OCC4131 - Assessment of children: Methods, policy, ethics and issues - 2017

This unit will provide an exploration of the issues related to the assessment of children (ethical, legal, professional, educational, clinical). The unit will start by introducing the reasons, uses, and purposes of assessment. Specific methods (e.g., observation, objective performance, parent-report) related to the assessment of children will be reviewed. Particular attention will be paid to issues related to family-centred practice and assessing children in naturalistic environments. Different contexts (e.g., clinic, community, school, home) where assessment is completed, issues related to the assessment of children at different age levels / developmental levels and the evaluation of children with special needs will be discussed. Ethical, policy and legal issues related to the assessment of children will be presented and critiqued. Specific types of assessment tools, scales, and instruments appropriate for use with children will be presented and reviewed. This will provide a broad base of knowledge and skills for occupational therapy students wishing to work with children and families in clinical, educational, home, and community settings.

At the completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics, types, and methods of assessment best suited for use with children and their families;
2. Develop and describe assessment approaches appropriate for children at different developmental levels and for children with special needs;
3. Describe the assessment approaches that best fit with naturalistic assessment and family-centred practice;
4. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical, policy, and legal issues related to the assessment of children;
5. Demonstrate knowledge of assessment tools, scales, and instruments used to evaluate the skills, interests, roles, and abilities of children;
6. Demonstrate competence in searching, describing, summarising, and presenting (verbally and in writing) the evidence from research literature on a specific topic related to child assessment.

• Participation during class and tutorial group discussions (10%)
• Critique and scoping review of an instrument, tool or scale used to assess children (2,500 words) (40%)
• Mock assessment report of school-age child & professional reflection (3,000 words) (50%)
• Achieving a minimum grade of 50% on the AT4, failure to achieve a grade of 50% or more on AT4 may result in failing the unit (Hurdle)
• 100% attendance requirements for all tutorials, seminars and practical skills sessions, unless a medical certificate is provided (Hurdle)

Four hours per week contact time (lectures and tutorials) and 8 hours per week private study (reading, literature review, practicing skills, assignments, and other self-directed learning activities).

See also Unit timetable information

Associate Professor Ted Brown

Occupational therapy

Completion of first year of an undergraduate programme.