Social Policy - Research Proposal Example

Table of Contents Introduction 2 Mission statement and purpose of social workers 2 Institutionalised discrimination 3 Anti discriminatory policy and practices 5 Impact of the policy on personal social services 6 Conclusion 8 References 9 Introduction The comments of Spicker and Baldwin reveal that the travellers in the communities have been as the ethnic minority groups and have been subject to the rampant discrimination by the social workers and other members of the community. In order to evaluate the activities of the social workers, the mission and goals of the National Association for social workers could be studied. This reveals that the social workers have the scope of applying vast methods of social action in order to advocate the cause of discrimination and help the members of the community including the minority groups to overcome the causes of deprivation and distress. The activities of discrimination by the social workers towards the travellers fall under the category of institutional discrimination. In order to prevent the undesired activities of discrimination that has led to the increase of harassment and distress in the course of livelihood of the travellers, the social policy on the adoption of anti-discriminatory practices have been formulated. The social policy has influenced changes in the approach of the social workers that have prompted them to undertake activities that advocated the rights of the travellers to attain equal access to public resources. Mission statement and purpose of social workers The National Association of Social Workers is the largest body of association of professional worker that was founded in the year of 1955. The international organization for social work consists of around 130000 workers belonging to various communities of United States and other parts of the world. The social workers have the mission of promoting the best practices in the field of social work by engaging deeply with the individuals and their families living in the communities and understanding their needs and areas of deprivation (Acton, 2007, p.62). The purpose of the social workers is directed at protecting the best interest of the communities and its individual members and families through dedicated activities and advocating the cause of protection of the community members in the areas in which they lack. The activities of the social workers are guided by their objectives of continuously working to improve the living conditions of the members and the families in the society (Adamson and Donovan, 2005, p.38). This has been achieved through the application of professional knowledge and skills necessary for offering better social services to the communities. The National Association of Social Workers also desires to increase the professional knowledge and skills through the process of field research in order to improve the quality and efficiency of social services of the association (Aldgate, 2006, p.84). The mission and purpose of the social workers’ association enables them to increase the scope of application of the various methods of social work and action in order to address the areas of deprivation, stress and strain of the community members in their course of livelihood. These practices of the social workers help them to accomplish their purpose of promoting social inclusion, culturally diversified but competent society and the attainment of social justice. The mission and purpose of the social workers have helped them to establish healthy living conditions in the communities for all the members and families (Anastacio, et al, 2000, p.93). Institutionalised discrimination The aspect of institutionalised discrimination could be referred to as the discriminatory practices which are said to be unjustified treatment towards individuals and groups meted out by the institutions which me public, private or social institutions. Paul Spicker and Mark Baldwin referred to the discrimination by the social workers against the travellers as a form of institutionalized discrimination (Advisory Committee on Scotland’s Travelling People, 1999, p.57). These discriminatory practised have emerged as behavioural responses of the community members due to the prevalent stereotypic belief system on age, gender, sex, race of people living in the communities. It has been viewed that the travellers visiting the communities have been treated as a minority class of ethnic groups and have not been treated at par level with the other members of the community (Appleby, et al, 2006, p.84). Spicker and Baldwin have commented that the social workers have not treated the travellers with same treatment as offered to other members of the community. This has been evident from the incidents of the past and the experiences shared by the travellers that have visited the communities and came into direct interaction with the social workers (Appleton, et al, 2003, p.45). This has resulted into activities of the social workers that are not in line with the mission of the National Association of Social Workers. The travellers have also shared the naked image of institutional discrimination experienced as a result of the discriminatory activities of the social workers. The travellers and the gypsies have faced severe aggressions in