Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Nursing, Midwifery & Social Wk
This course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of social work practice with children, young people and families. The course will focus on practice in both statutory and non-government service organisations. Course learning activities will focus on developing students' understanding of the legal, policy and organisational environments of practice with children, young people and families with a strong focus on understanding the Queensland and national environments of practice. Students will consolidate learning with regard to the application of psychological, sociological and political understandings of service user needs and experiences of service systems. Foundational practical skills in direct practice with children, young people, parents and other care givers will be considered. Specific needs of vulnerable children, young people and families will be considered particularly with respect to these families' engagement with various service systems including child protection, education, health and juvenile justice systems.
ﾠ
Knowledge about and skills in working with families, young people and children areﾠrelevant across the entire range of social work practice contexts, whetherﾠthis be in child and family welfare, youth services, health, mental health, disability, educationﾠor income security. Family, youth and child studies also intersect with many levels of practice including statutory and non-statutory work, and work with individuals, families, communities and at policy levels.
ﾠ
The course encompasses the followingﾠfour content domains:
Social and political context
This domain includes the interrelationships between social, political and legislative factors, and practice frameworks, at international, national and state levels and how these impact on the development of organisational policy and procedures, and the implications of this for practice.
ﾠ
Theoretical context
This domain includes the different substantive and foundational knowledge and theories that underpin the field and how these are applied in practice.ﾠIt also includes the different theoretical approaches to practice in the field.
ﾠ
Assessment and intervention
This domain is about how the processes of social work assessment and intervention are particularly enacted/applied in the specific field, and the ethical and professional issues that are encountered in practice in that field.ﾠIt is also about responding to difference appropriately.
ﾠ
Professional communication
This domain includes the development of written, oral and interpersonal communication skills appropriate to the field.
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ASWEAS Required Curriculum Content Areas covered in this course:
The Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) program is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers.
The Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (2020) stipulates that accredited social work programs are required to include content that addresses the five core curriculum areas listed below. This course contains content in the following curriculum areas:
1. Constructions of social work purpose, place, and practice: YES
2. Power, oppression, and exploitation: YES
3. The history and contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: YES
4. Culture, identity, and discrimination: YES
5. Psychosocial health and wellbeing across the lifecycle: YES
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course aims to assist students to develop the capacity to use the social work knowledge base to inform practice, specifically in the fields of child, youth and family work.ﾠThe course builds directly on material covered in SWSP2077/7177ﾠand SWSP1044.ﾠﾠ
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
SWSP3016, SWSP7028
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Tutorials will commence in Week Two.
In weeks 2 - 4, 6 and 13, the whole class will be together for tutorials, which will include some structured activities and small group work.
In weeks 7 - 10 and12 (inclusive), student presentations will occur. These will take place across the tutorial groups. Note week 11 is a public holiday.
Students will self-allocate to presentation groups by the end of Week 1 and will be informed of the presentation schedule early in the semester. During these weeks, students are to attend the tutorial group/room in which their own presentation will occur.
Aims and outcomes
SWSP3028 will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of social work practice with children, young people and families. Course learning activities will focus on developing students' understanding of the legal, policy and organisational environments of practice with children, young people and families with a strong focus on understanding the Queensland and national environments of practice. Students will consolidate learning with regard to the application of psychological, sociological and political understandings of service user needs and experiences of service systems. Foundational practical skills in direct practice with children, young people, parents and other care givers will be considered across the range of intervention levelsﾠincluding primary prevention, secondaryﾠservices and tertiaryﾠintervention. Specific needs of vulnerable children, young people and families will be considered particularly with respect to these families' engagement with various service systems including child protection, youth justice, family support, domestic violence and family relationships counselling.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate understanding of the social, political, legal and organisational contexts of social work practice with children, young people and vulnerable families.
LO2.
Demonstrate understanding of how psychological, sociological and political theory can be applied to understanding the needs and experiences of children, young people and families who are service users of statutory and non-government services.
