SD2S100 - Social Policy and Key Legislation 28 Aug 2023 - 01 Sep 2029 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: SD2S100
Module Title: Social Policy and Key Legislation
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Education, Early Years and Social Work
Faculty Sub Group: Youth and Community
Module Leader: Victoria Macmillan, Lise Jacobsen
Module Team: Kelly McCarthy, Lise Jacobsen, Mark Iggulden, Alun Prosser, Emma Webb, Gemma Trodd, Andrew Gabbidon, Vanessa Evans, Molly Williams
First Intended Intake: SEP 2023 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 28 Aug 2023
Valid To 01 Sep 2029

Module Aims

Explore how government and institutional agencies meet human need in relation to security, education, work, health, and wellbeing.

Introduce student to key legislative framework, social change, and social justice.

Facilitate an awareness of social divisions of race, gender, class, inequality and how this intersects with citizenship and welfare.

Explore citizen’s rights and how government succeeds or fails in addressing these.

Content Summary

Development of the welfare state

Poverty/how Welsh government is reacting to poverty, health inequality and unemployment.

Citizen’s rights and how government succeeds or fails in addressing these, social cohesion and social division.

Social inequalities - social divisions of race, gender, class, inequality and how this intersects with citizenship and welfare.

Examination of criminal justice; housing; education; social care; children and families; employment and health care.

Exploring elder care, disabled people, mental health, homelessness and housing, education, poverty, and food banks

Welfare Reform Act (2012)

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015)

Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act (2014)

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 30
Seminar 6
Independent Study 72
Directed Study 72
Formative Assessment - Independent 20
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Examine the key concepts in contemporary society and social policy in relation to older people, mental health individuals, children, young people and families.
LO2 Describe and evaluate key legislation and social policy

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1 Presentation on evaluating key legislation and social policy 15 N/A 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Essay 1 Critically analyse one area of welfare provision in relation to an individual or chosen group in Wales 0 2000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1 ✔ ✔
Essay 1 ✔ ✔

Reading List

Alcock, Pete, Tina Haux, Margaret May, and Sharon Wright. 2016. The student’s companion to social policy. 5th ed. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

Béland, Daniel. 2010. What is social policy? Cambridge, UK: Polity.

Greve, Bent, ed. 2019. Routledge handbook of the welfare state. 2d ed. Abingdon, UK, and New York: Routledge.

Kennett, Patricia, ed. 2013. A handbook of comparative social policy. 2d ed. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

Cunningham, J. and Cunningham, S. (2012) Social policy and social work: an introduction. Exeter: learning matters Ltd.

Gough, I. (2017). Heat, Greed and Human Need. Climate Change, Capitalism and Sustainable Wellbeing. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Hemerijck, A. (2013). Changing welfare states. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hills, J. (2015). Good Times, Bad Times. The Welfare Myth of Them and Us. Bristol: Policy Press.

Kuypers, S., & Marx, I. (2018). Estimation of joint income-wealth poverty: A sensitivity analysis. Social Indicators Research, 136(1), 117-137.

Lishman, J., Yuil, C., Brannan, J., and Gibson, A. (2018) Social work an introduction 2nd edition. California: sage publications.

Beresford, P. (2016) Towards participatory social policy all our welfare. Bristol: Policy Press.

Blakemore, K and Warwick-Booth,L. (2013) Social policy an introduction 4th edition. Open University Press.