Sociology For Social Workers - Assessed Task: ‘Building A Community Profile’

Part B: interpreting quantitative data (word count: 750) 

As you will be aware, the last census was in 2011 and the data from that is now available along with some updates. If you are interested you can look at the whole range of data sets for your area, however for the assessed task we want you to explore the more specific data under ‘neighborhood statistics’.

You can find the relevant link at: http://dclgapps.communities.gov.uk/imd/iod_index.html

This  type  of  quantitative  data  focuses  upon  those  things  that  can easily  be  measured,  and  so  is  likely  to  be  more  linked  to  work, education  and  health,  but  there  is  a  useful  website  area  which examines the environment.

You  will  see  that  the  website  identifies  the  Index  of  Multiple deprivation and 9domains, which are:

1. Income deprivation
2. Employment deprivation
3. Education, skills and training 
4. Health deprivation & disability 
5. Crime
6. Barriers to housing & services
7. Living environment deprivation
8. Income deprivation affecting children
9. Income deprivation affecting older people

You should then complete a written account of the data and include here whether or not there were aspects of the data, which you found surprising,  challenging  an  assumption  you  have  previously  held. You can also find out how your ara compares to neighbouring areas.

You  should  clarify  the  extent  to  which  the  data  is  above  or  below regional/national   averages,   and   where   the   area   lies   on   the deprivation index. (this is to be found in the box on the right hand side)

Some  will  live  right  on  the  edge  of  a  ward,  but  see  their  area  as being the neighboring ward – those to whom this applies will find out soon enough. Whichever ward you use is up to you, but you only need to use the data from one ward.

You should remember that the importance of the section is for you to demonstrate that you can understand statistical data. It therefore is assessing a skill and not the integrity of the data.

Whilst  this  is  a  continuation  of  data  about  ‘where  I  live’  it  is  quite easy to put this into the third person – for example: ‘In the immediate neighborhood of Graemesville (or wherever it is you live) there are 1512 people and in the area of Graemesville as a whole there are 7,738 people of which over half are women (4,011) according to the 2019 population estimates.

These two sections form the data for your subsequent discussion in Part C. Although all three are handed in at the same time, the weekly outline gives a timeline of when you should aim to complete Part A and then Part B.