Welfare and Community Care Theories - Coursework Example

 Welfare and Community Care Introduction What is social policy? According to Alock (2003) social policy, distinctly belong to the family of social science, along with political science sociology and economics. This means social policies involve supporting the well-being of citizens; hence, study of social policy refers to how the concept of well being of citizens is interpreted by different societies and government. In addition, it involves how developing policies are set in order to be able to meet various social needs. According to Dean, (2006) social policy is all about study of human well being (welfare) because it is all about how well (safe and healthy) people are and not how well they do. Social policies are not only about material goods and services, it also includes forms of income, support, health services and education. Moreover, it concerns how goods and services contribute to quality life of individuals and society as a whole. It covers concepts such as needs, wants and equality in different economic, social, cultural, and political contexts. Discussing the theories in social policy, which underpin welfare provision According to Moore (2002), The theories of social policy that underpin welfare provision include: the new right approach, the social democratic approach, the radical socialist or Marxist approach, the feminist approach, the anti- racist approach, environmentalism and the third way. The new right approach to social problems is also referred to as market liberal, neo-conservative, or anti-collectivist. It became very influential from 1980s onwards in the conservative party. In contrast to its name the New Right, most of its ideas are old. Its key ideas include the market, rational man or woman, the deserving and the undeserving. According to the market, the government should not intervene in business and commerce as it causes harm. Business know what they are doing moreover, they become succeful if they are good. However, if they are bad they fail to make profits and go bankrupt. Consumers determine prices if they think the goods are of good quality and quantity. Workers will also decide the level of wages to be paid by considering if the salaries are worth working for. Government should only intervene if there is a monopoly, where one company is the only supplier of a particular goods or services and may increase prices to any level it desires. In having market economy, it results in great inequality between those who are successful and the unsuccessful. The importance of the market belief is reflected in the healthcare and community care reforms introduced in 1990s. It created divisions between those who on behalf of the public bought the services and those who provided them. The intentions of reforms were to create an artificial market in order to increase efficiency. Social security According to this theory, private companies should play role of delivering health and welfare to its workers. People should also be responsible to cover themselves against risk by buying their own insurance cover. This approach suggests that people do not have automatic right to welfare even if they are not employed, poor or single parent. This is because they made choices to have children, not to save for old age and did not work hard to be out of poverty. It is important as people are expected to carefully plan for old age and other possibilities such as illnesses and unemployment. According to Millar (2003), the implication of the theory to the social security is that the old and the disadvantaged are not catered for. As a result, there would be more suffering and pain to the disadvantaged because the government does not step to assist them. Instead, the conservative and New Labour since 1980s have encouraged private pensions and emphasize that older people pay for their own care instead of them relying on the state. This approach insists the poor should turn to family for help and when it fails, charity comes in. However, the disabled should be helped by the state. Hence, it suggests that the welfare state should be removed and replaced with a residual version to support the disabled. Gender. In this theory, both men and women are treated alike. This approach focuses on the idea of rational woman and man. The new right theory argues that free choices are made by everyone according to what they regard to be right for them and Individuals should accept every outcome the way it is. Social democratic approach Social democratic approach explains that welfare state is central to the society because it acts as cement to hold society together. It is associated with the labour party though some conservatives and all liberal democrats subscribe to this approach in general. They all share ideas that the right of every British citizen should be ensured by the government. This way they will be free from poverty and they will be able to receive health care according to the need, and not as per their ability to pay. According to this theory, the cause of poverty and different social problems is modern society because it creates victims, which include the unemployed, those with disabilities who cannot compete in jobs and those who are suffering from long term illnesses. The underlying ideas of social democratic approach have been the basis of welfare state since it was founded in 1940s. The ideas include centralised government provision of welfare, inequality, citizenship, the family, private and charitable welfare, and the deserving and the undeserving. First is the centralised government provision of welfare, most early social democrats were elitist and paternalistic. They believed in the ability of experts to determine what was to be done to improve social affairs and people rights by dictating policies for those who received