module specification

SW6051 - Protecting Children and Adults (2017/18)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2017/18
Module title Protecting Children and Adults
Module level Honours (06)
Credit rating for module 15
School School of Social Professions
Total study hours 150
 
105 hours Guided independent study
45 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Seen Examination 100%   Seen Exam
Running in 2017/18

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Autumn semester North Tuesday Morning

Module summary

This module will focus on the proactive protection of children and vulnerable adults in a context of legislation, policy and practice guidance. A rights approach is central to this module as are the voices of children, adult survivors and vulnerable adults. Theory will be¬ explored as applied to best practice and the knowledge base will draw on research as well as recommendations from serious case reviews.

Module aims

This module aims to prepare students for effective social work through the following:

• Placing the child and vulnerable adult as central throughout the social work assessment, investigation, intervention and review processes
• Exploring the complexities of effective social work to protect children and vulnerable adults in the context of anti-oppressive practice
• Emphasising a human rights approach to the subject in relation to current legislation, policy and practice guidance
• Applying theory to the practice of proactive protection
• Examining the role of multi-agency working together and partnership working in protecting children and vulnerable adults
• Reflecting on the professional role with an emphasis on professional dangerousness

Syllabus

• Effective social work to protect children and adults in a context of human rights and social justice
• Involvement of children and vulnerable adults in social work processes
• Theory as applied to practice
• Working together- multi agency work
• Proactive protection in a context of legislation, policy and practice guidance
• Serious case reviews – Learning from Inquiries
• Working with non-abusive parents and carers
• Professional dangerousness
• Promoting prevention as well as protection strategies
• Understanding patterns of offending behaviour towards children and adults
• Professional standards- the duty to report concerns

Learning and teaching

The strategy will comprise a mix of different activities including:
• Lectures and small group learning
• Learning from case studies
• Personal reflection and reflective writing
• Weblearn and visual materials
• Service user contributions

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module the student should be able to:

1. Examine complex information and apply theoretical frameworks to the protection of children and adults in the context of legislation, policy , practice guidance and research evidence
2. Explain the statutory social work protocols required to protect children and adults, identify perpetrators and promote human rights and social justice
3. Explain the centrality of a human rights approach to protection within an anti-oppressive framework
4. Understand multi-agency working to protect children and adults
5. Reflect on social work values and professional ethics in relation to the protection of children and adults and apply knowledge of the professional standards and requirements

Assessment strategy

There is one 3 hours seen examination designed to assess all learning outcomes. It has 2 equally weighted components: a child component and an adult component. Both components must be passed. However, failure in the one component will not require the re-assessment of the other component of the exam, and the re-sit exam will be timed to the appropriate length for the section(s) to be completed.

Bibliography

Bailey, D. (2012) Interdisciplinary Working in Mental Health. London: Palgrave Macmillan
Bowen, P (2014) A critique of the domestic law framework Access to Social Care Human Rights: transforming services? London. Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) Available from; http://www.scie.org.uk/news/events/previousevents/humanrights06/socialcare-bowen.pdf
Broadhurst K, Grover C and Jamieson J (2009) Safeguarding children: Critical perspectives on safeguarding children. Oxford. Wiley Blackwell
Calder, M. and Hackett, S. (2013) Assessment in Child Care. Dorset. Russell House
Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) (2013) The state of children’s rights in England. London: CRAE
Davies, L. (2007)The protection needs of traumatised and sexually abused children. Chapter 11 in Hosin, A (2007) Responses to traumatised children. Hampshire. Palgrave
Davies, L. and Duckett, N. (2008) Proactive Child Protection. London. Sage
Davies, L. and Kerrigan Lebloch, E. (2013) Communicating with children and their families. Milton Keynes: Open University Press
Department for Education (2013) Working Together to Safeguard Children. A guide for inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. London. The Stationery Office
Department of Health (2008) Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities .London: HM Government
Department of Health (2013) Statement of Government Policy in Adult Safeguarding. Available from:                  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197402/Statement_of_Gov_Policy.pdf
Doel, M. and Best, L. (2008) Experiencing social work: Learning from service users. London:Sage
Ferguson H (2011) Child protection practice. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
Golightley, M. (2011) Social Work and Mental Health. Exeter: Learning Matters.
Healthwatch Hillingdon (2014) Summary of the recommendations of the Francis Report. Available from:
http://healthwatchhillingdon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/10/Francis_Report_Summary_of_recommendations.pdf
Hothersall, S. and Maas-Lowit, M. (eds.) (2010) Need, Risk and Protection in Social Work Practice. Exeter: Learning Matters.
London Safeguarding Children Board  (LSCB)(2013) London Safeguarding Children Procedures. London. London SCB
House of Commons Education Committee. (2013) Children first. The child protection system in England. London: The Stationary Office
Mandelstam, M (2011) Safeguarding adults at risk of harm: A legal guide for practitioners.  Available from: http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report50.pdf
Mandelstam, M (2013) Safeguarding vulnerable adults and the law. London.Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Okitikpi T (2011) Social control and the use of power in social work with children and families . Dorset: Russell House
Reder, P and Duncan, S. (1999) Lost Innocents. A Follow up Study of Fatal Child Abuse. London. Routledge
SCIE (2011) Protecting adults at risk of harm: London multi-agency policy and procedures to safeguard adults from abuse.  http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report39.pdfWilson, K., Ruch, G., Lymbery, M. and Cooper, A. (2011) Social Work : An Introduction to Contemporary Practice  Harlow: Pearson Longman.
www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk
www.crae.org.uk
www.learningdisabilities.org.uk
www.mentalhealth.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk
www.napac.org.uk
www.stopitnow.org
www.thesurvivorstrust.org
www.lizdavies.net