SOS1140 Social welfare law - law in social work Course description

This course provides an introduction to legal method, human rights and administrative and social welfare law. The point of departure for the course is the application of law as part of professional practice. The course provides an introduction to the Norwegian legal system and the application of legal method when working with legal issues in social work. An introduction is also provided to key human rights and their importance in social work. The students will also learn about general administrative law, with the main emphasis on the basic principles of administrative law and the Public Administration Act’s importance to case processing in social work. The course also provides an introduction to the Child Welfare Act, the Children Act, fundamental aspects of health law, the National Insurance Act and the Act relating to social services in NAV. 

The teaching programme ‘The Same Child - Different Arenas’ (INTER1100) will be taught at the start of the course. See INTERACT’s website for a more detailed description of the content of INTER1100: https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interact 

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 knowledge of the justice system
• is familiar with legal method and how to proceed to be able to make a decision in legal issues arising in the performance of social work 
• has knowledge of general administrative law, including fundamental principles of administrative law and case processing rules
• has knowledge of the Child Welfare Act, the National Insurance Act, the Act relating to social services in NAV, the Act relating to patients’ and users’ rights, the Health and Care Services Act and the Children Act 
• has knowledge of the rights of minorities and the rights of the Sami people, particularly their special status as an indigenous people 
• is familiar with basic concepts and principles in welfare law 
• is familiar with important human rights and their importance to social work 

 Skills 

The student: 

• can identify, discuss and decide legal issues in social work
• can identify the requirements made of the legal grounds for social workers’ administrative decisions 

General competence

The student: 

• has insight into legal issues of relevance to social work issues 
• can work on legal issues relating to social work

The teaching methods comprise lectures and student-active sessions for solving assignments. Some of the teaching material may be posted on the learning platform in the form of videos, articles and other relevant material. Self-study is required before and after lectures and seminars. 

No coursework requirements or compulsory activities.

An individual five-hour written exam. Candidates who fail or who were absent from the ordinary exam for a valid reason can take a resit/rescheduled exam.

Norges lover (‘Norwegian statutes in force’), Lovsamling for helse- og sosialsektoren (legislation relating to the health and social sector). Gyldendal Forlag. The law collection can include notations according to more detailed guidelines. The law collection may be subject to checks before, during and after the exam. A law collection with incorrect notations may be confiscated during the exam. Intentional breaches of the guidelines for notations will be considered cheating. No other paper-based or digital aids are permitted during the exam. 

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.

Anniken Sørlie and Helena Bärlund