Social policy

Social policy refers to a broad category of public, private and third sector laws, rules and procedures directed at what in the 19th century was known as "the social problem": income maintenance of the aged and poor, education (including job training), health care, personal care of designated populations at high risk of dependency (e.g., aged, mentally ill, mentally retarded, disabled) and related issues. Social policy is also the study of these laws, social problems and issues.