BV2600 Psychosocial perspectives - Social-therapeutic work with children, young people and their families Course description

This course will provide an introduction to social therapy with children, young people and their families, with emphasis on work in child welfare institutions. It covers different perspectives on children and young people’s mental and physical health, and how neglect can affect their psychological development and health. The students will also be introduced to various theoretical perspectives underlying social therapy in order to facilitate children and young people’s development and growth. 

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

Knowledge

The student

·         has knowledge of the possible consequences of neglect on children’s physical and mental health, and how this can be expressed in children and young people

·         has knowledge of trauma, possible causes, forms of expression and consequences, and how to work with children and young people who have experienced trauma    

·         has knowledge of different perspectives that form the basis of social therapy

·         has knowledge of necessary relational and care-related conditions that enable facilitation of children and young people’s development and improvement of mental and physical health

·         has knowledge of work with unaccompanied minor asylum seekers in institutions

·         has knowledge of working with families and networks and of interprofessional cooperation in the field of social therapy

·         has knowledge of professional ethics, ethical values and dilemmas and issues that can arise in social therapy work

Skills

The student

·         can apply a multidisciplinary knowledge base to practise systematic social therapy with children and young people

·         can apply relevant and applicable legislation, rules and guidelines in social therapy work in institutions

·         can apply knowledge of substance abuse and criminality and knowledge of social and emotional challenges in children and young people in social therapy work in institutions

·         can apply knowledge from children, young people and their families to ensure their participation and co-determination in social therapy work

·         can apply knowledge of cultural diversity and demonstrate cultural sensitivity in social therapy work

·         has insight into and can analyse and critically reflect on documentation that forms part of social therapy

General competence

The student

·         has insight into their role as child welfare officer when working with children and young people living in institutions, including their own preconceptions, attitudes and values, and can reflect on how this affects the relationships

·         can use knowledge, skills and experience to demonstrate understanding, empathy and recognition when working with children, young people and families in vulnerable life situations

The teaching methods vary between lectures, group work, self-study, written assignments, skills training with and without the use of filming and fellow student supervision.

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 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.

This course is designed to inform and enrich the material learned in the research methods courses. It combines a descriptive and a normative approach to reflection on social science. In addition, the course contains a master thesis preparation seminar leading to a master thesis design proposal which supports the master thesis work process. The thesis preparation seminar runs in collaboration with the two courses on methods (SIW4210 and SIW4220).

Among topics covered in philosophy of science are the role of values in research, objectivity, realism, social constructivism, social ontology, feminist philosophy of science, evidence-based policy, models, and causality. The master thesis preparation seminar covers research design.

None

A student who has completed his or her qualification has the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has

• thorough knowledge of main social science philosophy topics relevant to social welfare and health policy studies
• knowledge of theories and concepts enabling systematic reflection on social science
• knowledge of basic research design theory

Skills

The student can

• analyze, discuss and evaluate social science from the viewpoint of philosophy of science
• transform a research question into a design for answering the question

General Competence

The student has

• thorough understanding of the relation between actual research and theories about research
• a well developed understanding of the foundations of research results and design

Students must submit four essays on the philosophy of social science (500 words), a tentative and a full templated master thesis design proposal. Students are required to present and discuss the design proposal in the master thesis preparation seminar.

The four essays, the tentative and full master thesis design proposal and the presentation of the master thesis design proposal are separately awarded a Pass or Fail. A Pass in all of them qualifies for sitting the school exam.

Students whose coursework requirement is not approved at first attempt may resubmit the work requirement once. Papers that are not approved after two submissions will disqualify students from sitting the final school examination.

Students may use a spelling dictionary, as well as a bilingual dictionary during the written school exam.