them. Social democrats were not all like this; rather it was because of top down approach that was very influential in the British social policy that led to the shaping of the welfare state development. The reflection of this is in the bureaucratic nature of welfare provision for the public until recently where there was suspicion of private and voluntary alternatives to the services of the state. Social democrats believe that radical social upheaval will bring problems as it solves, hence a slow incrementalist or piecemeal is the preferred approach to reform. It insists that social problems can be handled and gradually replaced with capitalism by extension of state control. Secondly is inequality. Social democrats believe in the importance of government to intervene in the economy in order to ensure great inequality does not arise among people. According to Walsh and Moore (2000), the free market benefits those who are powerful and the wealthy and causes harm to the poor. This result from the rich having the power to exploit the poor people, and the government has to intervene by setting limits on inequality and protecting the poor. The third idea is citizenship. Members of the society should have common bonds to unite them; this will protect the society from falling apart because of everyone selfishly focusing on themselves. The concept of citizenship according to writers such as Marshall is more than just holding passport. He states three elements on how to achieve citizenship, first is political citizenship: having the right to vote. Though viewed, as a right already existing it is new as people obtained the vote in twentieth century and it was extended to women in 1928. Second is legal citizenship: the right to justice under the law. It states that law was to be imposed to all equally. The third element is social citizenship; according to Marshall, it remains to be a contentious issue similar to the campaign for women votes in the beginning of twentieth century. Otherwise, full citizenship involves rights to welfare. The fourth idea is the family. According to social democrats, family is important. However, it is not right for some people to care for a sick, old, and disabled relative in their lives. The state ought to offer support to single parent families to have adequate income to raise their children free from poverty. In addition, support should be extended to family carers. This theory insists that people’s rights be relieved from family obligation that they do not desire. The fifth idea is private, charitable provisions of welfare. Social democrats have varied opinions; however, private, and charitable health and welfare provision remains acceptable if the state system is comprehensive and is of high standard. People choose from private residential homes or private hospitals not because they are forced to but through their own choices. People are encouraged to volunteer to work in helping but should not substitute the state provision. The sixth idea is the deserving and the undeserving. Social security According to this approach, it is not easy to determine who deserves and who do not, hence benefits should be readily available to all who seeks for them. This means all those regarded as in need of help should be assisted irrespective of their apparent affluence. Institutional model of welfare is a system where the high standard services are provided for all those who request for them. The social security advisory committee received proposal from the department of work and pension, London proposing the following. The flexible new deal to protect the workers from unfair job practices. The governments in the UK are committed to minimize social exclusion through improving employment opportunities for the most disadvantaged, stop child poverty and promote equality to the challenged members of the society (SSAC and DWP 2009). This approach believes that the state should provide citizens with health and social care. According to this theory though family is important, it is not their responsibility to care for those who are unemployed and the sick. In addition, this approach suggests that it is demeaning for individuals to receive private charity, and when used by individuals as a means of welfare it remains erratic and unreliable. Gender This theory is non-discriminatory in terms of gender and aims at improving the social security of every person. If well implemented most people will be assured of better living standards. The radical socialist or Marxist approach The radical socialist or Marxist approach was develops from Karl Marx writings. Even though much has changed and development has taken place, the basic argument is that free market economies operate in benefit of the rich and powerful whereas majority of the population are harmed. This approach insists on government to take private enterprises, and operate it on behalf of all the members of the society. According to Marx, capitalism has two classes with interests that are fundamentally opposed. These classes are capitalists who are in ownership of the industry, land and commerce and workers working for the owners. Between the two groups, there are inevitable conflicts as the employers makes profits by making employees to work harder for the lowest wages. According to Marxist, very small portion of the population being in ownership of overwhelming bulk of wealth is the cause of poverty and other social problems. In contrast to other perspectives in social policy, Marxism considers only long-term welfare solution as being a replacement to capitalism in a socialist revolution. Social security The theory suggests that the government/ state should provide welfare. The ideas of this approach include the state and welfare. It insists on the state having monopoly of welfare and has obligation of ensuring that unemployment