Social Policy & Legislation for Children & Families

The issue of when and how much the law should become involved with families evokes some controversy.  To help you gain an understanding of the development of social policy, this module examines important concepts like child abuse and child protection – with reference to current debates and recent enquiries.  Through your studies, you’ll look at themes and perspectives that have shaped policy and review current legislation.

What does the module cover?

Gain an understanding of the main theoretical approaches to social policy and legislation for children & families, in addition to the social construction of child abuse and the development of the child protection system in the U.K.  Get to know the key principles of the Children Act 1989, and the developments suggested by the Children Act 2004, including the Every Child Matters agenda. 

With insight you’ll analyse different aspects of social policy and legislation for children & families; evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of particular aspects of policy; and think more deeply about the issues of child abuse and child protection.  You’ll have the opportunity to apply your learning and understanding of these topics in real life settings and situations, drawing on your knowledge of socio-economic, political and cultural contexts.

More Information

Module Code:

ED2016

Key topics

• Looking at “the big picture”: the socio-economic, political, and cultural contexts in hich social policy and legislation for children & families are formulated
• Identifying the main concerns of social policy and legislation in respect of children & families, and examining the specific issue of child abuse and the emergence of the child protection system in the U.K.
• Tracking the most recent developments in the field since the death of Victoria Climbie and the Laming Inquiry, concluding with the current Every Child Matters Agenda
• Following the developing story of social policy and legislation for children & families, and using opportunities to look at current affairs and day to day events in the news
• Using case examples from social work to illustrate the use of the Children Act 1989 in practise

Pre-requisites

None

Number of credits & study time

20 credits / 200 hours

Assessment

In this module there are a number of formative assessments that you’ll need to complete as part of your study and forward to your academic tutor for grading and comments.

You’ll also need to successfully complete a summative assessment to meet your final grade which will take the form of a Case Study (4,000 words).