Overview
Students should be able to critically analyse the issues and practices for social and welfare workers working with children, young people and families. Participants should be able to explore issues for practice emerging from the multidimensional genesis of child maltreatment and youth at risk with particular relevance to indigenous and other cultural difference. Students should be able to analyse evidence based strategies for appropriate intervention in different contexts. Students will be required to collate feedback on their professional performance from their lecturer and from other sources, evaluate this feedback and include appropriate strategies in their learning agreements for Fieldwork Education 2.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Successful completion of 48 credit points in any course.
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 - 2021
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).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
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.
- Evaluate the historical construction of ideas and practices of working with children, young people and families including the emergence of the notion of the best interests of the child, child focussed and child inclusive practice.
- Analyse practice issues relevant to statutory practice with children, young people and families in a range of settings including youth justice, child protection, family law and mental health.
- Identify and develop specific skills required to assess harm and risk of harm when working with children, young people and families, including in a statutory context.
- Critically evaluate relevant social and welfare practice strategies to support families where there are protective and / or offending issues.
- Display the skills of cultural competency including working with indigenous children, young people and families.
- Evaluate your performance from feedback drawn from your involvement in professional learning contexts.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Understanding Child and Family Welfare: Statutory Responses to Children at Risk
(2012)
Authors: Connolly, M. and Morris, K.
Palgrave Macmillian
Basingstoke Basingstoke , UK
ISBN: 13:978-0-230-25019-2
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Both paper and eBook versions can be purchased at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code).
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Camera and microphone for attending Zoom tutorials and completing presentation assessment task
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
t.irle@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Orientation to SOWK13013
Chapter
Readings on Moodle
Chapter 2 of text
Events and Submissions/Topic
Forming duo's and trio's for Assessment 1 task. Introduce yourself in the forum.
Module/Topic
Child harm and working in statutory contexts
Chapter
Readings and lectures on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Forming duo's / trio's for Assessment 1 task.
Module/Topic
Child and family welfare in Australia
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Best Interests of the Child Principle
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Family life cycle and development
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Chapter 3 of text
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Attachment theory
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 1 due
Child and Family Inquiry written assessment and presentation Due: Week 6 Friday (27 Aug 2021) 6:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Dispute resolution and justice systems
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Domestic and family violence
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Working with children
Chapter
Chapter 7 of text
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Working with young people
Chapter
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Practice Processes
Chapter
Chapter 8 of text
Readings and resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Reflective practice
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 2 due
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Unit Coordinator 2021 - Dr Venkat Pulla v.pulla@cqu.edu.au
1 Written Assessment
Assessment 1 Duos or Trios / submission presentation
Child and family practice is significantly shaped and influenced by the broader social policy context, both historically and in terms of current practice frameworks. The political and legal structure of child protection services and social welfare systems is influential at a macro and micro level and social workers need to comprehend, evaluate, and critically examine the policy context where they work. An understanding of the major inquiries into child protection and family welfare services and responses in Australia that have shaped and continue to shape practice and policy in this area informs the social worker's practice framework in this context. Social workers are key stakeholders and participants in these systems and as such must be informed and able to provide rationale for principles of practice. Students will be encouraged to engage in shared learning by applying the CFL approach to the task.
Students will work in duos or trios for this assessment task. Students should connect with peer/s via Moodle discussion forum titled 'Duo's and Trio's group selection'. Each group / pair will select an Inquiry from the list provided in Moodle. Students will prepare and record the delivery of (in a format of their choosing) a seminar to their social work colleagues. Each presentation will be recorded and shared with the Unit Coordinator / their markers through an accessible link through OneDrive.
The presentation and commentary notes will outline:
# The context of the Inquiry – background and how it was called for, who called it and how long it was conducted for
# Details of the process of the Inquiry, major stakeholders involved and your analysis of limitations of the inquiry or commission
# Key findings and recommendations
# Whether any or some of the recommendations have been implemented and their current status
# Analysis of how the report and outcomes may impact on social workers currently working in child and family practice contexts
# Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Inquiry in making changes to improve well-being of children, young people and families making links to relevant literature and research
# Your team's reflections and insights gained from learning about the report
Duos or Trios will select (1) Inquiry from the list of Commonwealth inquiries below:
Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual violence (March 2021) https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Familyviolence/Report
OR
Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care Either (a) Protecting vulnerable children: a national challenge first report, Forgotten Australians: A report on Australians who experienced institutional or out-of-home care as children https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/senate/community_affairs/completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/report/index
30 August 2004
OR
Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care - Protecting vulnerable children: a national challenge second report 2005 https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/senate/community_affairs/completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/report2/index
OR
Senate Community Affairs Committee, https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Completed_inquiries/1999-02/child_migrat/report/index
OR
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) Bringing them Home Report https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/bringing-them-home-report-1997
OR
Commonwealth Contribution to Former Forced Adoption Policies and Practices www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Completed_inquiries/2010-13/commcontribformerforcedadoption/r (2012)
Format
Your presentation format can be any of the below:
- 15-20 mins podcast
- A recorded presentation with slides (PPT) (15-20 mins)
- A series of social media posts for a practice interest group in your area (including short audio / video recordings that you perform)
- A short creative educational video for first year social work students that addresses the prompts in addition to the written handout materials (15-20 mins)
* A cover sheet must be included with the group submission and commentary notes listing group member's name, student numbers and the title of the inquiry presented. An accessible link to the recording must be on the cover sheet.