and housing shortage does not exist and that the levels of wages enables everyone to have approximately equal living standards. In this theory, there is no place for charity or even state benefits. Secondly is equality, radical socialists believe that equality should be the ultimate goal of social policy. The rich and the poor people should not exist, and equality should be considered in health provision, housing and social services. The third idea is private property and the market, it suggest that if the existing wealth was equally shared and used for common good poverty would not exist. The forth idea is the family; in this approach family is regarded with suspicion, with the belief that it is unit which as much as it helps it corrupts. It insists that members of the family should not be forced to care for the ill and those who are disabled; instead, it should be the state’s role. This will not imply less love but that provision should be available to those in need as their rights. They do not need to burden other members in the family. The fifth idea is the welfare and state, it argues that in the end the welfare state is harmful as it prevents radical and revolutionary change. This happens in that great inequalities of society are masked and people being provided with just enough to survive on. As a result, people fail to question the continuing existence of great wealth; instead, they remain grateful for the state benefits and health provision. The theory proposes a socialist state, which prevent few capitalist from exploiting members of the society. Gender Marxist believes that capitalists are the genesis of gender discrimination and devastated social security in most countries. The feminist approach The fourth theory is the feminist approach. It has been an influential approach and it can claim it has transformed ways in which men and women act. Feminists set out to do an exploration on this basic insight and show how it affects social policy. Feminism has affected social theory and public life significantly since its second wave that emerged in the 1960s. Feminists challenge perspectives and the assumptions of other theories. Gender It argues that we live in a society that has operated for centuries to the benefit men and harmed women. They insist that most of these theories have their base on male dominated picture of the world that is unrepresentative. They further argue that while welfare provisions can provide greater autonomy considering contraception and childcare, many policies have reinforced women dependency. The social insurance policies of the post-war settlements assumed that women depend on male as breadwinner. Therefore, men generate income while women place is in the kitchen. In addition, women are caretakers in the society and family. According to feminist approach, men have exploited women as power has always remained in their hands. Male dominated system treats women unfairly, for example, they are imprisoned for first offences. Hence, in order to ensure equal treatment women should have representatives and those employed in the criminal justice system. It also suggests that special provisions should be given for particular female medical conditions. Women who initially were neglected by private health and insurance systems have benefited from health system that is freely available. Social security According to liberal feminism, women have had disrupted employment record and discriminated against by the contributory of insurance benefit system. This approach argues that in order to reduce poverty among the lone mothers and pensioners, benefits should be increased. In addition, radical feminism insists that caring and domestic labour needs to be recognised and be included in the welfare entitlement. They further suggest that housework wages has to be introduced. The anti-racist approach The fifth theory is the anti-racist approach. Unlike other approaches, this theory does not set out to give complete model of the society. Social policy traditionally has ignored the questions concerning race. it has been evident that those from ethnic minorities in the UK have the likelihood of being unemployed, low payments, becoming poor, being abused physically and verbally, being harassed by police and even receiving unfair from state welfare institutions. This can be illustrated by the argument that in the UK policing practices are racist but still will be the case even if the police officers are not racists themselves. Describing anti-racism a perspective or even theory about society is not easy, this because it is a movement which more political and cultural movement. Its definition is as much by its opposition as what it says. Anti racism can be best viewed as set of challenges and insights focusing on other approaches and political schemes. According to Leonard (2003), concerning the welfare practices and anti racism, this approach is essential in two alternative approaches namely, assimilation and multiculturalism in the British social policy handling race and ethnicity issues. Assimilation involves intergratation of ethnic minorities to become a host culture by downplaying the differences existing between them. This policy encourages minority groups to conform to the way life of the British. In an argument like the analysis of feminist, it points out that society has exploited and discriminated against people who are from ethnic minorities. It explains why this happen and its effects upon the ethnic minorities. As with women, most members of the ethnic minorities are providers of health and welfare services and are clients too. Hence, any insight possesses huge potential for change. Like feminism, anti-racism concentrates on a neglected issue in social policy. Considerable amount of evidence shows those ethnic minorities in the UK and in other societies