Social Policy for Social Work and Human Services in Aotearoa New Zealand Diverse Perspectives

Social policy reflects the dominant social, economic and political discourses of a nation’s government and reveals how each country addresses the needs and wellbeing of its population. As such, social policy plays a significant role in shaping the response to need in any community or population, through the provision of financial, physical or legislative protections or resources. There are ways for practitioners and other advocates to influence, and resist where necessary, the direction of policy through community development, strategic change, research and social action. This volume provides examples of such initiatives and examines the making and shaping of contemporary social policy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Liz Beddoe is an associate professor in the School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work, Faculty of Education and Social Work, at the University of Auckland. Liz’s teaching and research interests include critical perspectives on social work education, professional supervision, and the media framing of social problems. Jane Maidment is an associate professor in the Department of Human Services and Social Work at the University of Canterbury. She is a registered social worker and has teaching and research interests in the areas of field education, practice skill development, older persons, and using craft as a vehicle for social connectedness.