Bringing public policy into policy practice

Abstract

Summary Policy practice is a core element of social work practice. The rationale for this type of practice and its key strategies and methods has been discussed at length in the literature. However, insights from public policy theories have not been employed in order to better understand the ways in which social workers can influence social policy formulation. This article seeks to broaden and enrich the theoretical foundations of policy practice by incorporating knowledge from two leading frameworks of the policy process – the Multiple Stream Framework (MSF) and the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) – into the policy practice discourse. Findings This article underscores the potential contribution of these frameworks to the engagement of social workers in the policy process by discussing the practical implications of their theoretical insights upon the roles and tasks of social workers engaged in policy practice. It does so by employing the frameworks to better understand the roles and the tasks of social workers in three streams in the policy process: problems, policy and politics. It also underlines social workers’ potential role of policy entrepreneurs. Applications The insights emerging from the MSF and the ACF can guide social workers in their efforts to influence the policy process. By drawing upon these frameworks, social workers will not only be able to see the wider policy picture but they should be better able to identify possible roles and relevant tasks for themselves in order to influence this process.