Title: (Optional) Develop strategies to effect change in policies and laws for the benefit of families and children.
Course: Child Development and Parenting (19255-36) > Section: Evaluating Support Systems that Provide Services for Parents

Development of strategies should include choosing an issue, such as

- existing laws, policies, and regulations that affect the chosen moral, ethical, or social issue
- any legislative action or other decisions pending
- recommended changes to laws, policies, and regulations
- ways to garner public support for change
- ways to affect legislation.

Process/Skill Questions

Thinking

- Why should individuals be aware of legislation affecting families?
- What would happen if citizens were not allowed to effect changes in society? What would happen if no one had the interest or energy to try to make changes?
- What can individuals do to ensure that policymaking in the future will support families?

Communication

- Where do individuals acquire our beliefs and attitudes about legislation and government support of families?
- What communication skills and strategies do individuals need to convince people (including politicians) of the benefits of change?
- What is the role of technology in improving the efficiency of agencies that collect child support?

Leadership

- Why is it important to be aware of how an individual can affect the legislative process?
- What are the most important facts to know about the local, state, and federal legislative processes?
- What social change could strengthen families and protect the rights of children?
- What leadership skills would one need to present an idea for change?

Management

- What information is needed in order to begin the process of making changes?
- What are some reliable sources of information about your selected issue, the legislative process, and the challenges of and strategies for effecting change?
- What steps would you take to bring an issue to the attention of student council, your school administration, local government administration, and state legislature?