the community due to the activities of racism. This has made the conditions of living for the travellers very difficult during the period of living in foreign communities. In every stage of livelihood, the travellers had to face severe harassment due to the discrimination in the attainment of public services (Ashley, Holton, Horan and Wiffin, 2006, p.65). The discriminatory practices against the travellers have deprived them from equal opportunities to access the sources of livelihood. This has resulted in the stagnation of wealth and a slow rate of increase in their starts of living. Paul Spicker and Mark Baldwin have commented that the travellers have also been allowed to attain equality in access of healthcare services (Spicker, 1984, p.91). The protection of police has also been unavailable in times of dire need. The social workers have shown negligence over the past in addressing the needs of the travellers that increased their harassment in the communities. They have been treated as an ethnic minority with no focus on reviving their social, economic and financial status (Assembly of First Nations, 1997, p.56). Anti discriminatory policy and practices In order to protect the travellers from the activities of discrimination, the implementation of social policy is important to build awareness among the members of the community to establish a culturally competent society that accepts diversity in art, religion, language and belief. Paul Spicker and Mark Baldwin explained that the awareness of the society, members of the community and the social workers on the social, moral and ethical issues is important for successful implementation of the social policy on prevention of discriminatory practices of the individuals and families within the community against the travellers (Basok, Ilcan and Noonan, 2006, p.272). The social policy also urges the social workers to fulfil their duties and responsibilities in undertaking practices in line with the anti-discriminatory policies of the organization. The changes in the social policy towards refraining from practices of discrimination have led to the formulation of anti-discriminatory practices to be followed by the community of social workers that strives to attain the best methods of social work to establish condition of equality among all members of the community in the course of livelihood (Bauman, 2004, p.42). In order to undertake the best practices recommended under the social policy, the vocational skills of the group of social workers are important for ensuring fair and equal conditions of living among the permanent residents and the travellers in the community (Beach, 1999, p.86). The types of anti-discriminatory practices that have introduced showcase the responsibility of the community members and the social workers in embracing the travellers and providing them with the support to attain the necessary resources of livelihood. The social members are required to follow the approach of working within a unified structure of the community. The travellers and the ethnic minority are not to be discriminated in providing them with the access to the social and public systems (Miller, 1990, p.28). The social workers should practice their work in prevention of harassment, deprivation, conditions of distress irrespective of whether the individuals and the families belong to a majority or the minority group of the society. The activities of the social workers are to be directed towards the attainment of equality of the individuals and the families within the community in maximization of wealth, healthcare services, protection from the enforcement authorities, etc (Lewis, 1992, p.165). While considering the case of the traveller and the minority groups of the community, the social workers would advocate the cause of anti-discrimination in the context of gender, age, religion, language, race, etc. These anti discriminatory practices have been quite effective in removing the racist approach from several segments of the society. This has led to the unification of the community members and relatively peaceful environment for the travellers as compared to before where they could claim equal rights under the laws of the country (Lemert, 1972, p.71). Impact of the policy on personal social services The proposal of anti discriminatory practices and its devolution in the social policy has empowered the social enterprises and the workers to advocate on the matters of equality and rights claims of the members of the community which includes the permanent residents, ethnic minority groups, travellers, etc (Hartmann, 1995, p.95). The policy on the anti-discriminatory practices has had significant impacts on the personal social services which have been forecasted by Spicker and Baldwin. In the area of distress and difficult condition faced by the minority groups and the travellers in the community, the social workers have taken the initiative to spread awareness to the travellers and the other members of the community that every individual of the community has the right to claim access to the publicly available resources for the community members (Acton and Kenrick, 1992, p.72). The community members were sensitized on a personal basis as part of the initiatives of the social workers about the fact that any act of discrimination