LO3.
Demonstrate effective spoken and written communication skills for engaging and informing children, young people, families and other practitioners.
LO4.
Demonstrate understanding of the needs, experiences and concerns of children, young people and families involved in child protection and/or juvenile justice systems from both an historical and contemporary perspective.
LO5.
Demonstrate understanding of ethical standards, professional responsibilities and purposeful use of self when working with children, young people, families and colleagues.
LO6.
Use evidence to inform analysis of and responses to children, young people and colleagues.
LO7.
Demonstrate capacity for culturally sensitive practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-semester exam: Child Protection Case Assessment
|
35% |
19/08/2024 12:00 pm |
| Notebook/ Logbook, Practical/ Demonstration, Portfolio |
Social Work Practice Portfolio
|
65% |
6/11/2024 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
In-semester exam: Child Protection Case Assessment
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
19/08/2024 12:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Students must sit the examination to be eligible to pass the course.
The exam will occur in class time in Week 5. The case study for the exam will be released on the Blackboard site on the Friday of Week 4.
The test will commence at the beginning of the lecture.
Some "new" information about the family may also be supplied as part of the exam. Students will have 10 minutes reading time and a further 90 minutes in which to complete the exam.
In the test, students will be provided with written instructions. The test will include:
* identification and discussion of the signs of safety and of risk
* identification of further factors that would need to be considered in a child protection assessment
* outline a short plan for the next stage of assessment and intervention to enhance the child/children's well-being and safety based on their assessment of risk and of safety.
This test is closed book, meaning that students can only bring writing equipment and a standard unmarked English language dictionary to their desk for the test.
Students are expected to make reference to the course material including literature, though a precise/formal reference list is not required.
This assessment piece is conducted as an exam and students who fail to attend the test will receive zero marks.
Students who arrive late for the test will not receive extra time to complete the test.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | An unmarked bilingual dictionary |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Social Work Practice Portfolio
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Notebook/ Logbook, Practical/ Demonstration, Portfolio
- Weight
- 65%
- Due date
6/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
This description is only a summary of the task. For full details, including the marking rubric, please refer to the course Learn UQ (Blackboard) site.
The Practice Portfolio consists of two parts, as follows:
1. An in-class group seminar/presentation on a child protection sector inquiry, and
2. A workbook consisting of four 300-word responses and one 600-word response (total of 1800 words)
Both are outlined in detail, below.
Part 1 - Group Seminar/Presentation:
This is a group activity. Each student will participate in a team that will lead a 50 minute in-class seminar regarding a specific public Inquiry related to the human services sector and the populations social workers serve. By the end of Week One, students will allocate to a team with a specific topic. The student led seminars will occur each week from 2nd of September until (and including) 14th of October (Weeks 7-10, 12). Noting week 11 is on a public holiday.
Part 2 - Workbook
The workbook will be comprised of the following five exercises related to seminar and student lead presentation content.
To answer workbook questions, students need to draw directly from student lead presentations in weeks 7 – 12. These presentations are not recorded which means that students are required to attend all tutorials (weeks 7 – 12) in person to ensure they can appropriately answer each question. Students must also demonstrate a capacity to draw on lectures/seminars and reading materials, including the material from the course reading list.
All 5 workbook questions are to be submitted as one document by 1pm, 6th November 2024. The workbook must include a single reference list. Students must use APA 7th referencing. Workbook responses for questions 1- 4 are 300 words each and for question 5 is 600 words (total of 1800 words). The assessment must be presented in 12-point font in Times New Roman or similar type face. 1.5 or 2 line spacing is required. Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
ﾠ
The workbook is marked as a whole, with the criteria being:
a) critical thinking and analysis (35 marks);
b) comprehension and understanding (25 marks); and
c) presentation (10 marks).
The workbook is to be submitted through Turnitin.
