Today Iain Duncan Smith announced the launch of the government’s Social Justice Strategy Group outlining what is to be accomplished;
“from day one [of the Coalition Government] the message has been clear: we cannot conduct our social policy in discrete parts, with one part of Government tinkering with the welfare system over here…another with the education system over there…a third with the criminal justice system, and so on. It has to have a fundamental vision and a driving ethos – otherwise it will be narrow, it will be reactive, and it will not work.”
This new ‘ethos’, as Iain Duncan Smith called it, is a shift in how governments look at the wider issue of social justice. The cross-departmental brief of this consultation group highlights the nuances of social welfare and justice policy within a structure, like government. Iain Duncan Smith explained that the previous government spent £ 150 Billion in tax credits on helping people in to work, but the 2014 Child Poverty target will, sadly, be missed. So the investment of money failed to return a comprehensive change in the social welfare make-up of the country. Iain Duncan Smith argues that the old system did not work and is now unsustainable and as such is crying out for reform.
The Welfare Reform Act is only a small part towards the government’s long term goals on social justice and welfare reform.
“For every pound we spend we should be asking – how does it promote LIFE CHANGE?”
This simple test will be at the center of the Social Justice Strategy Group’s research. It will look at education, ideas surrounding the Second Chance society, welfare and welfare reform, families and social breakdown and will use the idea and ethos outlined above in understanding whether the government’s policies will bring value for money whilst promoting individual life changing solutions.
See the announcement
IDS launches new initiative to highlight a new social justice ‘ethos’ in Britain
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Today Iain Duncan Smith announced the launch of the government’s Social Justice Strategy Group outlining what is to be accomplished;
This new ‘ethos’, as Iain Duncan Smith called it, is a shift in how governments look at the wider issue of social justice. The cross-departmental brief of this consultation group highlights the nuances of social welfare and justice policy within a structure, like government. Iain Duncan Smith explained that the previous government spent £ 150 Billion in tax credits on helping people in to work, but the 2014 Child Poverty target will, sadly, be missed. So the investment of money failed to return a comprehensive change in the social welfare make-up of the country. Iain Duncan Smith argues that the old system did not work and is now unsustainable and as such is crying out for reform.
The Welfare Reform Act is only a small part towards the government’s long term goals on social justice and welfare reform.
This simple test will be at the center of the Social Justice Strategy Group’s research. It will look at education, ideas surrounding the Second Chance society, welfare and welfare reform, families and social breakdown and will use the idea and ethos outlined above in understanding whether the government’s policies will bring value for money whilst promoting individual life changing solutions.
See the announcement