Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

“Social workers identify social policy at the local, state, federal, and global level that affects well- being, human rights and justice, service delivery, and access to social services. Social workers recognize the historical, social, racial, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences that affect social policy. Social workers understand and critique the history and current structures of social policies and services and the role of policy in service delivery through rights- based, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist lenses. Social workers influence policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation within their practice settings with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers actively engage in and advocate for anti-racist and anti-oppressive policy practice to effect change in those settings.

Practice Behaviors: 

• use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services; and
• apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice (CSWE, 2022).”

 Engaging in policy practice is about understanding how policies shape the lives of individuals and communities and working to advocate for change when policies fall short. For me, this competency is essential because policies are often the root cause of systemic barriers and inequities. It challenges me to critically analyze current policies, identify areas for improvement, and collaborate with others to create meaningful change. As someone aiming to work at the macro level, I see policy practice as a powerful tool to address structural issues and promote social justice on a larger scale. Remaining committed to this competency means staying informed about policy developments, advocating for marginalized communities, and working to implement equitable and sustainable solutions. By engaging in policy work, I can help create systems that better serve vulnerable populations.

Evidences: 

School: Social Welfare Issues in Policy-SOCW-434: Policy Brief

I made a policy brief with a fellow peer about HR 7354 – Protect Black Women and Girls Act, a bill that focuses on protecting Black women and girls from violence and improving their overall well-being. In the brief, we summarized the main points of the bill, explained why it’s important, and highlighted how it could positively affect Black communities. We also offered recommendations on how this bill could be supported and put into action. After all of this We had to present it to a staffer at the House of Representatives in Washington D.C.

Creating the policy brief helped me improve my research and critical thinking skills. I had to carefully look at the bill, understand what it meant, and explain it in a clear way. I also strengthened my advocacy skills by learning how to support important policies and communicate their significance, especially in helping communities that face unfair treatment. This assignment helped me practice professional writing, making sure that complicated ideas were easy to read and understand for different people.

I chose this assignment because it connects to Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice. Social workers need to understand how policies affect people and know how to advocate for changes that help communities. In this policy brief, I focused on issues that impact Black women and girls. I used research to better understand the challenges they face and then used my writing and communication skills to explain why change is needed. This experience helped me see how important it is for social workers to speak up about unfair policies and work to create better laws and systems. Learning how to do this will help me in my career as I continue to advocate for people and promote justice through policy work.

Field: FERPA Training Certificate

As part of my field placement, I was required to complete a FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) training and assessment. The test focused on understanding the federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It covered topics such as who can access educational records, the rights of students and parents, and the proper procedures for handling and sharing sensitive information within educational settings. For example, when a parent called requesting their child’s academic information, I confirmed there was no FERPA release on file and, following protocol, informed them I couldn’t share details without the student’s consent. This reinforced the importance of safeguarding student privacy.

This assignment helped me develop a deeper understanding of how federal policy directly impacts practice, especially in educational or youth-centered environments. By studying FERPA, I learned how policies are designed to protect vulnerable populations—in this case, students—and how social workers are responsible for upholding these protections in their daily work. It also helped me strengthen my professional judgment and ethical decision-making skills, as I had to understand what types of information could or couldn’t be shared and with whom. This training made me more aware of the importance of confidentiality and taught me how to navigate legal guidelines when working with clients in school-based or educational settings.

I chose this assignment because it’s a clear example of how I had to learn and apply a real policy in a way that directly impacts my fieldwork. FERPA isn’t just a law I read about — it’s something I had to understand and use to protect students’ rights and privacy. This helped me build mastery in Competency 5 because I wasn’t just learning policy in theory — I was seeing how it shows up in practice. It helped me realize that being engaged in policy means knowing how to apply it in real-time, especially when it comes to protecting clients. This assignment reminded me that small actions  like knowing when not to share certain information are also a form of advocacy and accountability.

Other: Email to my Representatives

For this assignment, I wrote an advocacy email to my representative urging support for the reintroduction of police reform legislation, inspired by the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The email called for accountability, transparency, and the advancement of racial justice, emphasizing the need to protect marginalized communities and foster trust between law enforcement and the public. This assignment involved researching the legislation, understanding its connection to human rights and social justice, and coming up with a professional, values-based appeal for legislative action.

This assignment taught me how to look up current policies and understand how they affect people, especially those in marginalized communities. It gave me practice in writing professionally and advocating for change on a policy level, not just in one-on-one situations. It also helped me grow in understanding the values of social work — like fairness, respect for all people, and the responsibility to stand up for those who are treated unfairly. I learned how important it is for social workers to get involved in policy and use our voices to help fix systems that are not working.

I chose this assignment because it shows that I can take what I’ve learned in class and apply it to real life by participating in policy practice. Writing and sending this email helped me understand that social workers don’t just help people directly. We also need to work toward bigger changes by influencing laws and policies. This assignment made me feel more confident in reaching out to policymakers and expressing why certain laws matter to the communities we serve. It helped me develop mastery of this competency by showing me how to connect research, communication, and advocacy to promote justice, which I know will be a big part of my future as a social worker.