Week 6 Friday (27 Aug 2021) 6:00 pm AEST
Week 9 Monday (13 Sept 2021)
SOWK13013: Child and family inquiry written assessment and presentation
Assessment 1: Marking Criteria/Rubric
| HD 84.5-100% | D 74.5-84.49% | C 64.50-74.49% | P 49.50-64.49% | F <49.5% | MARKS |
| Presentation and Structure – overall submission (10%) | |||||
| Excellent discussion which completely conforms to the Assignment Presentation guidelines. Assignment cover page including name, student number, and word count. Correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs where applicable. Within expected word length. | Discussion mostly conforms to the Assignment Presentation guidelines. Assignment cover page including name, student number, and word count. Correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs where applicable. Mostly within expected word length. Mostly effective | Discussion adequately conforms to the Assignment Presentation guidelines. Assignment cover page including name, student number, and word count. Correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs where applicable. Adequately expected word length. | Discussion conforms to the Assignment Presentation guidelines. Assignment cover page including name, student number, and word count. Correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs where applicable. Not within expected word length. | Discussion unsuccessfully conforms to the Assignment Presentation guidelines. Assignment cover page including name, student number, and word count. Many spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs where applicable. Beyond or below expected word length. | /10 |
| Demonstrated ability to analyse the social, political, normative and policy contexts of the Inquiry agenda ……….(20%) | |||||
| Excellent demonstrated ability to analyse the social, political, normative and policy contexts of the inquiry agenda | Very good demonstration of demonstrated ability to analyse the social, political, normative and policy contexts of the inquiry agenda | Good demonstrated ability to analyse the social, political, normative and policy contexts of the inquiry agenda | Fair demonstrated ability to analyse the social, political, normative and policy contexts of the inquiry agenda | Poor or no demonstrated ability to analyse the social, political, normative and policy contexts of the inquiry agenda | /20 |
| Demonstrated ability to analyse and evaluate goals and outcomes and the effectiveness of the Inquiry ……………………………………………………………………..(20%) | |||||
| Excellent demonstrated ability to analyse and evaluate goals and outcomes and the effectiveness of the inquiry | Very good demonstrated ability to analyse and evaluate goals and outcomes and the effectiveness of the inquiry | Good demonstrated ability to analyse and evaluate goals and outcomes and the effectiveness of the inquiry | Fair demonstrated ability to analyse and evaluate goals and outcomes and the effectiveness of the inquiry | Poor or no demonstrated ability to analyse and evaluate goals and outcomes and the effectiveness of the inquiry | /20 |
| Demonstrated ability to articulate and analyse relevant theories and frameworks as applied to evaluation of child protection / welfare systems …..…………………………………………….(20%) | |||||
| Excellent demonstrated ability to articulate and analyse relevant theories and frameworks as applied to evaluation of child protection / welfare systems | Very good demonstrated ability to articulate and analyse relevant theories and frameworks as applied to evaluation of child protection / welfare systems | Good demonstration of integration of theory and social work knowledge in discussing a practice issue or problem and associated intervention plan | Fair demonstrated ability to articulate and analyse relevant theories and frameworks as applied to evaluation of child protection / welfare systems | Poor or no demonstrated ability to articulate and analyse relevant theories and frameworks as applied to evaluation of child protection / welfare systems | …./20 |
| Demonstrated understanding of inquiry impacts on current social work practice in child and family contexts ……………………………………….(20%) | |||||
| Excellent demonstrated understanding of inquiry impacts on current social work practice in child and family contexts | Very good demonstrated understanding of inquiry impacts on current social work practice in child and family contexts | Good demonstrated understanding of inquiry impacts on current social work practice in child and family contexts | Fair demonstrated understanding of inquiry impacts on current social work practice in child and family contexts | Poor or no demonstrated understanding of inquiry impacts on current social work practice in child and family contexts | /20 |
| Referencing …………………………………………………………………………………………………….(10%) | |||||
| All literature used is appropriate and scholarly. Critical analysis of social work literature. Minimum of 10 references Harvard referencing formatted used with no mistakes. | Most of the literature used is appropriate and scholarly. Critical analysis of social work literature Minimum of 8 references. Harvard referencing formatted used with minimal. mistakes | Most of the literature used is appropriate and scholarly. Critical analysis of social work literature Minimum of 6 references. Harvard referencing formatted used with some mistakes. | Some of literature used is appropriate and scholarly. Critical analysis of social work literature Minimum of 5 references Harvard referencing formatted used with many mistake | Most of the literature used is inappropriate and not from a scholarly source. Harvard referencing formatted not used. No critical analysis of social work literature Less than 5 references | ………./10 |
| TOTAL MARKS | |||||
- Analyse practice issues relevant to statutory practice with children, young people and families in a range of settings including youth justice, child protection, family law and mental health.
