Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
SWTP333 Social Work Field Education 1
Teaching organisation
Teaching and learning strategies for this unit involves lectures, small group discussions, compulsory simulated experiences and Canvas online activities.
Unit rationale, description and aim
Social workers are often required to understand relevant legislation governing practice in diverse areas and to understand and deal with the impact of the legal system on people. This unit will introduce students to key laws relevant to social work practice and explore ways in which the legal system influences and interacts with social work practice. The aim of this unit is for students to develop an understanding of the relevant knowledge and skills required for working in a legal context and explore the impact of the legal system on a range of population groups. The social justice and human rights focus of ethical social work practice in legal and statutory contexts will be examined. This unit enables students to develop awareness of legal and ethical knowledge to inform practice and to demonstrate effective recording and communication skills and ethical practice as important components in social work practice.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Articulate how social work practice intersects with and is informed by the legal system | GC1, GC3, GC7, GC12 |
| LO2 | Explain the Australian legal system and how the law is made and enforced | GC2 |
| LO3 | Recognise key laws relevant to social work practice | GC1, GC9 |
| LO4 | Explain how the legal system and law enforcement processes can impact different groups in society | GC1 |
| LO5 | Demonstrate the skills required for working with or in relation to, the legal system | GC2, GC4 |
| LO6 | Apply a social justice and human rights focus of ethical social work practice to legal and statutory contexts | GC2, GC6, GC8 |
AASW Practice Standards
This Unit has been mapped to the ACU Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes. The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes provided in the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards: https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/13565
GA 1 - Demonstrated sense of identity as a professional social worker |
GA 2 - Sound understanding of and commitment to social work values and ethics to guide professional practice |
GA 3 - Ability to apply social work knowledge and interventions to respond effectively in meeting the needs of individuals, groups and communities in diverse settings, client groups and geographic locations |
GA 5 - Ability to review, critically analyse and synthesise knowledge and values and apply reflective thinking skills to inform professional judgement and practice |
GA 6 - Ability to apply research knowledge and skills to understand, evaluate and use research to inform practice and to develop, execute and disseminate research informed by practice. |
GA 7 - Demonstration of effective communication and interpersonal skills |
GA 8 - Ability to work with diversity and demonstrate respect for cultural difference |
AASW Practice Standards
This Unit has been mapped to the ACU Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes. The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes provided in the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards: https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/13565
1.Values and Ethics |
2. Professionalism |
3. Culturally responsive and inclusive practice |
4. Knowledge for practice |
5. Applying knowledge to practice |
6. Communication and interpersonal skills |
7. Information keeping and sharing |
8. Professional development and supervision |
ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes
This Unit has been mapped to the ACU Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes. The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes provided in the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards: https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/13565
| Standard/Attributes/Criteria | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
1.1 Practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics (2010) 3.1 Work respectfully and inclusively with cultural difference and diversity 4.2 Understand and articulate social work and other relevant theories and concepts | 1 |
1.1 Practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics (2010) 4.1 Understand higher level systemic influences on people with respect to area of practice | 2 |
2.1 represent the social work profession with integrity and professionalism 4.2 Understand and articulate social work and other relevant theories and concepts 4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories, knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice | 3 |
5.1 Conduct an assessment and analysis of needs to inform the services being offered 5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice 7.1 Record and manage information appropriately | 4 |
1.1 Practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics (2010) 7.2 keep and maintain information in accordance with ethical principles and relevant legislation | 5 |
3.1 Work respectfully and inclusively with cultural difference and diversity 3.2 Respect, strive to understand and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures | 6 |
Content
Topics will include:
Introduction to the Australian legal system
- How the law is made and law enforcement processes
Key laws relevant to social work practice
- public and private law
- case law and statute law
- criminal law
- administrative law
- family and children’s law
- child protection
- mental health and
- consumer law
Contemporary contexts of social work practice
- the social worker and the court
- court processes and vulnerable offenders
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians
- people with mental health issues or disabilities
- children and young people
Social work skills for working in legal contexts
- recording for legal purposes
- report writing e.g., social work reports, affidavits
Ethical social work practice
- human rights and the law e.g., freedom of information, international conventions
- social work advocacy role in legal contexts
- negligence and duty of care
- social work professional responsibilities in relation to duty of care
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Teaching and learning strategies for this unit involves lectures, small group discussions, compulsory simulated experiences and Canvas online activities. Instruction comprises 36 hours of face to face and online instruction. Tutorial activities incorporate small group learning with students engaging in discussion, often applying knowledge and theoretical unit content to cases and scenarios, and a compulsory court attendance or simulated experience of court processes. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively in class discussions. Online activities in and outside class enable students to learn from recorded video and online material and within interactive online forums.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The unit takes an authentic case-based approach to assessments facilitating students to develop and demonstrate their learning in relevant diverse contexts. The initial assessment is designed for students to demonstrate their factual knowledge of the Australian legal system. Assessment 2 is a case-based task that requires students to apply legal and social work practice knowledge towards the demonstration of social work skills and ethical practice in legal contexts by using case-notes to write a report that simulates genuine practice. Assessment 3 allows students to demonstrate and apply their knowledge of key relevant laws and their understanding of social justice and human rights considerations to a case scenario. The final assessment enables students to analyse the way in which the legal system influences and interacts with social work practice.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Test: Enables students to demonstrate understanding of background to the law. | 20% | LO1, LO2 |
Legal Report: Enables students to demonstrate ability to produce a report for the court in support of client | 30% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5, LO6 |
Written assignment: Enables students to demonstrate ability to analyse and critique the intersection between social work practice and the legal system. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6 |
Representative texts and references
Brayne, H., & Carr, H. (2010). Law for social workers (11th ed.) Oxford University Press.
Davis, L. (2015). See you in court. A social worker’s guide to presenting evidence in care proceedings (2nd ed). London: Jessica Kingsley.
Forrester, K., & Griffiths, D. (2015). Essentials of law for health professionals (3rd ed.). Sydney: Mosby Elsevier.
Healy, K., & Mulholland, J. (2012). Writing skills for social workers. London: Sage.
Kennedy, R., Richards, J., & Leiman, T. (2013). Integrating human service law, ethics and practice. (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria Australia: Oxford University Press.
Kerridge, I., Lowe, M. & Stewart, C. (2013). Ethics and law for health professions (4th ed.). Annandale, NSW Australia: Federation Press
Lonne, B., Parton, N., Thomson,, J., & Harries, M. (2009). Reforming child protection. Abingdon, England: Routledge.
Rice, S., Day, A. & Briskman, L. (Eds.) (2018). Social work in the shadow of the law (5th ed.) Annandale, NSW Australia: The Federation Press.
Stout, B. (2017). Community Justice in Australia: Developing knowledge, skills and values for working with offenders in the community, Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.