What is social policy?

There can be a lot of confusion about what social policy is. This section is here to give you a working definition of what we would call 'social policy work' and to explain why it is so important to gather case evidence for national work.

•Social Policy is the second and equal twin aim of the Scottish CAB Service, namely:

To exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally

•The CAS Social Policy team defines social policy work as 'challenging unfairness and working for change'.

•Social policy work is integral to advice giving and the CAB Service because it aims to prevent problems as well as curing them

•The CAS Social Policy team is here to support bureaux with their own local social policy work and to encourage bureaux to send CAS feedback forms to inform national social policy work

•National social policy work is based on evidence which is always founded on client experiences, statistics and research. Therefore, unless there is solid client or statistical evidence on an issue, CAS will not express an opinion

•All the case evidence used by CAS originates from Scottish bureaux; their widespread locations help provide a reliable national picture of issues across rural and urban Scotland

Social policy work is crucial to the CAB service