BV2500 Child protection in the welfare state - Legal and sociological perspectives on work in residential care Course description

This course covers legal and sociological perspectives on work with children and young people in different institutions. Particular focus is placed on human rights and sociological perspectives on the use of power and coercion with children and young people, and on the tension between care and control when practising child welfare work. 

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 children’s rights at child welfare institutions and limitations on the use of coercion with regard to human rights

·         has broad knowledge of sociological perspectives on power and coercion  

·         has broad knowledge of the provisions of the Child Welfare Act relating to retention in an institution on the basis of behavioural problems

·         has knowledge of the overall division of tasks and responsibility for child welfare institutions and an overview of the institutional services

·         has knowledge of institutional sociology and other sociological concepts of relevance to work with children and young people in an institutions

· has knowledge of the rules on criminal prosecution of children and young people

· has knowledge of sociological and criminological perspectives on children, criminality and punishment

·         has knowledge of measures for children and young people in institutions under the care of the mental health services

·         has knowledge of the factual and legal situation of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers 

·         has knowledge of the rules for inter-agency cooperation, and is familiar with collaborative relations and challenges between different institutions

Skills

The student

·         can use legal methods to identify the rules of law that apply to work in institutions

·         can discuss and assess due process protection in relation to different measures implemented in institutions and complaints and supervision mechanisms, and can apply the principles of legality and proportionality in the assessment of different compulsory measures in institutions

·         can problematise the boundaries between the concepts of coercion and care from a legal and sociological perspective

·         can assess different measures targeting children and young people with behavioural problems from a legal and sociological perspective

·         can assess institutions and measures from a power, care and class perspective

·         can describe organisational framework conditions for work in child welfare institutions and concepts and perspectives in the field of institutional sociology, including stigmatising factors

General competence

The student

·         can apply the legal regulations in different institutions

·         can apply institutional sociology perspectives in institutions and in interdisciplinary cooperation

·         can reflect on power relations in work taking place in institutions

The course will be taught through lectures, seminars and self-study work on assignments.

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

1. One written coursework requirement.

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.

2. INTERACT - INTER1200

The following required coursework must be approved:

Students must submit an individual log. Scope: 500 words (+/- 10%). The log requires participation at the two-day seminar. An individual assignment may compensate for absence.

Read more about INTERACT and INTER1200 here: https://www.oslomet.no/en/research/research-projects/interact

An oral exam.

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

Publicly approved law collections with notations according to more detailed guidelines are permitted during the exam.

Grade scale A-F.

The oral exam is assessed by one internal and one external examiner.

Merete Havre and Cecilie Basberg Neumann