Assignment:
One of the themes that emerged on the first day of class is that social, cultural, and political variables impact our lives, including our development. In this course we will be examining physical, cognitive, socio-emotional and moral development from prenatal through primary stages. For this paper, I want you to combine what you learn about development with an exploration of the socio-political realities of society. Your overarching task is to examine policies that impact children either in the United States or internationally. You will research policies related to your area of interest (e.g. health care, poverty, employment, education) and discuss them in relation to how they impact human development. Your paper will be about 4-6 pages in length and have several parts:
1. A description of either Federal or State policies (with citations) related to your topic. Include a degree of historical background, indicating when the policy was initiated, by whom, and why.
2. A discussion of conflicting viewpoints towards such policies. Make sure that this discussion is research-based.
3. Discussion of how these policies impact children and families. Make sure that this discussion is research-based. Connect your discussion to developmental concepts and theories. Remember that realities of adult caregivers will affect children in their care.
4. Conclude your paper with a discussion of whether or not you feel the policy you reviewed is effective and supportive of healthy outcomes for children and families. Cite evidence for your conclusion. Make suggestions for new directions in policy. Support your suggestions with citations.