SW7066 - Development across the lifespan for Social Work (2025/26)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2025/26 | ||||||||||||
| Module title | Development across the lifespan for Social Work | ||||||||||||
| Module level | Masters (07) | ||||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 20 | ||||||||||||
| School | School of Social Sciences and Professions | ||||||||||||
| Total study hours | 200 | ||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Assessment components |
|
||||||||||||
| Running in 2025/26(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
|
Module summary
Social Workers are required to develop and apply relevant knowledge from social work practice and research, social sciences, law, other professional and relevant fields, and from the experience of people who use services (PCF Domain 5).
This module will support you to apply knowledge acquired from sociological and psychological theories of adult and child development, people with lived experience and through a child observation task.
By the end of this module you will be able to:
● Identify, analyse and evaluate psychological and sociological theories of child and adult development.
● Demonstrate an understanding of child developmental milestones within the parameters of diverse cultures and contexts.
● Explain and analyse theories of adult development, to understand the specific, day to day difficulties and disadvantages faced by different adult service user groups including people who need the help and support of social care services because of ill-health, impairment/disability.
● Explain theories of loss and grief and identify differing models of support within the context of anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory theory and practice.
● Apply psychological and sociological theories of development to a child observation and an adult narrative task.
Prior learning requirements
N/A
Available for Study Abroad? No.
Syllabus
This module will cover the following areas:
• The life-course perspective: life events, and transitions (LO1, LO2, LO4).
• Psychological and sociological perspectives on life-course expectations (LO1 & LO4).
• Anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice through the life-course (LO1,LO2 LO3& LO4)
• Service user perspectives (LO3)
• Child development (LO1)
• The relevant developmental milestones indicative of physical, social, emotional, sexual and cognitive development in children (LO2)
• Relationships between children and their families in a range of social, family and community structures (LO2)
• Attachment, loss and change: the short and long term effects of trauma, ill-treatment, separation and substitute care (LO2).
• Developing observation skills, evaluating development, reflecting on evidence, integrating theory and practice (LO1).
• Inequality, diversity and equality: understand a range of explanations of the physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional, spiritual, sexual and social development of children, and of their behaviour, in the context of a multi-racial and diverse society, good enough parenting, legal intervention and care and control (LO2).
• Housing and development (LO1,LO2 & LO4).
• Adult service user groups (LO3 &LO4)
• Models of understanding disability and impairment (LO4)
• Mental illness: psychological and sociological perspectives on mental illness, including service user/survivor voice, critical perspectives and Mad studies (LO4).
• Learning disability: social model of disability (LO4)
• Loss and bereavement (LO4).
• Physical impairment and disability: models of disability (LO4).
• A-typical ageing and caring roles and experiences (LO4)
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
There will be a mixed programme of independent study and scheduled teaching to include lectures, smaller group seminar learning, and interactive workshops with service users and external speakers.
You will be required to undertake three direct observations of a child (0-7 years of age) outside of scheduled teaching sessions. This will give you the opportunity to develop your observational, note taking skills, and demonstrate your understanding of consent and confidentiality and anonymity. These are key skills that social workers are required to demonstrate in practice (PCF 1, 2 & 3).
You will be supported within seminar sessions to discuss your observations and apply theory to practice.
Learning outcomes
(LO1) Synthesize psychological and sociological theories of child development and apply them to a child observation..
(LO2) Reflexively engage with characteristics of average development in childhood, and the potential impacts of change, loss, abuse and disruption.
(LO3) Critically analyse an adult service user’s perspective and reflect on what can be learned from an account of their experience.
(LO4) Analyse and evaluate a wide range of psychological and sociological theories of lifespan development (adult and child) and apply them dynamically to an adult narrative.