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Social Work Policy

This guide is dedicated to resources for social work students for critically evaluating policy. Policy is the law, administrative actions, or practice adopted or proposed by a government or administrative body. Policy can take place at the local level, st

Considering Policy

Policy is the law, administrative actions, or practice adopted or proposed by a government or administrative body. Policy can take place at the local level, state level, federal level, or international level. In social work, we consider the role and impact of policy on the experiences of persons and populations.

Questions for Social Work Policy Analysis

The following questions can guide you through your analysis of policy. These questions are available to download or print by clicking below:

Framing Questions
  • What level is the policy being created at? Is it legislative, administrative, regulatory, or something else?
  • What level of government or type of insistitution will implement this policy?
  • How does the policy work/operate? Is it mandatory? Who will be responsible for administering the policy? Is there enforcement surrounding the policy?
  • What are the objectives of the policy?
  • What is the legal context for the policy?
  • What is the historical context of the policy?
  • What are the experiences of other locations or legal jurisdictions?
  • What is the value of the policy?
  • Who is included in this policy? Who is excluded from this policy?
  • What are the short, intermediate, and long-term outcomes?
  • What are the intended positive and negative consequences of the policy?
  • What are the unintended positive and negative consequences of the policy?
Area Reflective Questions
Population Impact
  • How does the policy address a specific issue?
  • What is the magnitude, reach, and distribution of benefit and burden? This may be exposure, risk factors,
  • What population(s) will benefit? How much? When?
  • What population(s) will be negatively impacted? How much? When?
  • Will the policy impact social disparities and inequalities? How?
  • Are there gaps in the data and evidence used to inform this policy?
Feasibility

Design:

  • What is the current debate around this policy?
  • Who are the stakeholders? Who supports and criticizes it? What are their interests?
  • What are the potential social, educational, and cultural perspectives relating to the policy?
  • What are the possible impacts of the policy on other high priority issues? Examples may include issues like racial justice, housing, food access).

Execution:

  • What are the resource, capacity, and technical needs to developing, enacting, and implementing the policy?
  • How much time is needed for the policy to be enacted, implemented, and enforced?
  • How scalable, flexible, and transferable is the policy?
Budgetary and Economic Impact

Budget:

  • What are the costs and benefits associated with the policy from a budgetary perspective?

Economic:

  • How do costs compare to benefits? This reference cost-savings or cost-benefit analysis.
  • How are the costs distributed?
  • What are the gaps in the data and evidence based?

 

Adopted for social work policy analysis purposes from: CDC Policy Process. Center for Disease Control. Accessed July 30, 2024. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/policy/paeo/process/.

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Subjects: Social Work