Overview
In this unit, you will examine the relationship between human services and the legal context in which they operate, with a focus on how law, statutory frameworks, and professional ethics intersect to inform legally accountable and ethical professional practice. The unit introduces the historical development and contemporary applications of statutory frameworks relevant to human service work in Australia, including their role in promoting human rights and socially just outcomes. You will analyse how the statutory framework informs the legal roles, responsibilities, and obligations of human service workers across a range of practice contexts, with particular attention to statutory authority, the ethical use of power, professional decision-making, and responses to the needs of marginalised groups.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation
Two lectures were difficult to engage with.
Review lectures to identify ways to increase student engagement.
Feedback from Student evaluation
The unit Moodle site was easy to navigate, and there was a great range of resources. I was surprised at my enjoyment of this subject.
Retain the Moodle site format and the interactive elements of Assessments 1 and 2, and continually review and update unit resources.