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WEL228 Disability Issues for Families (8)

Abstract

This subject takes a developmental, a diversity and a human rights perspective to the subject of disability and family. It covers disability issues from a developmental perspective in that it takes a developmental lifespan approach to the issues, challenges and social factors that impact on families as a family member  develops and ages. It covers a number of family issues that emerge from the birth of a child with a disability, life transitions, challenges of adulthood through to issues faced by both carers and the person with a disability as they age. Disability, development and ageing are viewed from a diversity perspective. In addition it looks at the issues of discrimination, exclusion and marginalization that families, carers and individuals with disabilities face and it examines the role of professional partners in forwarding a human rights agenda in partnership with families.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Session 2
DistanceAlbury-Wodonga Campus
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: WEL228
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration Grading System School:
One sessionHD/FLSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to define the term family and describe the diversity of families
  • be able to articulate an understanding of a range of family and social issues that emerge for families in the context of lifespan development, including infancy, childhood transitions, adolesence, adulthood and ageing
  • be able to identify major challenges that families and carers face over time
  • be able to articulate an understanding of sibling experiences and responses to disability
  • be able to take a diversity approach to disability, including demonstrating an understanding of disability as diversity, as well as being able to articulate differences in Indigenous and culturally diverse families
  • be able to articulate the ways in which family support needs change over time and to be able to articulate support responses in terms of both adaptation and human rights
  • be able to identify and articulate challenges faced by parents with disabilities and their children and to identify support roles for disability professionals
  • be able to demonstrate an understanding of the social model of disability in relation to human rights and professional practice in disability
  • be able to identify legal avenues available to advance the rights of families with a member who has a disability
  • be able to identify gaps in policy and service provision and to identify the role of family and policy advocacy

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:
Module 1: Families with a child who have a disability
  • Family diversity and disability;
  • Social and medical models of disability;
  • Family adjustment, disability and professional practice;
  • Professional practice in transdisciplinary contexts;
  • Early life transitions and disability;
  • Siblings and disability;
  • Indigenous families, ethnic families and disability.
     
Module 2: Lifetime caring and families
  • Care issues in neoliberal contexts;
  • Disability, family and community care;
  • Midlife transitions, emerging frailty, health and social challenges;
  • Disability, human rights and social justice advocacy;
  • Family experiences of disability in the context of ageing;
  • Parents with disabilities
  • Family sustainability and disability.

Module 3: Disability Toolkit
  • Critical moments in practice with families;
  • Critical skills in practice with families;
  • Critical knowledge in practice with families;
  • Service mapping, referral, access;
  • Family support, policy advocacy and social change.
     

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The information contained in the 2015 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 01 October 2015. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.