BV2100 Law - Child protection law Course description

This course looks at the rules of the Child Welfare Act relating to work in the child welfare service and county social welfare boards, and rules relating to judicial review of the county social welfare boards’ decisions. Particular emphasis is placed on fundamental principles and due process guarantees in child welfare work and the importance of human rights in relation to interventions in family life. The course covers both material and procedural rules. 

The student must have completed and passed the first year of the Bachelor Programme in Child Care and Welfare.

Knowledge

The student

·         has broad knowledge of the rules for work on notifications of concern, investigations and assistance measures 

·         has broad knowledge of the rules for issuing care orders, return of care and adoption under the Child Welfare Act 

·         has broad knowledge of the rules relating to contact and access under the Child Welfare Act

- has broad knowledge of human rights based restrictions and limitations to intervene in private and family life.

·         has broad knowledge of the rules for processing emergency cases and the special challenges relating to these types of decisions when it comes to due process protection

Skills

The student

·         can use legal methods to identify the rules of law that apply to work in the child welfare service 

·         can discuss and assess due process protection in relation to different child welfare measures 

·         can apply the principles of legality and proportionality in the assessment of different measures

·         can distinguish between material conditions and procedural conditions and the provisions’ standard of proof 

·         can document assessments of children’s participation and consideration of the child’s best interests in decision-making processes 

General competence

The student

·         can process child welfare cases in line with the responsible conduct requirement and the requirements that follow from international human rights

The course is taught through lectures, self-study, group work, skills training with and without the use of filming, and other teaching methods as needed.

The following coursework requirements/compulsory activities must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

Coursework requirement 1: an individual written assignment and conducting a peer review on a fellow studends individual written assignment.

The coursework requirement must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam. If the coursework is not approved, the student will be given the opportunity to submit an improved version once by a given deadline.

Coursework requirement 2: skills training in writing and documentation.

The attendance requirement for compulsory teaching activities is 80%. If a student's absence exceeds 20%, a comprehensive coursework requirement is set to compensate. If a student's overall absence exceeds 40%, they lose the right to take the exam. 

Each student is responsible for ensuring that their attendance is documented. The length of the teaching days will vary, and it is each student's own responsibility to stay informed about the teaching schedule.

Compulsory activities must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam.

An individual five-hour written school exam.

The exam modus of Lovdata Pro.

This course addresses the child welfare service’s intervention decisions concerning the relationship between children and parents. The students will receive an introduction to the country social welfare boards’ case processing, placement outside the home and compulsory measures. The main focus is on measures outside the home, such as foster homes and institutions, but orders imposing preventive measures in the home are also discussed. Children’s and parents’ participation in intervention decisions is a core topic, as are professional and ethical issues resulting from the child welfare service’s exercise of power. The course will provide an analytical approach to the complexity of decisions in child welfare work. 

The student must have completed and passed the first year of the Bachelor Programme in Child Welfare.

Knowledge

The student

·         has broad knowledge of the complex processes and decisions involved in the child welfare service’s work in cases where there is serious concern about a child’s care situation

·         has knowledge of the child welfare service’s right to order preventive measures in the home   

·         has broad knowledge of case procedures and the child welfare consultant’s role and responsibility in the county social welfare board  

·         has broad knowledge of different measures outside the home and is familiar with ethical and professional considerations related to work with and follow-up of these measures

·         has broad knowledge of foster homes as a child welfare measure, including the division of roles and responsibility, the use of network placements and the importance of contact and access

·         has broad knowledge of emergency and crisis work, and different professional and ethical dilemmas that can arise in this work

·         has knowledge of how children/young people and parents’ participation can be facilitated in child welfare cases

Skills

The student

·         can apply an interdisciplinary knowledge base to perform targeted work with children, young people and families  

· can apply relevant legislation and guidelines  

·         can apply knowledge of cultural diversity and demonstrate multicultural understanding when working with children, young people and parents/guardians in the child welfare service

·         can apply professional expertise and knowledge to cooperate across agencies and professions and to communicate and cooperate expediently with children, young people and parents/guardians   

·       can use experience and knowledge to build relations, cooperate and communicate with children, young people and parents/guardians in a way that promotes inclusion and participation

·         can talk to children and young people about topics such as neglect, violence and sexual abuse 

·         has insight into and can analyse and critically reflect on documentation that forms part of the child welfare service’s work

·         can interpret and analyse information and observations in order to make professional assessments of children’s care situations  

General competence

The student

·         can critically reflect on power relations in the child welfare service’s work 

·         has insight into their own understandings, attitudes and values, and can reflect on how these can influence their professional practice