ABSTRACT

This chapter explores social policy for social work with an ageing population. The focus here is on relevant policy and the impact this has on social work and related practice and education. The impact of ever prevalent ageist attitudes not only presents significant challenges in relation to the development of humanitarian responses to social policy, but also in the social work education context, where there remains a values deficit in how students view working with this client group. The introduction of community care and subsequent legislation since 1990 has been underpinned by a political ideology which has at its heart a focus on individualism and a reduction in the role of the state at its core, which is at odds with social work values as well as the collectivist approach of the Scottish Government.