BV2300 Child protection in the welfare state – Compulsory measures, follow-up and foster care Course description

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 course further develops knowledge from the courses Law - Child protection law, and Child protection in the welfare state - Notification of concern, investigation and preventive measures. 

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   

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 course includes skills training in writing and documentation carried out across the three courses: BV2200, BV2300 and BV2600, and skills training in professional communication carried out across the same three courses: BV2200, BV2300 and BV2600. 

The course has two compulsory activities: 

1. Skills training in writing and documentation carried out across the three courses: BV2200, BV2300 and BV2600. Attendance for skills training is calculated across the three courses in BV2600. 

The attendance requirement for compulsory teaching activities is 80%. If a student's overall 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 in BV2600.  

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. 

2. Skills training in professional communication carried out across the three courses: BV2200, BV2300 and BV2600. Attendance for skills training is calculated across the three courses in BV2600. 

The attendance requirement for compulsory teaching activities is 80%. If a student's overall 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 in BV2600.  

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. 

An individual written home exam over 72 hours with a scope of 8-10 pages. Font and font size: Calibri 12-point. Line spacing 1.5. The approved citation style APA for assignments must be complied with.  

Candidates who fail or who were absent from the ordinary exam for a valid reason can take a resit/rescheduled exam.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with. 

Grade scale A-F. 

All exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.