WEL420 Working in Child Protection (8)

This subject provides students with a frame of reference for the professional role of social workers, welfare workers and police officers engaged in the statutory protection of children and young people. Students will develop an integrated knowledge and skill base relevant to statutory child protection practice and be able to critically reflect upon the impact of the child protection work upon themselves, their professional practice with clients and the wider community.

Availability

Session 2 (60)
Online
Wagga Wagga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: WEL420. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Enrolment Restrictions

Only available to B.Social Science (Social Welfare) and B/Social Work students enrolling in their final year and to post graduate students in the following programs; Master of Child and Adolescent Welfare, Master of Arts (Child Protection Investigation), Master of Social Work (Advanced Practice), Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying).

Not for students who have previously completed WEL404 Child Protection 1.

Internet access is essential to the study of this subject.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to demonstrate their understanding of the impact of personal and community values upon child protection practice;
  • be able to demonstrate their understanding of the ethical considerations involved in professional intervention with children and young people and their families in relation to child maltreatment;
  • be able to demonstrate their understanding of the legal, social, scientific and moral frameworks governing child protection practice;
  • be able to describe the roles and responsibilities of a range of professional workers and agencies in matters of child abuse and neglect;
  • be able to identify and apply the components of core child protection activities including;
  • assessment of safety, risks and needs;
  • case planning and management;
  • formal and informal dispute resolution of legal and social problems; and
  • be able to articulate strategies to respond to the societal, organisational and professional constraints and conflicts that occur in work with matters of child abuse and neglect.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

The syllabus comprises six (6) case studies presented sequentially on a fortnightly basis over the duration of the session.

Each case study will present problems related to six (6)study foci derived from the objectives. These foci are grouped in 2 sub sets described below:

Professional judgement in child protection practice:
- the exercise of authority
- cultural competence with divergent groups
- professional accountability

Resources and operational activities for protecting children:
- frameworks for professional intervention
- engagement with vulnerable people
- sharing responsibility for change

All six foci are considered in each case study and the associated assessment tasks. The case studies are derived from professional practice experience of the subject coordinator and other practitioners and address issues of:
- cultural and spiritual diversity,
- gender and sexuality,
- age and developmental abilities of children and young people
- socio-economic class
- professional roles and organisational contexts
- the range of abusive and harmful actions toward or affecting children and young people.

Indicative Assessment

The following table summarises the assessment tasks for the online offering of WEL420 in Session 2 2019. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated and can also differ to suit the mode of study (online or on campus).

Item Number
Title
Value %
1
Essay
40
2
Blog activity
30
3
Reflective essay
30

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: October 2020. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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