Canadian social policy: issues and perspectives

"Social policy shapes the daily lives of every Canadian citizen and should reflect the beliefs of a majority of Canadians on just approaches to the promotion of health, safety, and well-being. Too often, those on the front lines--social workers, nurses, and teachers--observe that policies do not work well for the most vulnerable groups in society. In the first part of this new edition of Canadian Social Policy, Westhues and Wharf argue that service deliverers have discretion in how policies are implemented, and the exercise of this discretion is how citizens experience policy--whether or not it is fair and reasonable. They show the reader how social policy is made and they encourage active citizenship to produce policies that are more socially just. New material includes an examination of the reproduction of systemic racism through the implementation of human rights policy and a comparative analysis of the policy-making process in Quebec and English Canada.

The second part of the book discusses policy issues currently under debate in Canada. Included are new chapters that explore parental leave policies and housing as a determinant of health. All chapters contain newly updated statistical data and research and policy analysis.

A reworked section on the process of policy-making and the addition of questions for critical reflection enhance the suitability of the book as a core resource in social policy courses. The final chapter explores how front-line workers in the human services can advocate for change in organizational policies that will benefit the people supported."--Pub. desc.

I. Introduction -- 1. Becoming Acquainted with Social Policy / Anne Westhues -- II. Who Makes Social Policy and How -- 2. The Policy-Making Process / Anne Westhues and Carol Kenny-Scherber -- 3. Approaches to Policy Analysis / Anne Westhues -- 4. Influencing Policy from Outside: Are Citizens Game Changers or Sidelined? / Joan Wharf Higgins and Fay Weller -- 5. Indigenous Wholistic Healing Social Policy: Rethinking, Reframing, and Re-presenting Policy Development for Indigenous People / Mac Saulis -- 6. Racism in Canadian Social Policy / Delores V. Mullings -- 7. The Quebec Model of Social Policy, Past and Present / Yves Vaillancourt -- III. Current Social Policy Issues -- 8. Single Motherhood in the Canadian Landscape: Postcards from a Subject / Iara Lessa -- 9. Child Poverty and the Canadian Welfare State / Garson Hunter -- 10. Back to the Present: Rethinking Risk Assessment in Child Welfare / Marilyn Callahan and Karen Swift -- 11. Parental Benefits Policy in Canada and Quebec: Sharing the Caring? / Patricia M. Evans -- 12. Mental Health Policy in Canada / Geoffrey Nelson -- 13. Keeping Kids Safe in Custody / Judy Finlay -- 14. Canadians with Disabilities / Peter A. Dunn -- 15. …