WS5112 - Practising in Child Protection

Credit points:	03
Year:	2007
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	Discipline of Social Work & Community Welfare

This subject canvasses a range of key issues for consideration in child protection work such as parental factors in child welfare, the support needs of families, dealing with issues of power and authority in statutory contexts, and worker care and and management. Students will be introduced to models of best practice in child protection and have the opportunity to explore how such a perspective can inform their practice. The subject will comprise four modules: parental factors in child protection (eg domestic violence, mental illness, intellectual disability, substance abuse); supporting families; case planning and management; and managing self in the child protection context. A best practice perspective is presented as an overarching principle that ideally guides practice.

Learning Outcomes

• demonstrate an understanding of the social, economic, political, familial and cultural factors that potentially impact on children and families;
• demonstrate a capacity to reflect on and have developed strategies to manage their own responses to child abuse;
• demonstrate a capacity to work effectively with issues of power and authority in statutory contexts;
• demonstrate an understanding of models of best practice in child protection and their implications for their own practice.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments;
• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• A coherent and disciplined body of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to learn independently and in a self-directed manner.

Availabilities
Townsville, Limited, Study Period 2
Census Date 31-Aug-2007
Face to face teaching (Three day workshop - consult School for details)
Coordinator:	Dr Debra Miles
Contact hours:	24 hours workshops/Seminars
Assessment:	essays (40%); assignments (60%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.