| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Family and Community Studies |
| Unit ID: | HEALM6302 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
In this unit, students will critically examine the socio-ecological model of health as a framework for supporting families within diverse community contexts. They will explore the structure, function, strengths, and resilience of contemporary families, and appraise parenting tasks and challenges across key developmental stages. Students will apply family assessment models, strategies, and tools to identify strengths and stressors, forming the basis for tailored support and health education. They will build capacity to work effectively with families experiencing vulnerability, including those affected by family violence, cultural and linguistic diversity, mental health concerns, substance use, disability, and child abuse. In addition, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of primary health care (PHC) principles and concepts—including health promotion, public health, population health, and community health—to guide responsive and inclusive practice. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | |  | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Critically appraise the sociological model of health and its application to assessing child and family health within diverse communities. |
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| K2. | Evaluate principles of primary health care to plan, implement, and assess health promotion activities in family and community contexts. |
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| K3. | Examine contemporary models of family and child-rearing, developing an advanced philosophy of family-centred care that respects the mother–infant dyad and family autonomy. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches to working with vulnerable families and communities. |
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| S2. | Apply specialist communication skills to engage families from diverse backgrounds in collaborative care planning. |
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| S3. | Interpret assessment findings and work in partnership with families to address concerns and plan ongoing care, informed by knowledge of risk and protective factors. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Critically analyse the concept of vulnerability and apply ethical, legal, and professional frameworks to support families in complex community contexts. |
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| A2. | Appraise contemporary issues affecting families and implement appropriate support strategies, including referral to relevant services. |
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| Unit Content: |
ANMAC Midwife Accreditation Standards (2021) NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018); NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018); Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2018), NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016); NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses (2018); Code of Ethics for nurses (2012), and Maternal and Child Health Service Standards (2019); VAMCHN Professional Standards for Practice (2024) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit.
- Socio-ecological model of health
- Contemporary families and their diversity of structure, function, strength and resilience
- Family assessment
- Parenting tasks and life span challenges
- Role of fathers
- Transition to parenting and key developmental stages – establishing boundaries and routines
- Vulnerable families
- Family violence
- Substance abuse
- Physical and intellectual disability
- Cultural diversity Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, rural and remote
- Child abuse
- Working with child protection
- Orange Door
- Concept of health promotion, primary healthcare and health education
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods • Active listening for meaning and influencing • High-level empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams | Y - Present | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments • Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth • Inspiring and enabling others • Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others • Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems | Y - Present | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically on complex problems • Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry • Proposing creative solutions in problem solving | Y - Present | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: • Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research • Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities | Y - Present | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: • The responsible conduct of research • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts • Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable • Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Y - Present |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K2, S1, A1, A2 |
Completion of mandatory training modules. |
Hurdle |
S/US |
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| 2. |
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A1, A2 |
Application of theoretical concepts to provision of care for children and families in the community setting using current literature. |
Case Study |
40-60% |
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| 3. |
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2 |
Develop a clinical procedure, supporting families experiencing violence in MCH Practice. |
Written Task |
40-60% |
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