Welcome to Social Policy Digest
Welcome to the Social Policy Digest Online. The Digest is designed as a key resource for all those working in UK social policy — policymakers, researchers, teachers and students, campaigners, journalists, and practitioners. It provides an easily accessible listing of new developments across the whole social policy field.
The Digest is a companion to two journals — the Journal of Social Policy and Social Policy and Society — both of which are published on behalf of the Social Policy Association by Cambridge University Press.
- Proposal for national childcare contribution scheme
A think-tank report said that high-quality formal childcare remained unaffordable for many families, and that this situation was set to worsen in the years ahead. It proposed an entirely new policy – a 'national childcare contribution scheme' – to help parents manage the high costs of childcare over a number of years. Parents would be able to access financial support of up to £10,000 from the government to pay for childcare, which they would then pay back as monthly contributions made through the tax system.
Source: Ryan Shorthouse, Jeff Masters, and Ian Mulheirn, A Better Beginning: Easing the cost of childcare, Social Market Foundation
Links: Report | SMF press release
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Quality assurance policies and indicators for long-term care in EU
A paper examined national quality-assurance policies and indicators for long-term care systems in 15 European Union member states; derived a typology of systems; and made recommendations at all levels (European, national, and local) to improve the quality of long-term care in Europe.
Source: Roberto Dandi, Quality Assurance Policies and Indicators for Long-Term Care in the European Union, Policy Brief 11, European Network of Economic Policy Research Institutes
Links: Brief
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Immigration and integration in EU – think-tank report
A think-tank report examined immigration and integration policies in countries across the European Union. It said that the EU should work with member states to increase the employment rate of legal immigrants. Member states should increase efforts to implement EU legislation on preventing racial discrimination in the workplace and providing equal access to services. Education for immigrants needed to be tackled, including the issues of educational attainment, leaving school early, and language proficiency.
Source: Vit Novotny (ed.), Opening the Door? Immigration and integration in the European Union, Centre for European Studies (Brussels)
Links: Summary | Briefing
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Recent policy developments in Europe related to NEETs
A report summarized the findings by experts from a European network on the topic of policy interventions aimed at re-engaging young NEETs (aged 15-29).
Source: Jo Hawley, Anne-Mari Nevala, and Tina Weber, Recent Policy Developments Related to Those Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEETs), European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
Links: Report
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Call to integrate health and social care – report by MPs
A report by a committee of MPs said that care services for older people in England were still highly fragmented, despite successive governments' commitment to integration. At the same time levels of adult social care funding were inadequate, with a rising funding gap between need and resource, and there was a need to rebalance public spending on older people away from acute hospital care towards preventive health and social care in the community. The report called on the government to place a duty on local councils and the proposed new National Health Service clinical commissioning groups to create a single commissioning process for older people's health, care, and housing, pooling all public resources, with a single accountable officer.
Source: Social Care, Fourteenth Report (Session 2010-12), HC 1583, House of Commons Health Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Oral and written evidence | Alzheimers Society press release | Carers UK press release | Kings Fund press release | LGA press release | NHS Confederation press release | RCN press release | RCP press release | UKHCA press release | BBC report | Community Care report | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Post-devolution developments in health policy
An article examined post-devolution developments in health policy. Despite some noticeable differences in policy rhetoric, approaches to both healthcare provision and tackling public health problems remained similar in all four countries of the United Kingdom.
Source: Katherine Smith and Mark Hellowell, 'Beyond rhetorical differences: a cohesive account of post-devolution developments in UK health policy', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Clinical commissioning groups – key issues
A paper examined key issues associated with the size and configuration of the new National Health Service clinical commissioning groups proposed by the coalition government.
Source: Clinical Commissioning Groups: Size, Shape and Securing Localism, NHS Alliance/National Association of Primary Care
Links: Paper
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Impact of devolution on patient choice
An article examined the impact of devolution on the development and implementation of policies related to patient choice in healthcare. 'Distinct rhetorical differences' were identifiable at a national policy level: but these were less visible at the level of service organization and in the way choices were provided to patients.
Source: Stephen Peckham, Nicholas Mays, David Hughes, Marie Sanderson, Pauline Allen, Lindsay Prior, Vikki Entwistle, Andrew Thompson, and Huw Davies, 'Devolution and patient choice: policy rhetoric versus experience in practice', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Self-reported health of people living in deprived areas
An article examined whether, over a 20-year period, the self-reported health of people living in deprived areas became poorer faster compared with those living in more affluent areas. There was a 40 per cent probability of reporting poor health among residents of more deprived areas at an earlier age (66) compared with those living in more affluent areas (83). Wider area differences were seen for men than for women.
Source: Anne Ellaway, Michaela Benzeval, Michael Green, Alastair Leyland, and Sally Macintyre, '“Getting sicker quicker”: does living in a more deprived neighbourhood mean your health deteriorates faster?', Health and Place, Volume 18 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Scotland's criminal justice system – report by MSPs
A report by a committee of MSPs said that it welcomed a recent reduction in reoffending rates: but it was 'not convinced' that services for offenders were being effectively targeted, given that a national picture of services provided by the Scottish Prison Service or by community justice authorities had only recently been undertaken.
