CARE08072 2022 Markets, Audits and Affective Relations in Social Care

Analyse and think critically about core concepts in the study of both marketisation and audit cultures in social care (SP 5.14, 5.15)

Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to assess political and policy developments in auditing and marketisation across the social care sector in Ireland and abroad (SP 5.1, 5.2)

Outline the theoretical arguments in relation to for-profit provision of care and audit/regulation in social care and associated empirical evidence from a variety of jurisdiction (SP 5.5, 5.6) 

Identify and discuss the ethical and moral implications of marketisation and audit cultures on affective relations in social care (SP 4.1, 5.2)

The module takes a problem based learning approach where students are encouraged to learn basic concepts and then apply them to real world challenges in Irish social care. Teaching will be in the form of reading, discussion, applications to policy and practice context and the creation of solutions to challenges in the sector.

An active learning strategy will be adopted using case studies, debate, discussion and problem solving. Integrating prior knowledge of the sector gained through practice placement with new conceptual tools to develop own analysis is central to the approach. There will be a combination of lectures, tutorial and the use of Moodle as a repository for resources.

There will be two assessments, one worth 70% (PBL Assessment) and the second worth 30%, which will allow student to demonstrate their understanding and analytic ability to address key challenges in Irish social care: how to manage the demands of markets, audits and regulation while maintaining an ethical and moral stance towards affective practices in social care.

The PLB approach will culminate in a simulation of problem and the application of learning to address a resolution. Assessment 1 will be a project working in pairs or threes to address the challenges facing the sector. Assessment 2  will be an individual portfolio of learning and reflection.

Repeat Project

LO 1: Analyse and think critically about core concepts in the study of both marketisation and audit cultures in social care (SP 5.14, 5.15)

Key theoretical concepts and policy context: marketisation, commercialisation, privatisation, commodification, commissioning, managerialisation, regulation; markets and audits for affective relations in social care from a range of different perspectives

LO 2: Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to assess political and policy developments in auditing and marketisation across the social care sector in Ireland and abroad (SP 5.1, 5.2)

Introduction to markets in Irish social care: foster care and residential children’s care; home care and nursing homes, intellectual disability services

Overview and analysis of major non-profit and for-profit providers across sector

Regulation and audit in Irish social care: the evolution of regulatory approaches in the sector and the predominance of 'risk management'

New managerialism and social care: Standardisation, Surveillance and Measurement (SSM) Systems

LO 3: Outline the theoretical arguments in relation to commissioning and for-profit provision of care and audit/regulation in social care and associated empirical evidence from a variety of jurisdiction (SP 5.5, 5.6) 

Theoretical and empirical implications of commissioning in service delivery: evidence from other jurisdictions

Theoretical arguments for and against market provision and empirical evidence across a range of jurisdictions

LO 4: Identify and discuss the ethical and moral implications of marketisation and audit cultures on affective relations in social care (SP 4.1, 5.2)

Affective relations in social care: theoretical and empirical underpinnings

Trust, integrity, care, compassion, solidarity and regulation, control, competition: theoretical arguments and empirical studies

Affective relations in professional practice: empirical evidence on audit, risk, markets and quality assurance