Developmental Welfare Policy A - Study Unit 3
Course Overview and Learning Outcomes
Course Code: BSWG 226 (Developmental Welfare Policy A)
Module Focus: Study Unit 3 — The development of government policy and legislation in South Africa
Core Learning Outcomes:
Name and describe the steps in the process of policy making.
Analyze social welfare policy and its formulation.
Give an outline of the structure of the government by means of a schematic or conceptual framework.
Identify the governmental functions delivered on national, provincial, and municipal levels.
Discuss the role and functions of the legislative authority in state administration.
Explain the functioning and processes of the South African Parliament, National Assembly, Provincial legislature, and local government.
Concept and Scope of Policy
Impact of Policy Changes:
Changes in policy regularly exert a direct impact on service providers.
Policy changes equally affect clients on the receiving end of social welfare services.
Nature of Policy Change:
Policy change is recognized as a complex process that is not easy.
It requires extensive knowledge of viable policy alternatives.
It demands a dedicated commitment to translating policy alternatives into actual practice.
It involves an essential need to comprehend what policy is, as well as how it is created and implemented.
Levels of Policy Creation and Implementation:
International Level: Represented by global entities such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
National Level: Formulated and influenced by trade unions, the business sector, and voluntary organizations.
Local and Regional Level: Operates within community structures such as a village cricket team, hockey club, or playgroup.
Definitions and Purpose of Policy:
Policies are systematically created and implemented to organize activities and achieve stated goals and targets.
According to Colebatch (as cited in Fatchett, 2012), policy is concerned with ordering an activity, suggesting a systematic and consistent approach.
Policy is usually legitimized by the authority of specific individuals, offices, or organizations.
Policy can manifest in multiple forms, including a statement, decision, document, guideline, protocol, or program of action.
Policy is not strictly limited to positive action; it can also manifest as inaction or a deliberate attempt to block a decision.
Dynamics of Policy Creation:
Policy creation implies the deliberate and focused imposition of order for activities within and between organizations and personnel.
Policy emerges as a response to particular interests as expressed by any number of individuals across political, institutional, professional, or public levels.
Policy is multidimensionally described as:
A product of debate or a rationale.
A selective response to interests.
The outcome of a formal process.
A reflection of underlying power structures.
Policy-Making by Government
Parliamentary Legislative Process:
The government promotes legislation in Parliament by introducing formal Bills.
Bills are guided through prescribed formal stages within the legislative assembly.
The government works to secure the necessary voting majorities across various divisions.
The legislative process culminates in the bestowing of Royal Assent.
Upon receiving Royal Assent, the Bill in its final form enters the "statute book" and becomes an Act of Parliament, serving as a legislative measure (Naidoo and Wills, 2005).
Political Transitions and Policy Shifts:
Policy developments and structural changes in healthcare delivery and organization over time reflect political party transitions.
When a political party assumes control of government following a general election, it pursues political views and aspirations that may differ significantly from those of its predecessor.
Steps in Social Policy Formulation
Overview of Formulation Tasks:
Social policy formulation involves a comprehensive series of tasks ranging from initial information gathering to the final implementation of social policy.
Ten-Step Formulation Process (DuBois and Miley, 2014:250):
Step 1: Identify problems that affect social functioning.
Step 2: Define the problem as a public issue.
Step 3: Analyse findings and confirm evidence.
Step 4: Provide the information to the public.
Step 5: Study alternative solutions.
Step 6: Prepare an initial policy statement that identifies goals.
Step 7: Develop supportive organizational structure and political relationships.
Step 8: Legitimize policy efforts through public support.
Step 9: Construct the policy or program design.
Step 10: Implement and assess the social policy.
Social Policy as a Product and Operational Implementation
Components of Social Policy as a Product:
Formal legislation.
Administrative decisions.
Actual operational programs.
Requirements for Operational Implementation:
Social policy products require specific, detailed implementation plans.
Once a social policy is established and operational funding becomes available, social workers make direct decisions regarding service delivery.
Roles of Social Workers in Policy Implementation:
Program Design: Social workers design specialized programs to execute policy goals aimed at reaching specified populations to affect desired changes.
