Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSWO 633 Social Work Practice with Children, Adolescents, and Families – Summer B 2023

Credits - 3

Description

This elective focuses on the challenges and capacities of children, adolescents, parents and caregivers that come to our attention in clinical social work practice across diverse settings. Students explore and critically analyze a range of theories used to explain child and adolescent development and caregiving structures. Particular attention is given to theories of attachment, caregiving, relationship and neurobiology. Focus is also placed on the social and institutional policies and dominant cultural attitudes that determine the distribution and access to social resources that affect child and family well-being. Interdisciplinary models of practice, including the development of networks and partnerships between social workers and other child-centered professionals are covered. Methods of building relationships with children, adolescents and caregivers are explored as are specific child-centered techniques including art and play therapy.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:

1. Practice social inclusion to enable people, populations, and communities to fully participate in society, enhance human bonds in the context of cultural diversity and ensure improved quality of life and equitable resource distribution. EPAS Competencies 2 & 3
2. Engage in culturally-informed relationship building, being respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competencies 3 & 6
3. Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competency 8
4. Promote ethical reflection, critical consciousness and shared decision-making based in social work values and with consideration of the broader contexts of the world in which we live. EPAS Competency 1
5. Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 2, 5, & 6
6. Engage as critical consumers and producers of research as it relates to assessment, intervention and evaluation of clinical and community practices. EPAS Competencies 4, 7, 8 & 9
7. Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 6

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Practice social inclusion to enable people, populations, and communities to fully participate in society, enhance human bonds in the context of cultural diversity and ensure improved quality of life and equitable resource distribution. EPAS Competencies 2 & 3
2. Engage in culturally-informed relationship building respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competency 2 & 3
3. Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competencies 6, 7 & 8
4. Promote ethical reflection, critical consciousness and shared decision-making based on social work values and with consideration of the broader contexts of the world in which we live. EPAS Competency 1
5. Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 3, 5, & 6
6. Engage as critical consumers and producers of research and evaluation applied to clinical and community practices. EPAS Competencies EPAS Competencies 4, 8 & 9
7. Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 3 & 6

Assignments

Full assignment requirements, rubrics, and due dates for all learning activities are provided in the course.

Whole Class Discussions

You will be asked to post one initial response to each Discussion Question each week, and then make a minimum of 2 peer response comments per discussion. Postings must meet the criteria for substantiveness to earn the maximum points available.

Journals

Your journal is a place for you to communicate your own personal reactions to the material presented in the weeks and cumulatively throughout the course. There will be some prompts to help you, but it is your space to write what is coming up for you.

Week 4 Assignment:

Using Vee’s Intake Form, Vee’s letter, and existing literature on play to support your clinical decisions in this assignment.

Week 7 Assignment:

This assignment focuses on gaps in services for children and/or on issues related to children that result in insufficient or poorly executed service and care.

Grading Policy

The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Percentage of Grade
Acknowledgement of Academic Engagment	1%
Discussions (14 at 3 points each)	42%
Journals (5 at 4 points each)	20%
Week 4 Assignment	17%
Week 7 Assignment	20%
Total	100%