? Abercrombie, N (2002) Contemporary British Society, third edition, Polity Press, Oxford
? Blakemore, K (2003) Social Policy: An Introduction, second edition, Open University Press, Milton Keynes

? Access to a PC (with use of CD ROMS) is necessary
? Access to the Internet
? Access to hard-copy formats of texts, materials, and other guidance, such as government information, Explanatory Notes to legislation, etc

An essay of 2500 words which will assess all learning outcomes 1-4

Contributes to the achievement of Social Policy benchmarking for 3.2.5; 3.2.7; 3.2.9; 3.2.11; 3.2.12; 3.3; 4.2; 4.3; 4.4.1; 4.4.2

The focus of this award is on a mix of independent as well as directed study, but with opportunities to undertake a range of collaborative work with other participants on line ? for example in preparing advice-related, and transactional tasks.

Contact Hours (30) on this module means on-screen hours engaging with the on screen study materials in the course documents, course information sections of the module.

Independent Study (120) means your on-line and off-line activity, including work in the course documents, course information, and discussion forums and assignments sections of the module. It also includes further relevant background and developmental reading and research. Preparation and engagement with the discussion forums, self-assessment exercises, tasks together with assessment preparation and completion.

The VLE Blackboard will provide a structured framework for the delivery of this module.

Course Information. This section provides students with important module overview information for students.

Course Documents. This contains all the study materials separated into sections, each section being further broken down to contain the module materials and exercises.

Discussion Board: Students through regular engagement in the forums within the discussion board will facilitate interactive, asynchronous discussion on the exercises/tasks, which support and develop through critical analysis, student learning and allow for formative assessment of individual progress.
In some sections there may be no formal assessment of work undertaken, but there will be ?questions? for consideration, or other tasks to complete. Feedback will be provided.

Participants are encouraged to communicate with the tutor and fellow students using e-mail or the discussion forum and to do so if there are matters needing assistance or support.

As this is a distance learning award, participants will need to adopt a disciplined approach to study and work, for example by ensuring that activities, tasks, and assignments (whether formally assessed or not) are completed within specified time limits and discussion with other participants may need to be undertaken within specified time frames.

Web-based material will be utilised to support all aspects of the module, providing links to latest Government information and latest case law and legislation.

This module explores the social and social policy dimensions of some common problems that are characteristically presented to advice agencies. The Advice Studies awards emphasise the importance of securing `solutions? for `clients?. However, there are many advantages to reflecting upon aggregate experience of users of advice services and of trying to understand the social origins/construction of problems and of evaluating social policy initiatives to deal with problems. Thus advice workers may become not only effective `technicians? but also aware of the experiences of communities or particular groups of clients and of the efficacy of policy; indeed advice agencies have a key role to play in gathering experience of policies and of suggesting improvements to government.

Key themes explored in this module include :-

1) housing and homelessness
2) poverty and debt
3) women
4) family formations and family problems
5) old people
6) youth