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Child and Family Welfare (SCWK90039)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
From 2023 most subjects will be taught on campus only with flexible options limited to a select number of postgraduate programs and individual subjects.
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About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
Availability | September - Online |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Child and family welfare is a long established major field of practice for professional social workers. This subject, delivered predominantly online, offers flexibility and opportunities for self-directed learning. The subject gives students a foundation for social work practice in the field of services to children at risk of harm, and their families and carers. It uses a framework for understanding and responding to the child in the family, network and community. The subject pays particular attention to the theoretical and practical aspects of understanding and responding to risk and serious harm to children. It considers state-level, national and international approaches to protecting children and working with families. The subject outlines key legislation and practice approaches in the area of family services, child protection and out-of-home care. It covers previous and current efforts to reform the child protection systems. Students will learn about the particular functions and skills required of social workers practicing in this field.
Intended learning outcomes
Knowledge
On completion of the subject, students should be able to:
- Describe a public health model approach to child and family welfare in Australia;
- Describe a children's rights approach to child and family welfare in Australia;
- Describe legislation and policy in Australian child and family welfare systems; and
- Articulate a beginning knowledge of Australian child and family welfare practice and systems, inclusive of service delivery mechanisms and issues within the Australian context.
Skills
On completion of the subject, students should be able to:
- Critically examine the social work role in Australian child and family welfare systems; and
- Critically examine the social, cultural, organisational, and ethical contexts of child and family welfare practice in Australia.
Application of Knowledge and Skills
On completion of the subject, students should be able to:
- Critically analyse contemporary issues in Australian child and family welfare systems, by synthesizing and analysing the research and policy evidence for a variety of practice perspectives, risk perspectives, and social work perspectives, and applying them to a range of practice setting; and
- Critique service delivery issues in Australian child and family welfare systems, with reference to the provision of services to children, young people, and their families, and apply this critical understanding to a range of practice settings.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should be able to:
- critically analyse texts and practices
- understand recent developments in social work contexts of practice
- link theory to practice
- competently communicate in ways relevant to both academic and practice contexts
- undertake independent research
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Written assignment
| Mid semester | 40% |
Audiovisual presentation (5 mins) and essay (2000) words
| End of semester | 50% |
Weekly contribution to online discussion board
| Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- September - Online
Coordinator Jenny Conrick Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 5 September 2022 to 6 November 2022 Last self-enrol date 16 September 2022 Census date 23 September 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 28 October 2022 Assessment period ends 25 November 2022
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Connolly, M. & Morris, K. (2012) Understanding child & family welfare: Statutory responses to children at risk. Basingstoke UK: Palgrave
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Health and Human Services Course Master of Social Work Course Master of Advanced Social Work - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024