Administrative Policy Formulation: Social workers establish administrative policies that clearly define operational roles and tasks to direct agency personnel.
Manual Development: Social workers draft comprehensive policy and procedure manuals to communicate expectations, operational responsibilities, and outcome evaluation measures.
Policy Analysis and Evaluation
Responsibilities of Social Workers:
Social workers are responsible for monitoring and evaluating legislation and programs to assess policy effectiveness and demonstrate professional and operational accountability.
Definition of Policy Analysis:
Policy analysis involves the systematic studying and evaluating of public policies designed to address citizens' needs or redress identified social problems.
Rationale for Policy and Program Analysis (DuBois & O’Miley, 2009, p. 413):
Assess the actual impact on targeted populations post-implementation.
Measure the precise degree to which the policy achieved its goals.
Examine both short-term and long-term consequences.
Evaluate broader social implications.
Determine overall financial and structural cost-effectiveness.
Definition of Policy Evaluation (Cloete and de Coning, 2011):
Policy evaluation is defined as the systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed project, program, or policy, including its design, implementation, and results.
Policy evaluation fundamentally represents learning about the consequences of public policy.
Pressing societal needs and social problems demand social policies and programs that function effectively.
Core Reasons for Policy Evaluation:
To determine whether policies meet their stated objectives.
To determine policy relevance, fulfillment of objectives, effectiveness, impact, and long-term sustainability.
To measure exact progress towards the achievement of policy objectives.
To provide political and financial accountability.
To test the feasibility of an underlying assumption, model, theory, and strategy.
To determine the value or effectiveness of an activity for decision-making purposes.
To extract key lessons from programs for future policy review, redesign, or refined implementation strategies.
To serve as an efficient mechanism for changing practice.
To identify and correct systemic mistakes.
Framework for Social Policy Analysis
Policy Analysis Structure (Miley, O’Melia, and DuBois, 2013):
Part I: Policy Specifications
Item 1: Detail the history of the policy under study and related policies.
Item 2: Describe the specific problems that the policy will address.
Item 3: Identify the social values and ideological beliefs embedded in the policy.
Item 4: Explicitly state the goals of the policy.
Item 5: Summarize the operational details of the policy regarding implementation, funding, eligibility criteria, and other stipulations.
Part II: Policy Feasibility
Item 6: Identify projected outcomes of the policy.
Item 7: Discuss the political and economic feasibility of the policy.
Item 8: Characterize existing support or opposition for the policy.
Item 9: Assess the ramifications of the policy for the existing health and human service delivery structure.
Part III: Policy Merits
Item 10: Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of the policy.
Item 11: Weigh the social costs and broader consequences of the policy.
Item 12: Evaluate the differential effects of the policy on diverse population groups.
Item 13: Judge the overall merits of the policy.
Questions and Discussion
Forum for addressing inquiries regarding policy formulation steps, analysis models, government legislation stages, and public administration structures.
The government promotes legislation in Parliament by introducing formal Bills.
Bills are guided through prescribed formal stages within the legislative assembly.
The government works to secure the necessary voting majorities across various divisions.
The legislative process culminates in the bestowing of Royal Assent.
Upon receiving Royal Assent, the Bill in its final form enters the "statute book" and becomes an Act of Parliament, serving as a legislative measure (Naidoo and Wills, 2005).
The process of transforming an opinion into a legislative Act typically follows several stages:
Opinion: It starts as a public or governmental suggestion or concern about an issue that requires attention.
Green Paper: This is a preliminary report of proposals issued to stimulate discussion and gather feedback on a particular topic. It serves as a means to outline potential policies and invite commentary from various stakeholders.
White Paper: After assessing feedback from the Green Paper, a White Paper is published. This document presents firm proposals for future legislation and outlines the government's position. It often serves as a draft for legislative action.
Bill: Following the White Paper, the proposals are transformed into a formal Bill, which is introduced in Parliament for consideration.
Act: The Bill goes through the parliamentary legislative process, receiving necessary approvals, which include stages of debate, committee review, and potential amendments. Once all stages are completed and the Bill is passed, it receives Royal Assent and becomes an Act of Parliament, thus legally enforcing the policy that originated from the initial opinion.