Hurdle requirements
This assessment must be passed to be eligible to pass the course.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Applying for an extension
Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved.
Information about applying for an extension can be found on my.UQ.
Extension guidelines
- Extension requests should be submitted prior to the assessment deadline.
- Extension requests must state the due date and the due time of the assessment.
- Requests for extensions received after the assessment item submission due date may not be approved. Late requests must include evidence of the reasons for the late request.
- The extension granted should be in proportion to the period of illness or disruption caused by the exceptional circumstances and will typically be no more than the specified maximum extension length.
- Students on a Student Access Plan (SAP) with a clause on extension requests must still adhere to the extensions request policy outlined. Students need to attach the SAP and a note outlining their current situation with the online extension application. A maximum of 7 days will be granted on the basis of an SAP. An extension request beyond 7 days will require additional supporting information as this request will not be considered on the basis of the SAP, but rather additional events (whether they relate to the circumstances of the SAP or not).
Outcome of application
- Extension requests are generally processed within 2 working days. Students can see the outcome of their application by logging in to my.UQ.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0.1 - 29.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.49 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 64.5 - 74.49 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 74.5 - 84.49 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 84.5 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
All items of assessment must be submittedﾠfor the student to be eligible to pass the course.
The final assessment must be passed to be eligible to pass the course.
ﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Assessment re-sit
The final assessment item must be passed for students to be eligible for a pass mark. ﾠStudents who fail this piece but would otherwise be eligible for a pass mark will be eligible to re-submit the piece at a date to be specified by the course co-ordinator. ﾠStudents who re-submit this final assessment will not be eligible for more than a basic pass for this piece.ﾠ
In the case of the presentation, the student must participate in their allocated group presentation to be considered eligible for a pass. If a student cannot participate in the scheduled group presentation, the student will need to submit a medical certificate or equivalent verification and will be required to do a presentation at a later date.ﾠ The group will still be required to present on the scheduled date.
In accordance with School policy, all written submissions must consistently useﾠAPA (7th edition) referencing formats.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
ﾠ
Penalty for excessive/insufficient word count
A word count that is within 10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. A word count that is outside these 10% will be penalised through a reduction of 10% of the total mark available for the assessment.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Please be aware of your responsibility to check your student email account often - this is the way the University communicates with you.ﾠ Please note you can link your UQ email account to your private email account.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
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| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Introduction to the Course Introduction to practice with children, young people and families. Today's lecture will focus on: a) mapping the field of practice with children, young people and families. b) an introduction to the Queensland child protection context. c) an introduction to types of risk and harm d) discussion of the course's assessment requirements, including how to run a workshop style seminar. Learning outcomes: L05, L06 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Seminar |
Assessing risk of harm and death Understanding & responding to risk of harm and death. Lecture and tutorials combined into a Seminar (Weeks 2,3,4,6 & 13). Lecture for 2 hours and whole class tutorial for 1 hour. Tutorials will involve a mix of structured learning activities to complement lecture content and opportunities to prepare for your group presentations. Group presentations will happen in tutorials (across two groups/rooms) from Weeks 7 to 12. Today's seminar focuses on: a) an introduction to the Signs of Safety approach to assessment. b) practice in a Signs of Safety Assessment in preparation for exam. Guest lecture to discuss: a) key considerations in assessing signs of child abuse and neglect, including assessment of high risk of harm or death. b) the consideration of numerous factors contributing to harm, including family and domestic violence. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Seminar |
Children's wellbeing and protection Understanding & responding to children's well-being and protection. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Seminar |
Early Intervention & Family Support Understanding & undertaking early intervention and family support. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L05, L07 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
