Unit information: Contemporary Law and Policy for Child Welfare Services in 2022/23

Unit name	Contemporary Law and Policy for Child Welfare Services
Unit code	SPOLM0020
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Vicky Sharley
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	N/A
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	N/A
Units you may not take alongside this one
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Unit Information

This unit provides an opportunity for students to update and extend their knowledge of law and policy as they relate to social work with children and families. The unit aims to:

• Provide a critical overview of developments in law relating to child welfare, including reference to youth justice and the legal framework addressing asylum seeking and young people who are refugees and other groups of children who may come into contact with social services.
• Critically examine the policy context for current practice with children, young people and families
• Enhance and extend students’ theoretical understanding of key current issues affecting child welfare, for example the impact of poverty and social exclusion
• Explore the application of human rights provisions in complex situations that arise in children and families social work

Your learning on this unit

On successful completion of the unit, students should be able to:

• Understand, critically analyse and apply current legal provisions in relation to child care and child welfare
• Demonstrate critical appreciation of the legal context affecting the different groups of children or young people who may come into contact with social work services.
• Interpret and use legislation and guidance to protect and/or advance people’s rights and entitlements
• Critically appraise and choose from available options in complex legal situations and promote best practice in supporting human and civil rights
• Demonstrate critical understanding and application of core social work values, including anti-oppressive practice, child centred practice and service user perspectives

How you will learn

Teaching will take place in 1.5 hour sessions, normally over a 3 day block with a further re-call day. The unit will combine lectures, seminar discussion and practical exercises.

How you will be assessed

3500 – 4000 word written assignment, critically analysing a complex scenario involving the application of detailed legal provisions.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOLM0020).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.