QA report that critically evaluates the evidence behind the government strategy to close the disability employment gap. In 31 October 2016, the UK government announced a plan to halve the number of disabled people out of work in the green paper Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability. A national consultation followed and on 29 November 2017 the UK Government changed this target to get one million more disabled people into work over ten years.
For TMA 02, you are asked to
Word limit: 2000 words
Please note the word count includes everything in your report, except for the title page, the contents page and the references.
In addition to the module textbook, Work: Personal Lives and Social Policy, and the online material in Weeks 10–14, you should also draw on the following sources:
- Gov.uk (2017) Government sets out plan to see more disabled people in work (29 November 2017)
- Disability Rights UK (2017) Our view on Govt plans to see more disabled people in work (30 November 2017)
- Fevre, R., Foster, D., Jones, M. and Wass, V. (2016) Closing Disability Gaps at Work: Deficits in evidence and variations in experience. Cardiff University.
Learning outcomes for TMA 02
In your answer to TMA 02, you will be assessed on your ability to:
Work with key concepts
- show your knowledge and understanding of the key concepts needed to understand the complex relationships between personal lives and social policy
- identify the implicit and explicit assumptions within different forms of media, such as newspaper reports, television documentaries, policy documents and political speeches
- recognise the relationship between discourse/ideology, policy and experience
- understand the impact of professional practice and power on the structuring of access to welfare services.
Understand research evidence
- compare, contrast and critically evaluate different forms of research evidence, including research evidence and methods in academic and policy texts
- understand that data and knowledge are socially constructed and contested
- read and understand graphs, tables and charts and use statistical sources.
Execute a well-structured and effective report
- read, digest and synthesise material from a range of sources, including multimedia materials, both print and online, including the Work book, online materials (Weeks 10–14), the Work timeline, the newspaper report and the briefing paper
- organise, select, evaluate and present arguments and evidence logically
- communicate effectively in writing using appropriate academic conventions
- reference sources in an appropriate manner, i.e. the OU Harvard system of referencing
- present information (text, images and numbers) so it meets the purpose and needs of the module
- write and present analyses in different forms, i.e. as a report
- improve your own learning, particularly the ability to learn from feedback and advice
- work to an agreed timetable and meet deadlines.
Student notes
You should begin this assignment after completing your work on the required chapters in the module textbook Work: Personal Lives and Social Policy and the online material in Weeks 10–14. The important thing to remember is that you should demonstrate to your tutor your knowledge and understanding of the ideas, arguments, concepts and theoretical perspectives that are used by the authors in Work: Personal Lives and Social Policy and the associated online material.
You should aim to apply that knowledge and understanding to the evidence provided through a critical reading of how the dynamics of ‘the personal’, work and social policy are being represented/constituted in the documents. You should then produce a report that identifies the key arguments and themes and their implications for the mutual constitution of personal lives and social policy.
In writing the report, you will need to carry out the following tasks:
- identify the evidence and claims in the news articles and statements made by the Prime Minister, Work and Pensions Secretary, Health Secretary, Fujitsu Inclusion and Diversity Lead and Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK
- identify and select key critiques of claims and evidence outlined in the Closing Disability Gaps report and Disability Rights UK response
- critically evaluate the government strategy using your understanding of concepts and theories about work provided in Work: Personal Lives and Social Policy and the relevant associated online materials..
Your report should include the following areas:
- A brief overview of the UK government pledge to close the disability employment gap: the what, when and why questions, e.g. What is it? When was it introduced? Why was it introduced?
- Identify the key claims of government’s ‘Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability’ strategy in the press release. What is preventing disabled people from working? What will help them get into work? Why will having more disabled people in work improve society?
- Identify and select critiques of these claims and evidence outlined in the Closing Disability Gaps report and Disability Rights UK response
- A critical reflection of the evidence – What evidence is there of the disability employment gap? What does the evidence suggest the disability employment gap is caused by? What evidence is there that work improves the lives of disabled people? What are some of the strengths and limitations of the evidence used?
- How are welfare, work and disabled people being constructed in the government strategy?
- What is the relationship between the state, welfare services and personal lives? How can this be seen in terms of the different domains at which personal lives and social policy intersect?
You will find that many of the themes and concepts of Work: Personal Lives and Social Policy are relevant. You will need to consider normative assumptions about how work and ‘worklessness’ are conceptualised and the ways in which welfare to work programmes seek to regulate the personal lives of individuals and families.
Specific guidance about how to write a report can be found in the study skills resources in Resources. The word limit for this assignment is 2000 words. Please note that this includes everything in your report, except title page, contents page and references.
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