module specification

This module cultivates students’ familiarity with a range of policies and regulatory frameworks that have emerged in the context of ensuring the identification of risks and the meeting of safeguarding needs.  The module builds on the Safeguarding and Security MA’s ethos of developing critical awareness of contested notions of vulnerability and policy responses addressed across core modules.  This module will enable students to theorise aspects of legal reform and be equipped with conceptual tools for the evaluation of legislative procedures and policy arrangements. The module assignments are designed to develop core course objectives relating to the development of individual judgement and reflexivity and to apply evaluative skills in practice through an evidence-based approach.

The module aims to:
• build student’s awareness of the underpinning historical and social policy context of regulatory safeguarding frameworks
• critically engage students in themes within safeguarding and their relevance to existing and emerging policy and legislation
• develop student’s capacity to apply  knowledge to the communication, interpretation and development of safeguarding policy and practice

This module will examine the legal, policy and procedural framework that underpins the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Students will critically explore issues surrounding the recognition of rights and responsibilities. There will be the opportunity to reflect on the tension between humanitarian values, professional ethics and regulatory frameworks. Case application within practice settings, defensible decision-making and lines of accountability are central to this module. The historical and social policy context will provide a focus on the dynamic nature of interpretation and consider what it may feel like to ‘receive’ safeguarding practice. The module will also debate the following themes:
• The emergence of legal remedies and their place within social and political history
• The social construct of regulatory state powers
• Contested concepts of competence, choice, human rights and privacy
• How professional responsibilities, values and ethics are understood and what are the related impacts on notions of humanitarian practice
• Parameters and thresholds of engagement and the dynamics of inter-agency collaboration
• Authoritative decision-making and professional judgement and their connection to models of collaboration and ‘the voice’ of service users and carers
• The dynamic nature of risk and its impact on building humanitarian relationships
• The means by which inquiries, inspections, audits and review influence the legal and policy interpretation of regulatory frameworks

LO 1 - LO 4

A variety of teaching and learning methods are employed to facilitate the development of subject-specific and transferable skills.  These include lectures, seminars, workshops, visual material and self-directed student learning.  Research is used as the point of departure for a range of debates.  To facilitate the learning process students are provided with a dedicated Blackboard platform upon which study resources are located including relevant publications and hyperlinks to relevant web-based resources.
Students are provided with opportunities to develop reflexive learning through engaging in a range of exploratory and evidence-based activities; students are given the opportunity to evaluate their own practice in relation to their professional development in seminar contexts, discussion and exercises to encourage the application of learning.

On successful completion of this module student will be able to:
LO1. Demonstrate understanding of the context and application of legal and policy regulation in relation to UK safeguarding practice
LO2. Communicate contested concepts within safeguarding and use an evidence-base to explore ideas and views
LO3. Demonstrate an analytical understanding of roles, responsibilities, thresholds and inter-agency decision-making as it applies to safeguarding practice
LO4. Be able to examine the impact of regulatory frameworks from different perspectives that inform the future development of safeguarding policy and procedure

Assessment tasks will reflect the level of critical analysis required for post-graduate study and offer the opportunity to demonstrate application of knowledge within current context and debates. Assessment consists of one essay and a critical policy analysis.  The essay will address key themes outlined in the indicative syllabus, its relevance to safeguarding practice and critical reflection on what this may mean for the experience of those receiving safeguarding practice. For the second assignment, students will select and critically analyse one policy document from a list supplied by the module leader.

This reading list is indicative and as such, provides suggested texts that we think will be useful. This is not a confirmed or compulsory reading list and we expect students to research wider articles, texts and resources as part of their own directed study.

Core texts
Banks, S. (2004) Ethics, Accountability and the Social Professions. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Barrett, G., Sellman, D. and Thomas, J. (2005) Interprofessional Working in Health and Social Care: Professional Perspectives. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Values and Ethics In Social Work. London: Sage.
Brayne, H. and Carr, H. (2015). Law for Social Workers [13th edn]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Davis, J.M. and Smith, M. (2012) Working in Multi-Professional Contexts: A Practical Guide. London. Sage
Ferguson, H. (2011) Child Protection Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Fraser, S. and Matthews, S. [eds] (2008) The Critical Practitioner in Social Work and Health Care. London: Sage.
Howe, D. (1992) ‘Child Abuse and The Bureaucratisation Of Social Work’. Sociological Review 40(3): 491-508.
Mandelstam, M. (2013) Safeguarding Adults and the Law [2nd edn]. London: Jessica Kinglsey.

Additional readings
Blackstone (2006) Blackstone’s Guide to The Human Rights Act 1998 [4th edn]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Blackstone (2012) Blackstone's Guide to The Equality Act 2010. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Blyth, M. and Solomon, E. (2012) Effective Safeguarding for Children and Young People: What Next After Munro? Bristol: Policy Press.
Broadhurst, K., White, S., Fish, S., Munro, E., Letcher, K. and  Lincoln, H. (2010) Ten Pitfalls and How To Avoid Them: What Research Tells Us. NSPCC Inform.
Clapton, G., Cree, V. and Smith, M. (2013) ‘Moral Panic, Claims-Making and Child Protection in The UK’. British Journal Of Social Work, 43(8): 66-73.
Drew, S. (2000) Children and The Human Rights Act 1998. London: Save The Children.
Webb, J. (2006) Organisations, Identities and The Self. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Selected online resources:
Department for Education (2018) Working Together to Safeguard Children.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2

Department of Health (2000) No Secrets: Guidance on Developing and Implementing Multi-Agency Policies and Procedures to Protect Vulnerable Adults from Abuse.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-secrets-guidance-on-protecting-vulnerable-adults-in-care

Department of Health (2001) National Service Framework for Older People
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/quality-standards-for-care-services-for-older-people

Department of Health (2004) Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) Scheme in England and Wales for Care Home and Domiciliary Care Agencies: A Practical Guide.
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070402232827/http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsandstatistics/publications/publicationspolicyandguidance/dh_4085855

Department of Health (2008) Code of Practice Mental Health Act 1983.
http://www.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/mental_health_act_1983_code_of_practicefor_england

Department of Health (2008) Safeguarding Adults: A Consultation on The No Secrets Guidance.
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120106030240/http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_089097.pdf

Department of Health (2014). Care and Support Statutory Guidance. Issued under The Care Act 2014.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315993/care-act-guidance.pdf

Http://www.legislation.gov.uk/. English and Welsh Acts Of Parliament.

http://www.scie.org.uk/. Social Care Institute for Excellence.