SBV4500 Prudence and the rule of law in Child welfare work Course description

The course is focusing on soundness and the rule of law in child protection work. It aims to further develop the knowledge from SBV 2400. This a course of law that includes perspectives from social work and sociology. The course focuses on children's rights in child protection, like the right to care and protection, the right to participation and the rights for children in institutional care. Further, the legal requirements for procedural rights and decisions are relevant subjects. Likewise, the human rights' thresholds for interference in private and family life according to ECHR Art. 8 will be given due weight. In addition, discretionary practice, from a child welfare point of view as well as a legal point of view.

The language of instruction is Norwegian.

None.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of children's right to care and protection, as i.e. legal requirements for coercive measures and visitation rights
• advanced knowledge of children's right to participation and the best interests principle
• advanced knowledge of children’s rights in institutional care with a focus on the professional duty of care and the legal limitations of use of coercive measures 
• advanced knowledge of the legal requirements according to the rule of law in child welfare procedures and decision-making, including the principle of soundness

Skills 

The student can

• analyse and take a critical approach to the power of the child protection system and to one's professional practice and role
• be able to present, in writing as well as verbally, legal assessments and decisions, as well as child welfare assessments

• apply legal methods to exercise sound legal judgement and decisions in child welfare work, to contribute to secure the rights of children and parents

General competence

The student can

• critically reflect on the role of the child protection system in society, in the light of human rights
• analyse and explain relevant ethical and professional challenges
• apply legal and sociological knowledge and skills to contribute to secure the rights of children and parents
• identify risk areas in one's working place and help to prevent future failure

The teaching takes place with in-person attendance on campus. The course emphasises problem-based student-active forms of learning where students solve concrete assignments, in addition to lectures.

The following required coursework must have been approved before the student can take the exam:

• Coursework 1: An individual written assignment with a scope of 2,000 words (+/- 10%).

The purpose of the coursework requirement is to train students in writing legal texts, and to include perspectives from child welfare and sociology in discussions and assessments.

The required coursework must be completed and approved by the stipulated 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.

The exam in the course is an individual supervised exam of 5 hours.

The following aids are permitted:

• The exam version of Lovdata Pro.

Grade scale A-F.

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

Elisabeth Gording Stang and Janne Thu Ilstad