Print Course syllabus
Course syllabus - Social Work with Children
Scope
7.5 credits
Course code
SAA044
Valid from
Autumn semester 2015
Education level
Second cycle
Progressive Specialisation
A1N (Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements)
Main area(s)
Social Work
School
School of Health, Care and Social Welfare
Ratified
2014-11-20
Literature lists
Course literature is preliminary up to 8 weeks before course start. Course literature can be valid over several semesters.
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Books
Domestic violence, family law and school. Childrens right to participation, protection, and provision.
Articles
Knowledge use and learning in everyday social work practice: a study in child investigation work
Children helping to co-construct a digital tool that is designed to increase childrens participation in child welfare investigations in Sweden
URL: Link
Small Voices: Children's Rights and Representation in Social Work Research
Researching Social Work Practice Close Up: Using Ethnographic and Mobile Methods to Understand Encounters between Social Workers, Children and Families
Organizational factors and child participation in decision-making: differences between two child welfare organizations
Care for Sale: The Influence of New Public Management in Child Protection in Sweden
URL: Link
Emotional Intelligence, Emotion and Social Work: Context, Characteristics,Complications and Contribution
Challenges of participation in child welfare
Pathways to Participation: Openings, Opportunities and Obligations
Obstacles for child participation in care and protection cases - why Norwegian social workers find it difficult
Objectives
The objective of the course is for students to acquire more in-depth knowledge of children’s rights and how children’s participation, protection and resources can be promoted and secured in a social work context. Students are further expected to acquire additional knowledge about the complexity of the welfare system, and how boys’ and girls’ experiences can contribute to knowledge development and evidence-based practices.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:
With regard to knowledge and understanding
1. give evidence of in-depth knowledge of children’s rights, participation, protection and resources, and discuss these with the help of core theories from social research on children and youth
2. give evidence of in-depth knowledge of children’s vulnerability and special needs, including their consequences, and how they can be detected and handled with the help of different models/methods for analysis, preventive work, crisis intervention, support and treatment
3. give evidence of in-depth knowledge of different definitions of, and perspectives on, quality in social work with children
With regard to skills and abilities
4. analyze obstacles and opportunities in work with children who are especially vulnerable or have special needs
5. analyze the importance of a child perspective, and of children’s perspectives and participation, in the qualitative development of social work with children
6. note and take into account children’s experiences and perspectives in social work
With regard to judgement and approach
7. critically assess the response to children’s vulnerability and special needs on the basis of different perspectives and categorizations
Course content
Theory formation and research about children’s rights
Power relationships based on categorizing concepts such as ethnicity, disability, family structure, class, sex/gender, religion, sexuality, and age
The transition between childhood and adult life
Different types of special needs
Different forms of vulnerability, for example, related to different contexts and family relations, and in environments such as in groups of children, the welfare system complexity and institutional practices for detection and management of special needs and vulnerability and its implications for children
Quality development in social work with children, with special emphasis on participation
Specific requirements
A completed bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher education of three years or more, equivalent to 180 credits in one of the following subject areas: Public Health Science, Caring Science with Specialisation in Nursing, Nursing science, Medical Science, Physiotherapy, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, or the equivalent. In addition Swedish B/Swedish 3 and English B/English 6 are required. For courses given entirely in English exemption is made from the requirement in Swedish B/Swedish 3.
Examination
INL1, Hand-in assignment, 3 credits, individual written presentation: critical assessment of the responses to the vulnerability and special needs of children and youth; learning outcomes 1-2, 4, 7; grades Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with distinction (VG).
INL2, Hand-in assignment, 3 credits, individual written presentation: critical assessment of quality development in social work with children and youth; learning outcomes 1, 3, 5-7; grades Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with distinction (VG).
SEM1, Seminar, 1.5 credits, written and spoken presentation in groups: social work with children; learning outcomes 1-7; grades Fail (U) or Pass (G).
For the grade Pass with distinction on the course as a whole, this grade is required for INL1 and INL2. For more information, see the study guidelines.
A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding a disability has the opportunity to submit a request for supportive measures during written examinations or other forms of examination, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Examinations at First-cycle and Second-cycle Level at Mälardalen University (2020/1655). It is the examiner who takes decisions on any supportive measures, based on what kind of certificate is issued, and in that case which measures are to be applied.
Suspicions of attempting to deceive in examinations (cheating) are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, and are examined by the University’s Disciplinary Board. If the Disciplinary Board considers the student to be guilty of a disciplinary offence, the Board will take a decision on disciplinary action, which will be a warning or suspension.
Grade
Three-grade scale
Interim Regulations and Other Regulations
Replaces SAA037.