A critical Analysis of Safeguarding policy and practice as it relates to a Professional Setting
The assignment task
An individual written essay.
3500 words
The Title
A critical analysis of safeguarding policy and practice as it relates to a professional setting.
Breaking down the examples (2)
Focus:
Neglect of elderly people in residential care
Introduction:
aims, definitions of neglect, elderly care
Historical context:
the historical trajectory of residential elderly care and neglect within it.
The current context:
you might draw on cases like Colwyn Bay, (or sadly, any number of) to highlight the current position.
Policy and Legislation:
as the focus is elderly residential care,you could look at the Care Act 2014 to see how that helps residential care homes to work with its staff and residents, how to identify cases of neglect within residents.
How effective is this legislation in helping care homes to safeguard the elderly people they care caring for?
Recommendations for practice:
will be based on whatever you evaluate and assess from the policy and legislation section
Conclusion:
what are your key arguments.
Writing and structuring the essay
All essays need:
1. An introduction (What is your focus? what are the aims for the essay? Do you need to offer any definitions of key words?)
2. To locate the issue in the relevant historical context (ie don’t just talk about the history of child protection generally, it needs to relate to the specific chosen focus. Think about the path that history has taken in relation to your focus to bring us up to where we are today, with evidence) 1&2 = approx. 800 words
3. To locate the focus in the current situation: are there any current cases you want to highlight without going into description, with evidence of reading done 3 = approx. 500 words
4. To Locate the issue in the political and legal/policy context too (again relevant to the focus).
– Why was this policy, legislation or guidance needed? How did it come about and why?
– What are the key elements of the policy? Are these applied in practice/ [how do you know? What’s the evidence]
– How effective are these in terms of safeguarding children/adults? [how do you know? What’s the evidence?]
– Is it fit for purpose or does the policy need to change [how do you know? What’s the evidence?]
– What’s YOUR view? [what’s your evidence base for your view?] 4 = approx 1500 words
5. Make recommendations: what, if anything, would you recommend to change the policy/legislation?
6. A Conclusion:
remember not to include anything new in the conclusion. This should be a clear, concise summary of your main arguments. 5&6 = approx. 700 words
7. References
– should be listed in alphabetical order
– Needs to list everything referred to in your assignment
– does not count towards the word count.