Source: An Overview of Scotland's Criminal Justice System, 1st Report 2012, SP Paper 70, Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee
Links: Report | Scottish Parliament press release
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Nation-building and social policy in Scotland
An article examined the implications for social policy of the changing character of statehood in Scotland. Policy-making was 'ensnared in a series of tensions' – not just over the issue of Scottish independence but also, more broadly, tensions between competing principles of social justice and territorial justice, and competing demands between welfare nationalism and competitive nationalism.
Source: Alex Law and Gerry Mooney, 'Devolution in a "stateless nation": nation-building and social policy in Scotland', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Petitions and social policy in Wales and Scotland
An article examined how and what petitions could contribute to social policy following the introduction of petitions systems by the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament. In particular, it explored the extent to which petitions systems challenged or replicated existing inequalities; what voices and interests they enabled to be heard; and what impact they could have on social policy and social policies.
Source: Catherine Bochel, 'Petitions: different dimensions of voice and influence in the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Poverty and social protection – policy developments since 1997
An article examined policy developments on poverty and social protection since 1997. The goal of abolishing child poverty within a generation had been set out by the New Labour government in 1999. It had been pursued by means of promoting paid work, increasing selective benefits to make work pay, and seeking to prevent some of the causes of poverty. Some progress had been made: but it had fallen 'far short' of the target. The coalition government formed in 2010 had maintained the broad goal, and maintained parts of the previous strategy: but it had modified policy in important respects.
Source: David Piachaud, 'Poverty and social protection in Britain: policy developments since 1997', Journal of Policy and Practice, Volume 11 Issue 1-2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Impact of devolution on third sector policy
An article examined the impact of devolution on policy developments in relation to the third sector. Devolution had created important new space for policy development: but the direction of travel in all four countries had remained 'remarkably similar'.
Source: Pete Alcock, 'New policy spaces: the impact of devolution on third sector policy in the UK', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date Created: 08 Feb 2012
- Prevalence of multiple risks for families with very young children
A paper said that more than 1 in 4 children were growing up in families facing multiple challenges, such as parental depression and financial hardship, that could have a damaging effect on their development.
Source: Ricardo Sabates and Shirley Dex, Multiple Risk Factors in Young Children's Development, Working Paper 2012/1, Centre for Longitudinal Studies (University of London)
Links: Paper | CLS press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date Created: 07 Feb 2012
- Young victims and witnesses in criminal justice system – inspectorate report
A joint inspectorate report said that young victims and witnesses were 'left to flounder' in an imperfect justice system, and that only limited progress had been made in addressing the recommendations made in a previous report in 2009.
Source: Joint Inspection Report on the Experience of Young Victims and Witnesses in the Criminal Justice System, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate/HM Inspectorate of Constabulary
Links: Report | Inspectorate press release
Date Created: 07 Feb 2012
- Bursary Fund 'totally inadequate'
A report said that the coalition government's new 'Bursary Fund' was an 'unfair and totally inadequate' replacement for the education maintenance allowance. Lower levels of money and a lack of access to the fund – which was awarded partly on a discretionary basis – were both key factors that were forcing many young people to consider dropping out of education and training altogether due to financial hardship.
Source: Jane Evans, Staying the Course: Disadvantaged young people's experiences in the first term of the 16-19 Bursary Fund, Barnardo's
Links: Report | Barnardos press release | Labour Party press release | UCU press release | BBC report
Date Created: 07 Feb 2012
- Resident involvement in social housing in UK and Europe
A report examined leading practice in resident involvement in social housing in the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark. It looked at existing models for resident empowerment; and it explored practices for recording and measuring resident involvement, and the use of rewards and incentives.
Source: Hal Pawson, Janis Bright, Lars Engberg, and Gerard van Bortel (with Laurie McCormack and Filip Sosenko), Resident Involvement in Social Housing in the UK and Europe, Hyde Group
Links: Report
Date Created: 07 Feb 2012
- Income poverty and social exclusion in EU in 2008
A paper examined the degree of social exclusion at European Union level in 2008, the country clusters related to this, and the level and trend of poverty on a country level. The at-risk-of-poverty rate varied between 9 per cent and 26 per cent across EU member states.
Source: Orsolya Lelkes and Katrin Gasior, Income Poverty and Social Exclusion in the EU: Situation in 2008 and trends (based on EU-SILC 2005-2009), European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research (Vienna)
Links: Briefing
Date Created: 07 Feb 2012
- Impact of intra-EU labour migration on unemployment
A paper examined the impact of labour migration on unemployment in the context of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. It considered whether intra-EU labour migration correlated with employment/unemployment rates in host or home member states during periods of unsettled growth, and how member states had reacted in terms of restricting or allowing access to their labour markets during the transitional periods.
Source: Elspeth Guild and Sergio Carrera, Labour Migration and Unemployment: What can we learn from EU rules on the free movement of workers?, Working Paper 46, Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels)
Links: Paper
Date Created: 07 Feb 2012
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