| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Social Work Practice With Children and Families |
| Unit ID: | MSWCF7215 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 090501 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit introduces students to what is considered to be typical child development, and the impacts of abuse, neglect or trauma on child development. Students also examine interpersonal or societal factors that increase risks of child abuse, neglect or trauma. Furthermore, students explore intersectional factors that not only exacerbate child abuse and trauma, but which also complicate protective interventions. Against this background, students evaluate the effectiveness of child protection approaches such as the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework, and consider how these approaches could be further strengthened to address child safety concerns and to mitigate complicating factors. |
| 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 child development theories and identify the protective factors required to ensure 'normal' and 'healthy' child development |
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| K2. | Review interpersonal or societal factors that increase risks of child abuse, neglect and trauma. |
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| K3. | Critically examine the impacts of abuse, neglect and trauma on 'normal' child development |
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| K4. | Using intersectional theory, explore interpersonal or societal factors that exarcebate child abuse and trauma or complicate interventions to promote child safety |
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| K5. | Appraise the effectiveness of the MARAM framework as an approach to promoting child safety. Additionally, explore how child protection interventions could be further strengthened. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Identify key stages and typical patterns in child development |
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| S2. | Identify interpersonal or societal factors that increase risks of abuse, neglect or trauma and impact the normal development of children |
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| S3. | Applying intersectional theory, investigate personal and societal factors that exacerbate child trauma and complicate interventions to improve child safety |
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| S4. | Assess the effectiveness of child protection interventions or approaches such as the MARAM Framework, and consider how these approaches or interventions could be further strengthened to address both child safety risks and complicating factors. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Demonstrate a critical understanding of key stages in child development and the protective factors required to ensure 'normal' child development |
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| A2. | Explain interpersonal and societal factors that increase risks of child abuse, neglect and trauma |
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| A3. | Explain the effects of abuse, neglect and trauma on 'normal' child development |
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| A4. | Apply intersectional theory to review interpersonal and societal factors that exacerbate child abuse and trauma or complicate interventions to promote child safety |
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| A5. | Evaluate the effectiveness of protective interventions such as the MARAM Framework and identify how these approaches could be further strengthened to address child safety risks and complicating factors. |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics may include: - An introduction to 'normal' child development
- The impacts of abuse, neglect or trauma on 'normal' child development
- Intersectional theory as a lens for understanding interpersonal and societal factors that exacerbate child trauma and complicate safety interventions
- Critiques of child safety interventions (including the MARAM Framework)
- Strengthening child safety interventions
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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 at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | 3 - N/A | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | 1 - Yes |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 | Observation of a child and making notes on their development. Completing a report based on observations incorporating child development theory. | Observation Process Report | 40-60% | | 2. | K2, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A3, A4, A5 | Completing a child and family assessment based on an anonymised case that applies intersectionality theory and developing an appropriate intervention plan | Intervention plan | 40-60% |
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