child-and-youth-development---south-africa/ug-arts-child-and-youth-development---south-africa

aos

18 September 2017 20 April 2024

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Students who commenced study in 2016 should refer to this area of study entry for direction on the requirments; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your area of study.

Monash University

Undergraduate
Minor/Major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2016 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook.

Any units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the Faculty of Arts component of any bachelors double degrees.

Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Managing faculty

Faculty of Arts

Offered by

South Africa School of Social Science

Websites

Faculty of Arts

South Africa School of Social Science

Location

South Africa

Child and youth development promotes and facilitates optimum development of children and adolescents with both normal and special developmental needs, ensuring their effectiveness within all the contexts in which they function.

The developmental-ecological perspective emphasises the interaction between persons and their physical and social environments, including cultural and political settings. The value of such knowledge has become increasingly important both nationally and internationally as understanding of the importance of early life experiences to the later optimal development and well-being of the child becomes more apparent. Poor early life experiences can lead to deleterious outcomes from underachievement of potential to delinquency and deviancy.

Issues of major importance for the children and youth of South Africa and Africa include mother-to child HIV transmission rates, teenage pregnancies, access to medical treatment, child-run families, orphan status, adoption, poverty and abuse. In South Africa, the mean population age is young and this makes the need for adequately trained professionals to address the issues of children and youth even more of a national and international priority.

Professional practitioners promote the optimal development of children, youth and their families in a variety of settings, such as early care and education, community-based child and youth development programs, parent education and family support, school-based programs, community mental health, group homes, residential centres, rehabilitation programs, paediatric health care and juvenile justice programs.

Availability

Child and youth development is offered in the Bachelor of Social Science at Monash South Africa as a major or a minor.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major will:

1. demonstrate skills in assessing client and program needs, designing and implementing programs in planned environments, integrating developmental, preventive and therapeutic requirements into the life space of children and youth.

2. be sensitised to the child and youth development challenges facing South Africa and its neighbouring states and be equiped to contribute to the betterment of its peoples while being sensitive to local cultures and beliefs.

Units

Major requirements (48 points)

No more than 12 points at level 1 may be credited to a major and at least 18 points must be credited to the major at level 3.

Students complete:

a. Two level 1 gateway units (12 points):

  • AZA1285 Child and youth development in South Africa: A person-in-environment perspective
  • AZA1286 Child and youth development: A five-level developmental model

b. Two level 2 units (12 points):

  • AZA2763 Child and youth assessment: Risk and protective factors, signs and symptoms
  • AZA2765 Child and youth interventions: Individual, group and community interventions

c. One level 3 unit (6 points):

  • AZA3772 Field placements in child and youth care settings

d. Three additional units (18 points) from the following:

  • AZA2762 Health and safety guidelines for children and youth
  • AZA2764 Building support networks for children and families
  • AZA3769 Family functioning and child abuse: The child and youth care worker's role
  • AZA3770 Intermediary services in courts: Protecting the rights of the child and youth victim
  • AZA3771 Management of community projects: Working preventatively with children, youth and families

Minor requirements (24 points)

No more than 12 points at level 1 may be credited towards the minor.

a. Two level 1 gateway units (12 points):

  • AZA1285 Child and youth development in South Africa: A person-in-environment perspective
  • AZA1286 Child and youth development: A five-level developmental model

b. Two additional units (12 points) from those listed under b) or d) of the major.

Relevant courses

Successful completion of the minor or major can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degree:*

  • 4086 Bachelor of Social Science

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives.

* Students cannot complete both the minor and major in the same area of study.