Unfinished Business: Social Policy for Social Care Students in Ireland

The idea for this textbook came from social care students I taught some years ago. Excellent social policy books were available for Irish undergraduates at the time, including the wonderful UCD Press social policy series and John Curry's enduring Irish Social Services (2003, 2011). Mairead Considine and Fiona Dukelow's superb work, Irish Social Policy: A Critical Introduction (2009) had yet to be published. The social care students were of the opinion that these social policy texts did not meet their specific needs. In response I decided to write a social policy book for social care students, and this is the end result.As this is a social policy text for students studying social care, the topics chosen represent policy areas of relevance to the practice of social care. Unfortunately, necessary limitations mean there has not been enough space to include chapters on all relevant policy issues. It is regrettable therefore that a number of very important policy areas have been omitted, such as chapters on older people, the family and domestic violence, to name but a few. However, the chapters included were prioritised as representing the crucial issues that need to be considered by social care students at this time.I do not believe in the notion of objectivity in social policy, a political activity. Social policy is informed by values, and values are not neutral. Of course there is informed argument to be made, but it is not possible to be objective on the major issues of poverty, inequality and social exclusion, whatever form these may take and to whatever social grouping they may apply. All of the chapters in this book question policy decisions, point to ideological positions which dictate the thrust of policy, and attempt to show up inconsistencies in policy direction. It is my hope that this book will foster this critical perspective in the social care students who use it.ThanksOver the past two and a half years I have spent an inordinate amount of time on my own, researching and writing this book. While the actual act of writing was completed in isolation, the production of the book is much more collaborative. Many people played an active part in that collaboration, and no words can adequately thank them for their contribution. They include a number of then social care students who read early chapters of the book, and whose feedback not only gave me comfort that the approach I was taking met their needs but also pointed to some gaps that required plugging - Seamus Anderson, Lia Barron, Katrina Barry, Rebecca Beegan, Michelle Collins, Brendan Deighan, Brenda McGinn and Jean Yves Mwzerwa. Some former students with experience in social care practice also gave willingly of their time to read chapters, and gave me feedback that was both constructive and reassuring - David Dwyer, Catherine Kiersey, Domeneca Mac Rory and Kenny Mahony Quinn. I extend my sincere gratitude to colleagues at the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) - Katie Cagney, Danielle Douglas, Hazel Finlay, Jane McGrath, John O'Brien, Mire O'Reilly, Mabh Savage, Cathy Wells and John Wells - for their collegiality and generosity, which was shown in a number of ways: by reading chapters, offering insights and pointing out important issues that I had missed, directing me to materials I had overlooked and loaning me books and articles. I also thank WIT's College Street library staff for their assistance, especially Neill Darbey, Brian Madigan and Diarmuid McElhinney. I also offer my thanks to three peer reviewers, one reviewer who read an early draft of a chapter and two others who read a draft of the completed book. My thanks go to them for their helpful and encouraging comments. This work was shaped by all of those who commented on chapters, but of course I take full responsibility for all that I have written in this book. At Orpen Press I am most grateful for the support of Elizabeth Brennan, Eileen O'Brien, Jennifer Thompson, Elizabeth O'Shaughnessy, and in particular Ailbhe O'Reilly, commissioning editor. From my first meeting with Ailbhe and throughoutthe whole process she has been extremely positive, helpful and so calm. I offer sincere thanks also to Susan Curran for the time she spent editing the book. Finally, I thank the cover designer, Clifford Hayes, for his interpretation of the ideas generated in my work.Closer to home I thank my extended family for their love and concern for me and their interest in this project. In the early stages of writing this book my father became ill and died; he would have been very proud of my achievement. And finally thank you Anne, Anna, Mairad and Risn, for your extraordinary love and patience.Joe MoranJanuary 2013

The idea for this textbook came from social care students I taught some years ago. Excellent social policy books were available for Irish undergraduates at the time, including the wonderful UCD Press social policy series and John Curry's enduring Irish Social Services (2003, 2011). Mairead Considine and Fiona Dukelow's superb work, Irish Social Policy: A Critical Introduction (2009) had yet to be published. The social care students were of the opinion that these social policy texts did not meet their specific needs. In response I decided to write a social policy book for social care students, and this is the end result.As this is a social policy text for students studying social care, the topics chosen represent policy areas of relevance to the practice of social care. Unfortunately, necessary limitations mean there has not been enough space to include chapters on all relevant policy issues. It is regrettable therefore that a number of very important policy areas have been omitted, such as chapters on older people, the family and domestic violence, to name but a few. However, the chapters included were prioritised as representing the crucial issues that need to be considered by social care students at this time.I do not believe in the notion of objectivity in social policy, a political activity. Social policy is informed by values, and values are not neutral. Of course there is informed argument to be made, but it is not possible to be objective on the major issues of poverty, inequality and social exclusion, whatever form these may take and to whatever social grouping they may apply. All of the chapters in this book question policy decisions, point to ideological positions which dictate the thrust of policy, and attempt to show up inconsistencies in policy direction. It is my hope that this book will foster this critical perspective in the social care students who use it.ThanksOver the past two and a half years I have spent an inordinate amount of time on my own, researching and writing this book. While the actual act of writing was completed in isolation, the production of the book is much more collaborative. Many people played an active part in that collaboration, and no words can adequately thank them for their contribution. They include a number of then social care students who read early chapters of the book, and whose feedback not only gave me comfort that the approach I was taking met their needs but also pointed to some gaps that required plugging - Seamus Anderson, Lia Barron, Katrina Barry, Rebecca Beegan, Michelle Collins, Brendan Deighan, Brenda McGinn and Jean Yves Mwzerwa. Some former students with experience in social care practice also gave willingly of their time to read chapters, and gave me feedback that was both constructive and reassuring - David Dwyer, Catherine Kiersey, Domeneca Mac Rory and Kenny Mahony Quinn. I extend my sincere gratitude to colleagues at the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) - Katie Cagney, Danielle Douglas, Hazel Finlay, Jane McGrath, John O'Brien, Mire O'Reilly, Mabh Savage, Cathy Wells and John Wells - for their collegiality and generosity, which was shown in a number of ways: by reading chapters, offering insights and pointing out important issues that I had missed, directing me to materials I had overlooked and loaning me books and articles. I also thank WIT's College Street library staff for their assistance, especially Neill Darbey, Brian Madigan and Diarmuid McElhinney. I also offer my thanks to three peer reviewers, one reviewer who read an early draft of a chapter and two others who read a draft of the completed book. My thanks go to them for their helpful and encouraging comments. This work was shaped by all of those who commented on chapters, but of course I take full responsibility for all that I have written in this book. At Orpen Press I am most grateful for the support of Elizabeth Brennan, Eileen O'Brien, Jennifer Thompson, Elizabeth O'Shaughnessy, and in particular Ailbhe O'Reilly, commissioning editor. From my first meeting with Ailbhe and throughoutthe whole process she has been extremely positive, helpful and so calm. I offer sincere thanks also to Susan Curran for the time she spent editing the book. Finally, I thank the cover designer, Clifford Hayes, for his interpretation of the ideas generated in my work.Closer to home I thank my extended family for their love and concern for me and their interest in this project. In the early stages of writing this book my father became ill and died; he would have been very proud of my achievement. And finally thank you Anne, Anna, Mairad and Risn, for your extraordinary love and patience.Joe MoranJanuary 2013