores should be sent to Institutional Code 2926 and Department Code 95.

To submit IELTS scores, request an official copy of your standardized test scores to be sent directly to our office using the IELTS E-Delivery Account Name: University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice. Confirm that you have selected the correct department by verifying that the associated address is for the account is 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6216.

Admissions Interview

Video Interview

All students will be asked to complete a recorded video interview prior to submitting the application. You will be asked to record your answer to four questions and will have time to both practice recording and prepare for the questions prior to recording your video interview. We would advise planning to spend approximately 20 minutes distraction-free to complete the recorded video interview process.

You will need to complete the interview portion of the application in either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. You can complete the interview on any laptop or desktop with a functioning webcam and microphone.

Additional Interviews

On occasion, applicants will be asked to interview after application submission. Although there is little preparation needed for the interview, you may want to consider the following:

• Review your responses to the video interview prompts;
• Be on time (sign into Zoom a few minutes early);
• Dress professionally (wear what you feel is appropriate for a job interview);
• Relax and be yourself.

Upon notification of acceptance for admission to the University, you are required to submit a nonrefundable $300 to reserve your spot in the class. The deposit due date is provided with the offer of admission. The deposit will be credited to your account upon matriculation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between social policy & public administration.

Social policy graduates are engaged in global, federal, state, and local government policy arenas. Their policy, research, and substantive skills are also in demand for policy creation, implementation, and evaluation in nonprofit, philanthropic, and research organizations.

Public administration graduates tend to work predominantly in local government policy settings or in policy positions within nonprofit organizations.

What is the difference between social policy and public policy?

Social policy is a subset of public policy that focuses on solving  social  problems such as economic and educational inequality, racial and health disparities, and other similar problems through policy. As such, social policy initiatives and outcomes actively attend to social issues of equity, equality, and adequacy.

Public policy may or may not be as focused on social problems and social issues.

What is the difference between social policy and macro social work?

Social policy is centrally focused on social change processes through policy work in multiple levels of government or in other types of organizations as noted above. Macro social work more frequently addresses social change via an emphasis on policies, practices, and procedures  within  human service organizations.

What sets Penn’s MSSP program apart from other policy programs?

Penn’s one-year MSSP program is intensive, comprehensive, and practical. Penn’s MSSP graduates are in high demand in governmental and non-governmental policy settings because of these program components:

• Intensive emphasis on research and evaluation skills, quantitative and qualitative reasoning;
• Active instruction in oral and written communications skills by communications experts;
• Elective opportunities in Schools across the University of Pennsylvania;
• Opportunity to integrate global options within the School of Social Policy & Practice, across the University of Pennsylvania, and through exchanges with other universities;
• The policy internship, which provides real-world policy work experience;
• Highly individualized advising and attention; and
• Supportive and broad-based MSSP, SP2, and Penn alumni networks.

Who makes admission decisions?

Once the application is complete (including the interview), the Admissions Committee makes all admission decisions. The completed application file, i.e., transcripts, experience, letters of recommendation, application statement, and resume, is reviewed.

Do you accept transfer students into Penn’s MSSP Program?

Generally, transfers are not allowed between programs. Each program requires a separate application and follows a distinct curriculum configuration. However, an exception can be made in consultation with the faculty director if a student has a compelling reason to transfer programs, there are seats available, and the student applies to transfer before the first academic semester starts. Transfers are exceptional and not guaranteed.

How many courses do you take each semester?

Full-time MSSP students take five courses a semester for two semesters. Full-time MSSP+DA students take four courses a semester for three semesters. Each class in SP2 meets one day a week. The Capstone Seminar takes place during the Spring Semester and Summer Session I. The MSSP Policy Internship generally takes place during Summer Session I, while the MSSP+DA Policy Internship usually takes place during Spring Session II.

What is the grading system at the Penn School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2)?

SP2 uses the system of letter grade evaluation that is used by other M.A. and PhD programs at the University. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above is required for MSSP graduation.

Does the School provide academic advising?

Yes. Each student is assigned an advisor who helps the student make the maximum use of the School and University’s resources for a rich academic experience.

How are Social Policy Internships arranged?

Information about the social policy internship component of the MSSP degree can be found on our internship webpage .

SP2 Admissions

215 746 1934

215 746 1300 (fax)

apply@sp2.upenn.edu

Related Links

MS IN SOCIAL POLICY >

MSSP+DA >

MSSP DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS >

MSSP CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS & SPECIALIZATIONS >

HOW TO APPLY >

TUITION & FEES >

FINANCIAL AID >