Tag: social policy

Poverty is complex – should our policy responses be too? Moving beyond isolated policy solutions

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A couple sits with an advisor reviewing documents together, suggesting discussion of finances, housing or social support.

This blog post is based on an article published in Social Policy and Society by Heta Pöyliö. Poverty is a complex issue that requires expansive policy responses. In my recent study published in Social Policy and Society, I find that policies with different functions can work together to reduce the risk of poverty. Specifically, policy… Continue reading Poverty is complex – should our policy responses be too? Moving beyond isolated policy solutions

Raising the Participation Age: Participation Without Inclusion?

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Teacher supporting a student using a laptop in a classroom, with other learners working in the background.

This blog post is based on an article published in Social Policy and Society by Ben Collier. It has been 10 years since the final instalment of the Education and Skills Act’s Raising the Participation Age (RPA) Policy in England, introduced under the Education and Skills Act (Department for Education), which requires young people to… Continue reading Raising the Participation Age: Participation Without Inclusion?

First Thing to Go? Key Findings from a Foundational Study of Hygiene Poverty in Ireland

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A set of everyday hygiene items including soap, a brush, cotton buds, and a sponge arranged on a light wooden surface.

This blog post is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by Joe Whelan and Jo Greene. One potential way to identify and begin to understand aspects and experiences of poverty in detail is to focus on the discrete forms of deprivation that people experience. Whereas discrete forms of deprivation such… Continue reading First Thing to Go? Key Findings from a Foundational Study of Hygiene Poverty in Ireland

The Politics of Minimum Income Reform in Spain: Explaining an Unexpected and Consensus-Based Path Departure

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Illustration of policymakers seated around a circular table reviewing documents, representing negotiation and consensus-building in social policy.

This blog post is based on an article published in the Journal of Social Policy by Llorenç Soler-Buades. The Puzzle of Consensus in Fragmented Systems Under what political and institutional conditions can inclusive social policies secure consensus amid ideological and territorial fragmentation? Spain illustrates this puzzle. For decades, Spain operated a minimum income system that… Continue reading The Politics of Minimum Income Reform in Spain: Explaining an Unexpected and Consensus-Based Path Departure

Rethinking Welfare: Recognising Contributions and Reducing Stigma

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Woman with a child meeting a welfare advisor at a desk, discussing paperwork related to social assistance.

This blog post is based on an article published in Social Policy and Society by Amber Vellinga-Dings, Nardi Steverink, Başak Bilecen, and Melissa Sebrechts. “Now I’m going to be one of those lazy welfare recipients – how did this happen?” That thought ran through the mind of a single mother of three young children when… Continue reading Rethinking Welfare: Recognising Contributions and Reducing Stigma