Postgraduate - UnitSWM5102 - Critical Social Work 1: frameworks for practice with children and families

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Synopsis

This unit covers child, adolescent and adult development with an emphasis on the development of resilience across the life course. A particular focus is on risk and protective factors at individual, family, community and societal levels that impede or enhance development. The unit has three parts:

• a human development component that covers child, adolescent and adult development with an emphasis on the development of resilience across the life course. A particular focus is on the risk and protective factors at individual, family, community and societal levels that impede or enhance child, adolescent and adult development.
• a social work practice theory section provides an orientation to the theory of direct social work practice with individuals and families focusing on one to one work with individuals and on working with family groups.
• a skills component that provides the opportunity for students to learn, and apply the direct social work practice skills that include assessment, engagement and the development of intervention strategies through the use of role plays, case studies and problem based learning.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this Unit students will be able to:

1. Explain the specific developmental needs that arise in childhood, adolescence and adulthood;
2. Describe how risk and protective factors enhance or impede the development of resilience in childhood, adolescence and adulthood;
3. Assess the biopsychosocial development of a child, adolescent and adult and identify the structural factors that have impacted on development;
4. Critically evaluate the values and assumptions underpinning various theoretical approaches to human development;
5. Summarize the key evidence in relation to the effectiveness of different approaches to direct social work practice;
6. Identify the basic elements of the social work process including assessment, the relationship, and the problem solving process ;
7. Demonstrate the key principles in relation to working with children and families and different cultural groups ;
8. Demonstrate competence in engaging with; assessment of and intervention with clients;
9. Demonstrate appropriate use of 'self' in the professional helping relationship, based on an awareness of self in a familial, social and cultural context.

Assessment

Critical reflection on the life-span (1500 words)
Case study analysis that asks student to apply the theoretical knowledge learned to a typical social work client situation (3,000 words)
A biopyschosocial assessment of a child, adolescent or adult (3,000 words)
Completion of a role play assessment activity (1,500 words)

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Uschi Bay

Contact hours

This subject runs for 12 weeks. A twelve point unit requires twenty four hours per week or 312 hours per semester. On-campus students will attend nine hours of face to face contact per week that will include six hours of lecturers and three hours of tutorials. Fours hours will be spent on online activities and eleven hours will be spent on private study. Off-campus students participate in 20 hours residential workshops, four hours per week on online activities and 18 hours per week on private study. Week 12 will not introduce any new material but provide an opportunity for revision and completion of assignments.