- Identify and develop specific skills required to assess harm and risk of harm when working with children, young people and families, including in a statutory context.
- Critically evaluate relevant social and welfare practice strategies to support families where there are protective and / or offending issues.
- Display the skills of cultural competency including working with indigenous children, young people and families.
- Evaluate your performance from feedback drawn from your involvement in professional learning contexts.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Essay 2000 words (60%)
Social workers must be adept at critiquing practice contexts and how they impact on the aims of the profession (refer to AASW Code of Ethics 2020). Social workers must be able to work effectively within their contexts of employment ensuring that they meet both their organisational and professional responsibilities. Often, social workers encounter tension between these responsibilities. Adept analysis of these tensions can inform strategic responses intent on upholding the aims and commitment of social work within challenging contextual environments. Strategic responses that are theoretically based and articulated with clarity will prove more influential in effecting the changes sought.
This assessment piece intends to strengthen student capacity to develop informed strategic responses emanating from thorough contextual analysis.
You are to examine and draw on your knowledge and understanding of practice contexts and their impact/influence on practice intervention.
- Choose one of the following practice fields:
i. Child Protection
ii. Family Law
iii. Youth Justice
iv. Domestic & Family Violence
v. Health Setting (particularly for students from cross disciplines)
- Identify an organisational context where this field of practice occurs.
- Briefly state the legal and practice guidelines about this specific practice context.
- Evaluate the issues and dilemmas encountered in maintaining the best interests of the child when working in this specific practice context. How can the best interests of the child be discounted in these practice contexts?
- What (two) strategies would you use as a respond to these issues?
- What theoretical frameworks and knowledge underpin these strategies? Demonstrate your understanding of how these theoretical frameworks underpin these strategies.
- Identify the specific challenges faced when responding to Indigenous issues in the chosen practice context. Provide (two) strategies in response to these issues. What theoretical frameworks underpin these strategies? Demonstrate your understanding of how these theoretical frameworks underpin these strategies
2000 words excluding references, tables, diagrams and appendices. A 10% under or over wordcount allowance is acceptable within this word limit.
Week 11 Friday (1 Oct 2021) 6:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (22 Oct 2021)
| Criteria | HD 84.5 – 100% | D 74.5-84.49% | C 64.50- 74.49% | P 49.5 -64.49% | F <49.5% |
| Demonstrate capacity to analyse how practice context impacts on maintaining the best interest of the child. (30%) | Highly developed capacity to analyse contexts and their impact on practice. | Well-developed capacity to analyse contexts and their impact on practice. | Good analysis contexts and their impact on practice. | Adequate skills to analyse contexts and their impact on practice. | Inadequate or inaccurate analysis of practice contexts and their impact on practice. |
| Ability to develop appropriate strategic responses and articulate the theoretical frameworks underpinning this development (30%) | Highly developed capacity to develop appropriate strategic responses and articulate their theoretical underpinnings. | Well-developed capacity to develop appropriate strategic responses and articulate their theoretical underpinnings. | Good capacity to develop appropriate strategic responses and articulate their theoretical underpinnings. | Adequate capacity to develop appropriate strategic responses and articulate their theoretical underpinnings. | Inadequate capacity to develop appropriate strategic responses and articulate their theoretical underpinnings. |
| Research and apply knowledge of major theories and perspectives related to children and young people’s needs and development within this context (30%) | Evidence of an extensive and highly relevant range of literature related to theory consulted and applied in addition to the set readings. | Evidence of some authoritative sources, as well as a good range of theory integration applied in addition to the set readings. | Evidence of a good range of sources consulted and applied with major theories identified in addition to the set readings. | Adequate consultation of literature with pertinent theories identified and discussed in addition to the set readings. | Evidence of consulting only set readings and does not identify major theories or perspectives related to children’s needs or inaccurately describes main concepts in essay. |
| Ability to produce a well written and structured analysis within word limit showing appropriate grammar, spelling and referencing (10%) | Extremely well written and critically analysed essay; logically sequenced with grammatical, spelling and referencing accuracy within word limit | Very well written and constructed, logically sequenced paper; very good presentation; grammatical, spelling and referencing accuracy; within word limit | Well written and constructed logically sequenced paper; good presentation; grammatical spelling and referencing accuracy; within word limit | Basic level of written expression and construction; acceptable grammar, spelling and basic level of referencing within word limit | Poorly written and presented with inaccuracies in written expression, and / or poor referencing with frequent errors. |
- Evaluate the historical construction of ideas and practices of working with children, young people and families including the emergence of the notion of the best interests of the child, child focussed and child inclusive practice.
- Analyse practice issues relevant to statutory practice with children, young people and families in a range of settings including youth justice, child protection, family law and mental health.
- Critically evaluate relevant social and welfare practice strategies to support families where there are protective and / or offending issues.
- Display the skills of cultural competency including working with indigenous children, young people and families.
- Evaluate your performance from feedback drawn from your involvement in professional learning contexts.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
