Social Issues and Welfare Needs Portfolio
You will need to write a report of 1200-2000 words.
Focus of your report must be a detailed investigation into a social issue which exists in our society today. The evidence you present needs to be applied to a particular service user group.
You will need to choose your issue very carefully. It must be an issue which interests you and that you can research from both primary and secondary sources. You should consider the issue over the past 30 years.
You will need to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the origins of the issue referring to a variety of sources of information. You will need to identify at least 3 demographic factors that have affected the issue and use relevant data to support this. You will need to undertake both primary and secondary research to identify the issue in the contemporary context and identify and evaluate at least three of the strategies that the Government has implemented to address the issue.
You will need to demonstrate independent thinking when analysing and not rely only on what you can find out.
There is a greater emphasis on AO3 and 4 than there was at AS, look carefully at the mark scheme to see this in practice.
Your Task:
You will need to choose a social issue to investigate. This can be a situation that is long-standing or is becoming more prevalent in society. It could have local relevance or one that is of broader national significance. This must be an issue that affects a proportion of the population and not just a few individuals. Your report must focus on either people who are ill, young children, older people of people with special needs
Possible issues may be:
The Ageing Population
Childhood Obesity
Teenage Pregnancy
Binge Drinking
Recreational Drug use
Care in the Community
Disability Recognition
Care of the Mentally Ill
Child Poverty
Child Abuse
Failure to claim Welfare Benefits
Homelessness
The assignment is broken down into 4 section (corresponding to each AO)
1. A knowledge and understanding of the issue itself
Give a definition of the issue
What is it about?
Who is affected most?
When did it first become an important issue?
What are the causes of the issue?
Does it affect any particular type of person or region more than others?
Why may this be so?
What effects would this issue have on a) the individual b) the local community c) society as a whole?
2. Applying your understanding of how the population has changed over time to the issue
Use statistics to show the change over time
Identify at least 3 demographic factors which have affected the issue
- rise or fall in birth or death rates
- increase or decrease in population
- increase or decrease in migrant population
- rise or fall in number of young / old people
3. Undertake primary and secondary research to identify the issue today and in your local area
Conduct a survey, evaluate what you have found out
Interview a variety of people associated with your issue - what do they have to say about the impact on the local community / society?
Evaluate what effect the issue is having on society at large / the local community?
How has the mass media (National TV and newspapers) presented the issue?
Use local radio, TV and newspapers to find out how the local public feel about this issue
What statistics gave been generated about this issue?
Who commissioned these statistics/ Does it influence how they are interpreted?
How is the Government using these statistics?
4. Identify and evaluate how the Government has responded to the issue
What laws have they passed?
Which political parties have proposed these changes in the law?
How have their ideologies influenced their proposals?
What guidelines have been given to local authorities and professional bodies?
What national campaigns have they sponsored?
What part have pressure groups had on the political system for change?
How important have mass media been in influencing the Governments attitude? Give examples
How important have the mass media been in gaining support for the Governments responses / strategies? Give examples
What have been the effects of the Government responses?
Have they addressed the issue? Have they made the situation better?
Have there been other effects that are good or bad?
Were the Governments responses acceptable to the public?
How did the public respond?
Do you think the Government has done enough about the issue?
What more could the Government do? Should they have done?
If you were in the Government what would you have done differently?
Make sure that your work presents a balanced perspective - you may not agree with the issue but you must address both sides of the argument.
Make sure that you explain and evaluate as well as describe.
Make sure that you explore your issue with sufficient depth - don't just look at the obvious and skim the surface.
