1. ANALYZING SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES
Chapter 6

2. What is policy analysis?
Investigation and inquiry into the causes and consequences of public policies (Dye, 1998)
The study of public policies, which reflect the social and political consensus of policy-makers and voters
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

3. The development of social welfare policy – underlying dynamics
Rationalism – form of public policy development that stresses knowledge of all values, possible policy alternatives, and consequences of those alternatives when making policy
How realistic is this approach?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

4. Incrementalism
Public policy is developed through small changes to existing policies
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

5. Window of Opportunity
The time period in which political or social events or changes in personnel open the way for a policy to be adopted
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

6. Magnitude in policy making
Dramatic events create openings for the development and passage of public policies
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

7. Critical analysis of social welfare policy
Social welfare policy is created in the context of power struggles
Critical analysis takes into account who has power, who does not, who makes decisions, and for whom those decisions are made
Based on Critical Theory
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

8. Implementation of Policies
What develops as policy and what actually gets implemented as a program or service goes through a process, and that process shapes the outcome of the policy
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

9. Street-level Bureaucrats
After policy is implemented, it goes through the delivery process
The influence and impact on the delivery of social welfare services by those who are directly responsible for its delivery is known as street-level bureaucracy (Lipsky, 1980)
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

10. Models of Social Welfare Policy Analysis
Sequential Model – follows a logical pathway
Critical Theory Model – follows pathway and includes analysis of power and impact of forces of discrimination
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

11. Sequential Model Identify a social issue or social problem
Identify the agreed upon goal
What policy or legislation was developed in response to this issue?
How was the policy implemented?
What were:
The public’s expectations?
The actual impact? The Intended impact?
The affected population?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

12. Critical Theory Model Identify a social issue or social problem
Identify the balance or imbalance of power
What is the public reaction to the issue?
What policy or legislation was developed in response to this issue?
How was the policy implemented?
What were:
The public’s expectations?
The actual impact? The Intended impact?
The affected population?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education

13. Policy making does not follow a rational course, rather is greatly influenced by values and beliefs
How do we create social welfare policies that promote social justice and respond to the wide array of values and beliefs?
Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, by Elizabeth Segal
Copyright 2007, Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Higher Education