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. The students will learn about administrative law, welfare law and human rights.

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

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 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
• 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 takes place with in-person attendance on campus, and the working 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.

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

The following aids are permitted:

• The exam modus 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.

Anniken Sørlie and Helena Bärlund