Risk, Social Policy And Welfare (Introducing Social Policy (Paperback))

\* What is the relevance of the concept of risk to social policy?\* Has risk replaced need as the key organizing principle of welfare provision?\* Do current trends support the contention that policy development is risk-based?Traditionally, need has been the major mechanism for allocating resources in public services, and social policy texts have addressed various state responses to social problems and the alleviation of need. However, in a period of state retrenchment and welfare restriction, rationing and targeting have become more intense. This book explores the extent to which, as a result, risk and vulnerability have replaced need as the key principles of welfare rationing and provision. It begins with an introductory overview of current theories on risk and goes on to examine the relevance of risk to social policy and welfare developments. This is achieved by drawing on recent social policy and case examples from health, the personal social services and mental health. Written with the needs of undergraduates in mind, the author presents clear examples, provides summaries of key points and makes suggestions for further reading throughout. The result is a highly accessible introduction to the concept of risk for students, researchers and professionals in social policy, health and social welfare. Front Cover 1 Half-title 2 Editor Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 6 Series editor's foreword 8 Acknowledgements 10 Introduction: risk, responsibility and social policy 12 Chapter 1: Risk in contemporary society 14 Understanding risk: common usage and definitions 14 Approaches to risk: theories and methods 21 Risk and social policy 26 Social policy in the risk society 30 Conclusions 33 Note 34 Suggestions for further reading 34 Chapter 2: Key organizing principles of social welfare: from need to risk 35 Introduction 35 The rationale of welfare 36 Social investment and the promotion of risk taking 42 Conclusions: is it all risk and no need? 49 Notes 52 Suggestions for further reading 52 Chapter 3: Health care: the rise of risk, health promotion and rationing 53 Introduction 53 Risk and developments in health policy 54 Risk and health promotion 55 The rise of private medical insurance, risk and rationing 64 Health care in the new millennium: the modernization process 70 Conclusions 73 Note 75 Suggestions for further reading 75 Chapter 4: Child protection and the care of the elderly: need, vulnerability and risk 76 Introduction 76 The changing face of the personal social services 77 The personal social services: needs-led or risk-led? 87 Risk assessment and risk management in the personal social services 93 Conclusions 98 Suggestions for further reading 100 Chapter 5: Mental health, mental disorder, risk and public protection 101 Introduction 101 Mental health risks in the risk society 105 Mental health management and the development of community care 110 Conclusions 119 Note 121 Suggestions for further reading 121 Chapter 6: The new risk-based welfare 122 Introduction 122 Shifting welfare: consensus or difference? 123 The implications for welfare workers: the new risk orthodoxy 139 The rise of risk and the end of welfare 140 Note 141 Suggestions for further reading 142 Glossary 143 Bibliography 145 Index 166 Back Cover 173 * What is the relevance of the concept of risk to social policy? * Has risk replaced need as the key organizing principle of welfare provision? * Do current trends support the contention that policy development is risk-based? Traditionally, need has been the major mechanism for allocating resources in public services, and social policy texts have addressed various state responses to social problems and the alleviation of need. However, in a period of state retrenchment and welfare restriction, rationing and targeting have become more intense. This book explores the extent to which, as a result, risk and vulnerability have replaced need as the key principles of welfare rationing and provision. It begins with an introductory overview of current theories on risk and goes on to examine the relevance of risk to social policy and welfare developments. This is achieved by drawing on recent social policy and case examples from health, the personal social services and mental health. Written with the needs of undergraduates in mind, the author presents clear examples, provides summaries of key points and makes suggestions for further reading throughout. The result is a highly accessible introduction to the concept of risk for students, researchers and professionals in social policy, health and social welfare. What is the relevance of the concept of risk to social policy? Has risk replaced need as the key organizing principle of welfare provision? Do current trends support the contention that policy development is risk- based? Traditionally, need has been the major mechanism for allocating resources in public services, and social policy texts have addressed various state responses to social problems and the alleviation of need. However, in a period of state retrenchment and welfare restriction, rationing and targeting have become more intense. This book explores the extent to which, as a result, risk and vulnerability have replaced need as the key principles of welfare rationing and provision. It begins with an introductory overview of current theories on risk and goes on to examine the relevance of risk to social policy and welfare developments. This is achieved by drawing on recent social policy and case examples from health, the personal social services and mental health. Written with the needs of undergraduates in mind, the author presents clear examples, provides summaries of key points and makes suggestions for further reading throughout. The result is a highly accessible introduction to the concept of risk for students, researchers and professionals in social policy, health and social welfare.
"Traditionally, need has been the major mechanism for allocating resources in public services, and social policy texts have addressed various state responses to social problems and the alleviation of need. However, in a period of state retrenchment and welfare restriction, rationing and targeting have become more intense. This book explores the extent to which, as a result, risk and vulnerability have replaced need as the key principles of welfare rationing and provision. It begins with an introductory overview of current theories on risk and goes on to examine the relevance of risk to social policy and welfare developments. This is achieved by drawing on recent social policy and case examples from health, the personal social services and mental health. Written with the needs of undergraduates in mind, the author presents clear examples, provides summaries of key points and makes suggestions for further reading throughout. The result is a highly accessible introduction to the concept of risk for students, researchers and professionals in social policy, health and social welfare." -- Provided by publisher By drawing on current social policy developments and case examples from health, the personal social services and mental health, this book examines how risk is replacing need as the key principle of welfare organization and state provision of services. It explores the growing role of risk-based allocation and rationing systems in a climate of welfare retrenchment, and the implications for users and providers of welfare. The word 'risk' is pervasive in contemporary life and has come to encompass a wide range of future events and behaviours that are often complex and far from uniform.