against other members of the community is prohibited under the rules of the law. This has resulted in the increase of awareness of the public bodies and the individuals of the society in protesting against the causes of harassment and claiming equal rights with the other members of the society. The impact of the anti-discriminatory policies and practices reveal that personal social services have been provided more efficiently by the public and social enterprises with the active contribution of the social workers (Acton, Caffrey, Dunn and Vinson, 1997, p.89). The health departments have played a responsible role in providing health care services to individual members of the society. The welfare departments have also fulfilled responsibility of providing personal social services in terms of social care and security services. The welfare departments have also taken care of elderly and disabled members of the society on a personalised fashion. The children’s department have been responsible for the aspect of child care. The various areas of child care including education, health care, nutrition, growth and development facilities were made available to the members of the community without any form of discrimination (Jimenez, 2010, p.78). Conclusion The review of the previous incidents and the experiences shared by the travellers indicate that they have been viewed as the ethnic minority groups and have been subject to various forms of harassment as a result of the discriminatory activities of the community members. The social workers have also been seen to undertake practices that did not advocate the cause of equality of rights and the claims of travellers entering the communities. This has led to the stagnation of wealth, deprivation from the public facilities of healthcare, education and employment, etc. In order to prevent the activities of discrimination, the social policy on the application of anti-discriminatory practices by the social workers’ association have been formulated. The devolution in the social policy has resulted into positive impacts on the community. The health care, welfare, childcare departments have undertaken prominent role in providing personal care services with the active support of the social workers. The social workers have advocated the causes of equal rights and access of the travellers to the public services. The area of deprivation, harassment, distress due to the discrimination on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, language have been addressed for the betterment of the living conditions of the travellers. References Acton, T. 2007. Human Rights as a Perspective on Entitlements: The Debate over ‘Gypsy Fairs’ in England. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Acton, T. and Kenrick, D. 1992. From summer voluntary schemes to European bureaucracy: the development of special provision for Traveller education in England since 1967. European Journal of Intercultural Studies. 1(3): pp. 47-62. Acton, T., Caffrey, S., Dunn, S. and Vinson, P. 1997. Gender issues in accounts of Gypsy health and hygiene as discourses of social control. Hatfield: University of Hertfordshire Press. Adamson, J. and Donovan, J. 2005. Normal disruption: South Asian and African/Caribbean relatives caring for an older family member in the UK. Social Science and Medicine. 60(1): pp. 37-48. Advisory Committee on Scotland’s Travelling People. 1999. Scotland’s Travelling People: Ninth Term Report 1998-1999. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Scottish Executive. Aldgate, J. 2006. The developing world of the child. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Anastacio, J., et al. 2000. Reflecting Realities. Participants’ perspectives on integrated communities and sustainable development. Bristol: The Policy Press. Appleby, L., et al. 2006. Avoidable Deaths: Five Year Report by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide By People with Mental Illness. Manchester: University of Manchester Centre for Suicide Prevention. Appleton, L., et al. 2003. Smails’s contribution to understanding the needs of the socially excluded: the case of Gypsy Traveller Women. Clinical Psychology. 24 (1): pp.40-46. Ashley, C., Holton, L., Horan, H. and Wiffin, J. 2006. The Family Group Conference Toolkit. London: Family Rights Group. Assembly of First Nations. 1997. Sharing our Healing: National Health Conference. Ottawa: Assembly of First Nations. Basok, T., Ilcan, S., and Noonan, J. 2006. Citizenship, Human Rights, and Social Justice. Citizenship Studies. 10 (3): pp.267-273. Bauman, Z. 2004. Wasted Lives: Modernity and its Outcasts. Cambridge: Polity Press. Beach, H. 1999. Injury Rates in Gypsy-Traveller Children. Cardiff: University of Wales College of Medicine. Hartmann, H. 1995. The Unhappy marriage of marxism and feminism. London: Harvester Wheatsheaf. Jimenez, J. 2010. Social Policy and Social Change: Toward the Creation of Social and Economic Justice. London: SAGE. Lemert, E. 1972. Human deviance. New York: Prentice Hall. Lewis, J. 1992. Gender and the development of welfare regimes. Journal of European Social Policy. 2(3): pp.159-173. Miller, D. 1990. Market state and community. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Spicker, P. 1984. Stigma and Social Welfare. New York: Croom Helm. Read More