In-class test Students will undertake an in-class test in this session. As always, students should arrive promptly by 2pm as the test will commence at 2:10pm and no extra time will be available to those who arrive late. Please note that there is no tutorial this week. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Seminar |
Inquiries & the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in statutory systems Understanding & responding to the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in statutory systems. Today's seminar focuses on: a) the role of public inquiries in creating better service systems and justice for service users b) critically discussion of the Bringing Them Home Report Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Tutorial |
Presentations This week the first student-led presentations will commence in both tutorial groups (held from 9am - 10am and 10am - 11am). |
Lecture |
Responding to Institutional Abuse Understanding & responding to Institutional Abuse. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05, L07 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Tutorial |
Presentations Student-led presentations in both tutorial groups (held from 9am - 10am and 10am - 11am). |
Lecture |
Social Work in Domestic & Family Violence Understanding & responding to domestic and family violence (DFV) Today's lecture focuses on: a) what domestic and family violence is b) the impact of DFV on family members' well-being and capacity to act protectively towards children at risk c) the role of social workers in identifying and responding to domestic and family violence Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Tutorial |
Presentations Student-led presentations in both tutorial groups (held from 9am - 10am and 10am - 11am). |
Lecture |
Re-emergence of adoption in child welfare Understanding & responding to adoption in child welfare. Today's lecture focuses on: a) the ongoing impact of forced adoption b) the re-emergence of adoption as an option for children in out-of-home care (OOHC) and the Permanent Care Order model. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Tutorial |
Presentations Student-led presentations in both tutorial groups (held from 9am - 10am and 10am - 11am). |
Lecture |
Out-of-home care: Problems and prospects Understanding & working within the out-of-home care system. Today's lecture focuses on: a) the experience of young people who cannot live with their families b) consideration of the challenges and opportunities provided by different forms of out-of-home care and adoption. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05, L07 |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Tutorial |
Presentations Student-led presentations in both tutorial groups (held from 9am - 10am and 10am - 11am). |
Lecture |
Youth Justice Understanding & working within the Youth Justice system. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L07 |
|
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Seminar |
Being a Youth Advocate Understanding the role of a Youth Advocate. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Additional learning activity information
Teaching and learning in this course are based on a combination of lectures, tutorials, small group work, and self directed learning.
Lectures/seminars
Each week we have either a 3-hour seminar, or a 2-hour lecture and tutorials - NB just the 2h lecture in Week One
- In weeks 7-12 you will have the 2-hour lecture and 1-hour tutorials.
- In weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, 13 and your lecture will be combined with a 1 hour all-class tutorial to create a 3 hour seminar.
- In week 5 you will have an in-class test, so no lecture or tutorials.
Lectures/seminars will include a degree of class discussion and interaction. We will also have some presentations from guest lecturers. PowerPoint slides will be made available on Blackboard (except for guest presentations).
Tutorials/presentations
Tutorials will commence in Week Two.
In weeks 2 - 4, 6 and 13, the whole class will be together for tutorials, which will include some structured activities and small group work.
In weeks 7 - 12 (inclusive), student presentations will occur. These will take place across two tutorial groups.
Students will self-allocate to presentation groups by the end of Week 1 and will be informed of the presentation schedule early in the semester. During these weeks, students are to attend the tutorial group/room in which their own presentation will occur.
- Students who are presenting are required to provide their PowerPoint slides to the course coordinator at least 24 hours prior to the seminar.
- Note that there is no tutorial in Week 5 due to the in-class test occurring that week.
Participation Policy
Much of the activity for this course will take the form of group exercises and class discussion. It is therefore a requirement that students participate in lectures and tutorials each week.
Additionally, since part of the course assessment is a group presentation, it is vital that all group members attend all seminars in order to be able to contribute actively within their group. If any group believes they are disadvantaged by the non-participation of a class member in the preparation of their group presentation piece, they should report this to the co-ordinator (as soon as possible) who will investigate the matter. Should it be found that a class member's non-participation in a group presentation exercises has occurred resulting in disadvantage to their presentation group, the matter will be referred to the Head of School and may result in the student being removed from the presentation group and a result of zero for the presentation piece.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.