UniMelb UGHB96 : 196-305 Fields of Social Work Practice

Handbook 1996 : Faculty of Arts (Volume 3 page 176) Social Work subject : Next:196-400 | Prev:196-304 | Search | Help

196-305/405 Fields of Social Work Practice

Credit points: 16.7 points 3rd and 4th year

Coordinator: Dr E Ozanne.

Contact: A 2-hour seminar during a 10-week period of the first semester. A 2-hour seminar during a 10-week period of the second semester. Students select one option each semester. Options vary from year to year.

Timetable: Double semester

Objectives:

Objectives for options frequently offered are as follows:
SOCIAL WORK IN AN AGEING SOCIETY: On completion of this seminar students should

Have an appreciation of the nature of population ageing in the Australian and international context in terms of its social and economic impacts.
Demonstrate a knowledge of the Australian social policy response to population ageing and the history of the development of current service arrangements.
Be aware of the principle bio-psycho-social impacts of ageing at the individual level.
Have demonstrated skills in social work assessment and intervention at primary, secondary and tertiary levels with elderly clients.
Show an appreciation of differing theoretical orientations to work with an older clientele.
Demonstrate an ability to critically analyse current social work practice with the aged.

SOCIAL WORK AND THE LAW: On completion of this seminar students should

Have an awareness of the legal issues, practices and procedures in a series of settings in which social work and law typically interact.
Have examined a variety of ethical issues in practice.
Be aware of the principal bio-psycho-social impacts of ageing at the individual level.
Have analysed and developed skills in evidence giving, cross examination and report writing.
Have an awareness of the separate roles and tasks of lawyer and social worker: of their points of interaction and of when a referral between the two professions is appropriate.

SOCIAL WORK WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: On completion of this seminar students should

Understand the major historical legacies of the field as it operates in Victoria, and some implications of these for policy and practice with children and families.
Be familiar with the structure of the field and with the respective functions of the major agencies within it.
Be aware of and able to critically reflect upon key difficulties, recent developments and new directions within the field.
Utilise their knowledge of child and family development and functioning, and of social work practice, to inform their analysis of practice in this field.
Be able to identify common practice challenges, and appropriate practice standards, in family support, child protection and substitute care practice.
Be aware of the knowledge and skills they (as potential beginning workers) bring to this field.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL PLANNING: At the end of this seminar, students will be able to:

Understand the structure, roles and functions of local government in the context of the Local Government Act.
Know both the range of community services offered by local government, and the range of roles carried out.
Explore in depth several practice areas which provide a model of local government involvement.
Explore the tensions and contradictions inherent in local government's status as an 'arm of the state' and source of power, yet supporter of participation, local democracy and 'community control'.
Develop a beginning working knowledge of the theory and application of social planning.
Examine how inequality of gender, class, race etc. is played out at municipal level, and how local government community services can address this issue.

SOCIAL WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH: On completion of the seminar, students should:

Understand how the notion of madness varies between historical periods and between cultures and how it has evolved in Western cultures over the last few centuries.
Understand how notions, definitions or concepts of madness may determine how it is treated or managed in a society.
Have a general understanding the medical model of mental illness, especially its classification systems and how diagnoses of major disorders are made.
Have a general understanding the theory and practice of psychiatric rehabilitation.
Have broad knowledge of the current range of mental health services, of local mental health legislation and developments in the provision of mental health services.
Have an understanding of the role and contribution of social workers within and to mental health services.

SOCIAL WORK AND YOUNG PEOPLE: Students who successfully complete this seminar should:

Understand what is meant by the term 'young people'.
Have a knowledge of the history of the development of services for young people, of the changing nature of such services over the last 150 years and of the reasons for such changes.
Have an understanding of the roles of both the government and the non-government sector in the development and implementation of policies and programs for young people.
Have an overview of a number of the issues of particular salience to young persons, such as education, employment, accommodation, health, sexuality, single/early parenthood, income security, transport, recreation, the juvenile justice system.
Have an understanding of the roles of social workers and other professionals who work with young people.

WOMEN, SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL POLICY: At the completion of this seminar students should:

Demonstrate an ability to make assessments and analyses of Women's experience which take account of the historical, social, political and psychological aspects of gender.
Understand the critique and contribution of feminist theory to social work practice.
Understand the critique and contribution of feminist theory and practice to selected areas of social policy relevant to women.
Demonstrate an ability to make an in-depth analysis of a social issue relevant to women's lives.
Understand the implications of feminist theories for service delivery to women.

Content:

Multi-method social work practice in a selected range of service fields (e. g. public welfare, ageing, child and family welfare and health).

Assessment:

Written assignments of up to 6,000 words.

Social Work subject : Next:196-400 | Prev:196-304 | Search | Help Handbook 1996 : Faculty of Arts (Volume 3 page 176)

Status:          Official 1996
Date created:    Oct  9 1995
Last modified:   Oct  9 1995
Authorised by:   Academic Registrar
Email enquiries: Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au

Maintained by:   Dept. of Social Work, Faculty of Arts.