module specification

This module offers a balance between the teaching of substantive law, practice and practical skills and focuses on common types of cases dealt with by child law lawyers.

The aims of the Child Law and Practice elective are to prepare students for work-based learning in a child law department; and provide a foundation for practice generally and child law work in particular.

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to do the following:

• demonstrate your knowledge and understanding and employ the applicable skills in child law practice;

• use the legal knowledge, skills, procedures and behaviours appropriate to each client in the child law client department and each transaction or matter;

• identify the overall nature of a child law transaction, then plan and progress that transaction or matter through a series of steps and decisions including, where appropriate, drafting documentation;

• identify the client's goals and alternative means of achieving those goals, and deal appropriately with client care;

• investigate and identify the relevant facts, research and identify the relevant legal issues, and advise the client on the legal consequences;

• recognise and act within the rules of professional conduct;

• identify the client’s reasonable expectations as to quality and timeliness of service;

• competently advise a client in relation to a private law case, to include practical advice on funding and negotiation and the drafting relevant correspondence and documentation;

• competently advise a client on issues of paternity and parental responsibility and have a full understanding of the law and its application on these issues;

• understand court procedure up to and including a final hearing and be able to draft all necessary documentation to progress the case for an applicant;

• provide appropriate advice to a client on the factors the court will take into account on an application for a private law orders and how they will be applied;

• advise fully on domestic abuse and orders protecting children and their custodians and draft appropriate documentation;

• understand the manner in which domestic abuse can effect applications concerning children;

• be familiar with the role and duties of the local authority to provide services to children in need and the measures and applications it and other parties can make to protect and support children;

• be able to advise fully on procedure under the Public Law Outline and on the law relating to applications for care and supervision orders and how it is applied by the Court;

• have an understanding of the management of a public law case, the rules of admissible evidence, including expert evidence and the range of orders available to the Court;

• be familiar with the concept of adoption and what it entails

• have an understanding of who is able to adopt and the preliminary requirements for adoption orders;

• have an understanding of the concepts of parental consent and dispensing with it;

• be able to advise a client in relation to the law and procedure concerning potential and actual international child abduction and be able to draft appropriate documentation;

• have an understanding of measures that can be taken to try and prevent a removal of a child from the UK.

• Private Law Children matters

• Public Law Children matters

• Child Abduction

Overview

You will be taught by a combination of on-campus and online lectures, interactive seminars, one-to-one supervision, and self-study, and will be encouraged to read from specified case law, practitioners’ text books and legal journals. (Evening students will study entirely by distance learning.)

You will be given the opportunity to discuss theoretical issues as well as practical problem solving.  You will be supported in undertaking on-line research using electronic law databases and encouraged to use on line legal resources on a regular basis. There is a virtual learning environment containing handbooks, lecture notes, weblinks, discussion groups, study skills materials and assessment criteria. 

Experiential Learning

You will be encouraged to respond to realistic case-studies relating to the sector in the style of a professional legal advisor. You will also be able to participate in the extracurricular experiential learning offered within the Law School, including the Pro Bono Clinic and the Mooting Club.

Study Support

You will have regular access to module tutors in person, by email and by one-to-one video conferences to support their studies. You will also engage with one formative assessment for each module, which will be marked promptly with opportunities for feedback either by email or individual discussion.

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to do the following:

1.    demonstrate your knowledge and understanding and employ the applicable skills in child law and practice;

2.    use the legal knowledge, skills, procedures and behaviours appropriate to each client;

3.    identify the overall nature of a matter pertaining to child law, then plan and progress the matter through a series of steps and decisions including, where appropriate, drafting documentation;

4.    identify the client's goals and alternative means of achieving those goals, and deal appropriately with client care;

5.    investigate and identify the relevant facts, research and identify the relevant child law issues, and advise the client on the legal consequences;

6.    recognise and act within the rules of professional conduct.
 

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