are disadvantaged and receive unfair treatment. Anti-racists argue that this caused by racist practices that should be examined and challenged. These practices exist even within the welfare state and are not dealt with by standard policies of integration and multiculturalism, as it should. According to anti –racists’ full-scale attack on institutional racism is essential to deal with these problems. This strategy originates from the idea of the cultural and racial superiority of the white group and the belief of absorption of the minority groups to this culture. This result in hostility to the minority group who do not fit to this idea. Multi culturalism approach believes interaction of the white with other different groups reduces the prejudice and ignorance in them. However, anti racist approach argues that in the UK, multicultural policies have managed to make a small adjustment to welfare and health institution while not dealing with racist fabric in the society. Anti racist insists on the need to change structures, attitudes and procedures that let racism institution to go unchecked. Social Security According to the anti-racist approach that in the UK, those from ethnic minorities are poorer, live in worse housing and work in lower paying jobs unlike the majority population. In the benefit system, there is considerable institutional and racism that is personal. Contribution system exclusionary effects illustrate this, and the likelihood of black claimants receiving social funds grants remaining low. Environmentalism The sixth theory is environmentalism. It is also referred to, as greenism. It is a new approach. Environmentalism approach stresses that wider issues of welfare are essential unlike concentrating on traditional areas of concern most supporters point out how environment mistreatment affects people’s lives. Unlike other social theories and perspectives, the environmentalist movement has a unique agenda. According to Pantazis (2006), environmentalists argue that instead of concentrating on more economic development, we should aim to protect and sustain our fragile eco-system. It focuses on the constraints placed on continued technological development by the natural environment. These constraints are overpopulation regarding the access of resources, ozone layer destruction, possibility of changes in climate, and infection on the food chain such as BSE. All this influences the health and society’s welfare in a bad way. Social security This theory insists that everyone falling below specific income has a right to be supported by the public. It also supports the idea of citizens’ income of basic income scheme whereby entitlement is universal and unconditional. New labour prefers to provide opportunities and funding to enable people help themselves. Gender It also insists that all people living in the UK should have equal rights and opportunities hence introduction of anti-discriminatory policies that opposes sexism, racism, and mistreatment of the disable. It focuses to have all population have a feeling that they belong to the society. Conclusion According to Lavalette and Pratt (2006), the social theories state and explain important concepts in the society. Some prescribes steps that need to be taken to make the world a better place. According to Clasen (1999), the world is bedevilled with gender discrimination and disregard to the welfare of the majority members of the society. It is not clear whether the world will achieve gender equality and high level of social security. However, the ideas of social scientists may help stir the conscience of world leaders to rethink about the challenges faced by the people they lead and develop practical approaches towards alleviation of poverty and pain caused by the existing policies. Disadvantaged members of the society such as the disabled, those without opportunity as well as the old and the very young deserve better livelihood. According to May et. Al. (2001), the state, society and individuals members of the society have a duty to improve the world in which they live and preserve it for the next generation. Finally, it is evident that poverty dis-empowers and makes members of the society vulnerable. Therefore, eradicating poverty may set an agenda for a bright-sustained future. References Alcock, C, Payne, S &Sullivan, M (2003), Introducing social policy, 2nd ed., New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Clasen, J (1999), Comparative social policy: concepts, theories, and Methods, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, Dean, H (2006), Social policy, London: Polity, UK. Lavalette, M& Pratt, A (2006), Social policy: theories, concepts and issues, 3rd ed., SAGE, Leonard, P (2003), Promoting welfare? government information policy and social citizenship , Bristol: The Policy Press. May, M, Page, R, & Brunsdon, E (2001), Understanding social problems: issues in social policy, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, Millar, J (2003), Understanding social security: issues for policy and practice, Bristol: The Policy Press. Moore, S (2002), Social welfare alive, 3rd ed., London: Nelson Thornes, UK. Pantazis, C, Gordon, D& Levitas, R (2006), Poverty and social exclusion in Britain: the millennium survey, Bristol: The Policy Press, University of Bristol, UK. Social Security Advisory Committee and Department for Work and Pensions, (2009). The Social Security (Flexible New Deal) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No. 480): report by the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 174(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and the statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in accordance with section 174(2) of ... London: The Stationery Office Walsh, Stephens, P, Moore, S (2000), Social Policy and Welfare, London: Nelson Thornes, Read More