Please note: Due to alternative arrangements for teaching and
assessment in place from 18 March 2020 to mitigate against the restrictions in
place due to COVID-19, information shown for 2019/20 may not always be accurate.
Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information
for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Social Care in Crisis |
| Unit code |
SPOL20047 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
I/5
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Professor. Cameron |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit focuses on the provision of personal social services and the political, social and economic values that underlie policies in this field. Key concepts considered include need, risk, care and dependency. Students will consider trends and developments in social care, including the development of the mixed economy of provision as well as the personalisation agenda, and the implications of these developments for different groups of service users. Key themes discussed in this unit include how services are financed; what role the private sector should play in the provision of social care and who should assess an individuals need for services. The unit aims to provide students with a critical appreciation of contemporary debates about how and why personal social care services are delivered in their current configuration.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to;
- Demonstrate an understanding of historical and current policy trends in relation to personal welfare services.
- Critically appraise contemporary perspectives on dependency, need, risk and care.
- Critically evaluate the operations of the mixed economy in personal welfare and the respective roles of providers from different sectors.
- Describe and critically assess current issues in the policy, planning and delivery of services.
Teaching Information
This unit is taught by a series of 10 lectures, followed each week by a class. The classes involve a mixture of student presentations and small group exercises.
Assessment Information
Policy brief (1000 words) (25%)
Essay (2000 words) (75%)
Reading and References
- Baldock, J. Mitton, L., Manning, N., and Vickerstaff , S. (2012) Social Policy 4th Edn Chaps. 13 and 14
- Ferguson, I. (2007) Increasing User Choice or Privatising Risk? The Antinomies of Perzonalisation. British Journal of Social Work. 37:387-403
- Lymbery, M., Postle, K. (2015) Social work and the transformation of adult social care: perpetuating a distorted vision? Bristol, Policy Press
- Means, R., Richards, S., Smith, R. (2008) Community care: policy and practice. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan
- Needham, C. (2011) Personalising Public Services: understanding the personalization narrative. Bristol, Policy Press
- Needham, C., Glasby, J. (2015) Debates in personalisation. Bristol, Policy Press.
