Concepts like freedom, equality and justice have many uses – and even more misuses. In seeking to manage an increasingly complex world, it is more important than ever to think carefully about the meaning of such concepts which are central to policy debates and integral to implementing effective social policy around the world.This concise and readable book is a guide to those essential social policy concepts. In addition to freedom, equality and justice, the book covers concepts lik...

Based on a comparative study covering 15 Western European countries, this edited volume examines the responses of long-term care homes for older people to the COVID-19 pandemic.It analyses the preparedness of governments and residences and the structural weaknesses revealed and exacerbated by the crisis, such as staff shortages, the precariousness of employment in the sector, and the deficient coordination between the health and caring sectors.By examining the governance st...

Pathways of Human Development uses theoretical perspectives from developmental, social, and behavioral sciences to examine the many ways that individuals, families, and communities intersect and interface. Focusing on the impact of change on human development, including its antecedents, processes, and consequences, the chapters examine a range of topics such as health and adaptation; social anxiety disorder; protective factors and risk behaviors; parent-child relationships; adoles...

The capability approach, an increasingly popular conceptual and theoretical framework focused on what individuals are able to do and be, offers a unique evaluative perspective to social policy analysis. This book explores the advantages of this approach and offers a way forward in addressing conceptual and empirical issues as they apply specifically to social policy research and practice. Short conceptual and empirical chapters provide clear examples of how policies shape the capabilities ...

This exciting collection presents an in-depth, up-to-date analysis of the unprecedented phenomenon of increasing numbers of grandparents worldwide, co-existing and interacting for longer periods of time with their grandchildren.The book contains analyses of topics that have so far received relatively little attention, such as transnational grandparenting and gender differences in grandparenting practices. It is the only collection that brings together theory-driven research on gran...