SW5050 - Law for Social Work Practice (2017/18)
Module specification | Module approved to run in 2017/18 | ||||||||||||||||
Module status | DELETED (This module is no longer running) | ||||||||||||||||
Module title | Law for Social Work Practice | ||||||||||||||||
Module level | Intermediate (05) | ||||||||||||||||
Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||||||||||
School | School of Social Professions | ||||||||||||||||
Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||||||||||
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Assessment components |
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Running in 2017/18(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module introduces students to key social work related legislation (and how law is made) and case-law with particular emphasis upon law related to children and families, and vulnerable adults. Students will gain an understanding of how laws and legal processes impact upon social work practice and how they can support anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive approaches. Students will develop a confident understanding of the broader legal contextual and procedural boundaries for their practice and how wider legislationimpacts on the lives of individuals, families and communities (e.g. Human Rights Act).
Module aims
• To locate social work practice within a legal context – What is law; Functions of law (law and social issues); How is law made.
• To identify and understand the relationship of key legislation and case-law relevant to social work practice
• To develop an understanding of law and legal processes can suport anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice
• To examine how the law is used to protect adults, children and families
• To locate and develop an understanding of international (e.g. refugee legislation), European and UK legislation and its impact on individuals, families and communities
• To develop an understanding of where legislations derives from and the ethical and political underpinning behind it
Syllabus
- Introduction to law: Where does it come from; Common Law; English legal system; National & International law
- The nature of legal authority
- Legal processes, frameworks & delivery standards
- Researching legislation – accessing relevant legislation and legal documents
- The relationship between law and practice
- Legal considerations with service users and carers
- The importance and use of representation
- Accountability and intervention
- Data protection and confidentiality
- Whistle-blowing legislation
- The legal basis for anti-discriminatory practice
- Critical analysis & application of case law
- Legal contexts of social work practice/ key legislation: Children & Family; Youth offending; Community Care; Mental Health; Intimate Partner Violence; Forced marriage; Trafficking; Sexual/domestic exploitation; Housing; Immigration; FGM; ICT and communication technologies; Equality & Human Rights; Disability
Learning and teaching
• Lectures &Seminar/small group discussion
• Case-study analysis
• E-learning and blended learning & video materials
Learning outcomes
1 Understand the legal frameworks within which social workers practise.
2 Demonstrate knowledge of the legal rights of service users and how they might be upheld in practice.
3 Assess critically the relevant legislation and legal obligations available to social workers, and options for intervention on behalf of service users in a range of practice settings.
Assessment strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to help students develop a solid grounding of the law in relation to social work practice and provides formative assessments to enable students to build their exam skills and techniques to answer questions in a succinct and accurate manner. These are important skills expected for writing legal and other reports in practice. Students will be assessed in an open book exam consisting of three questions covering different parts for the law and its application that all social workers must be able to apply to their decision making in practice. Students will be expected to pass each (LO1, LO2, LO3). Essay questions will require students to draw upon case-law and identify the dilemmas and contradictions in terms of interpreting and applying legislation. Formative assessment include analysis of case studies to test and rehearse arguments and students will have the opportunity to draft answers to each section of the exam based on past papers including a mock exam.
Bibliography
Adcock, M. & White, R. (1998) Significant Harm, (2nd edition) Significant Publications
Brammer, A. (2010) Social Work Law (3rd Edition) London, Longman Pearson
Brayne, H. & Carr, H. (2008) Law for Social Workers (12th edition) Oxford : Oxford University Press
Brown, R. (2013) The approved mental health professional's guide to mental health law (3rd ed.) Exeter: Learning Matters
Edwards, A. (2011) Violence against women under international human rights law, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press
John, R. (2011) Using the Law in Social Work (5th Edition) Exeter Learning Matters.
Laird, S. (2010)Practical Social work Law, Longman Press
Mandelstam, M (2013) Safeguarding adults and the law (2nd ed.), London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Mandelstam, M (2005) Community care practice and the law (4th ed.), London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Seymour, C & Seymour, R.B (2013) Practical Child Law for Social Workers A guide to English Law and Policy London: Sage
White, R., Broadbent, G., & Brown, K. (2009) Law and the Social Work Practitioner (2nd Edition) Learning Matters, Exeter.
White, R., (2008) Children Act in Practice, (4th ed.), London: Lexis
E- sources include legal databases (particularly Lexis)
Lexis Library: http://0-www.lexisnexis.com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/uk/legal/auth/checkbrowser.do?rand=0.08961204140194301&cookieState=0&ipcounter=1&bhcp=1
SCIE (2009) E:Learning Law & Social Work http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/elearning/law/