| Unit name | Social Work Contexts, Values and Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOLM0079 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Aggie Bezzina |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This Unit focuses on the important values and ethics that social workers must follow, the laws that govern social work practice, and the contexts within which social work takes place. You will learn how to consider and reflect on ethical principles and values, and apply appropriate legal frameworks, in different situations you may encounter as social workers. Various understandings of contemporary social problems within which social work takes place are critically analysed, and you are taught to recognise diversity and to work in an anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive way. This Unit works with you in developing your knowledge from social work practice and research, social sciences, law, other relevant fields, and from the experience of people who use services, and includes both theoretical learning and practical group discussions, where you can apply your learning to real-life situations.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit will prepare you for your first placement by providing you with knowledge on values, ethics and legislation, and teaching you how to apply these within different social work contexts. Throughout your first placement, you will practice how to draw on, and critique, research and policy, to inform your understandings of different social issues you encounter.
An overview of content
You will be given input on legal frameworks that inform and direct social work practice and taught how to draw on these ethically to enhance equality, human rights, and wellbeing of people. You will learn about how oppression and discrimination operate, and how individuals and groups are affected by these. You will be introduced to social work ethical frameworks that support the profession to identify inequalities and challenge oppressive social arrangements. You will also be encouraged to look at specific contemporary social problems and policy responses to these, and to learn to critically draw on ethics, law, policy and research to inform evidence-based practice.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will have a knowledge of social work legal and ethical frameworks, the competence of drawing on research and evidence in assessment and decision-making in social work, and the proficiency to apply these in different contexts of practice.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the Unit, you will be able to:
The unit will consist of a weekly mix of lectures, small-group seminars and guided independent activities. Lectures will be interactive encouraging you to apply knowledge to scenarios brought by both lecturers and students. Seminars will include reflective tasks, inquiry-based, and problem-based learning to foster engagement with real-life social work scenarios and allow you to develop your skills in critically applying ethical, legal and research-based knowledge. Some seminars will also be peer-led by you to develop skills in facilitating groupwork. Independent and formative activities include structured reading and engaging with audio/visual resources weekly.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks:
You will be provided with verbal formative feedback within the group exercises within every taught session/seminar, through the office hour or through a discussion thread on Blackboard. You will have formative opportunities to apply learning from your law lectures to scenarios in group activities, to help you to prepare for your summative assessment.
Throughout TB1, you will compile a weekly Values and Ethics learning journal to evidence understanding of the social work ethical frameworks, demonstrate awareness of your own personal values and how these can impact on practice and demonstrate grasp of the importance of diversity in human identity and experience, and the application of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive principles in social work practice.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark:
You will submit a selection from your Values and Ethics learning journal (20%, 1000 words maximum).
This is a must pass regulatory requirement for students to demonstrate ‘readiness for direct practice’.
This assessment covers ILO 2.
Case Study (80%, 2000 words maximum)
This is a must pass regulatory requirement for students to demonstrate ‘readiness for direct practice’.
This assessment covers all of the intended learning outcomes.
When assessment does not go to plan:
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, and the regulatory requirements of Social Work England, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment in the failed element(s). If you are eligible to resubmit and where appropriate, you may submit a revised version of your previous assignment or complete an alternative assessment in the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOLM0079).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
