Unit Learning Outcomes
The table below outlines the learning outcomes for this unit. Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1.Critically analyse legislative and policy practices that both enhance and inhibit wellbeing at individual, family and community levels
2.Analyse aspects of state mental health, domestic violence and child protection legislation relevant to social work practice, including confidentiality, involuntary interventions and guardianship
3.Critically analyse different models of social policy making in Australia
4.Analyse and integrate knowledge of and commitment to social work values and ethics to guide professional practice.
5.Critically evaluate the application of advocacy skills in relation to legislative and policy frameworks and processes
102394 Contextualised Practice Assignment-Western Sydney University Australia.
Approach to Learning
Contextualised Practice is a legal and policy subject which examines the place of social work in the legal and socio-political context. This is essential for practice as social workers are required to negotiate a very wide range of legal and policy scenarios. The Unit is delivered by way of 4 x 6 hour Workshops with requirements for Discussion Board activity in relation to assignment preparation between classes. Video material and recorded lectures will supplement the learning in workshops The workshop format will comprise two teachers and a mixture of lecture and tutorial material. Students are expected to have viewed video and recorded lecture material before class and completed prescribed readings. The Discussion Board is to be used to organise groups and prepare for the Group Discussion Assessment Task. Students are expected to be pro- active, prepared for class and prepared to participate in group discussion and debate.
Assessment Summary
The assessment items in this Unit are designed to enable you to demonstrate that you have achieved the Unit learning outcomes. Completion and submission of all assessment items which have been designated as mandatory or compulsory is essential to receive a passing grade.
To pass this Unit you must:
Achieve 50 % overall
Assessment Details
Group Presentation: analysis of legislation relevant to social work practice in a chosen area
Weight: 20%
Length: 20 minutes
Curriculum Mode: Presentation
Choose a piece of Commonwealth or NSW legislation in an area of social work practice.
Critically analyse the legislation and (if appropriate) policy arising from the legislation, focusing on a current issue related to social work You should consider:
1.The aims of the legislation- are they being met? Use the issue you have identified to answer this
2.The political context of the agencies implementing the legislation- are they Government? NGO’s? Who are they answerable to?
3.How the legislation and policy could be improved to protect human rights- use the issue to illustrate where improvements cold be made
For example, if you choose the Children and Young people ( Care and Protection) Act 1998 NSW you could discuss either
1) the need for support to young people leaving State care,
2) the Aboriginal Placement Principle and its implementation or
3) the introduction of time limits for restoration when a child has been placed in the care of the State.
102394 Contextualised Practice Assignment-Western Sydney University Australia.
Learning Outcomes
1.Critically analyse legislative and policy practices that both enhance and inhibit wellbeing at individual, family and community levels
2.Analyse aspects of state mental health, domestic violence and child protection legislation relevant to social work practice, including confidentiality, involuntary interventions and guardianship
Reflection: how social work values and ethics guide have guided student’s own professional practice placements
Weight: 30%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Format: Essay format
Length: 1,000 words
Curriculum Mode: Reflection
Consider your personal values in relation to your social work practice and relate this to social work ethical principles.
In doing so, identify the ideological bases of these ethical frameworks in relation to the following statement:
”Social work is characterised primarily by 1) social change or 2) social control”Students will write a reflective essay based on their own practice using academic sources and focusing on the way that values and ethics have impacted/will impact on their practice.
Note: if you have no relevant practice experience to draw on, focus on potential agencies you may work with in the future. You can also draw on other work experience to illustrate your argument.
You need to show how your own values and social work values and ethics have guided or will guide your own professional practice placements
First person is acceptable but otherwise academic writing conventions, including correct referencing , should be used
Use the following questions as a guide:
1) What are my personal values in relation to my practice?
2) Consider the ideologies underpinning your practice: How does your ideological framework affect your practice?
3)Consider the ideological environment of human services practice. identify any potential conflict with your ideological framework
4) Discuss the statement re social change/social control in the light of the above discussion of values and ideologies
Report: the relevance of applying advocacy skills in relation to legislative and policy frameworks and processes
Weight: 50%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Format: Essay/ Report
You can use headings but they will be counted as part of the word count
Length: 2,000 words
Curriculum Mode: Report
1.Identify an area of policy and legislation related to social inequality
2.Outline the area/s in need of change, focusing on social in equaiity
3.Propose strategies for change – focusing particularly on social inequality
4.Assess the feasibility of the strategies and the change proposed
Focusing on one or more of the areas covered in the course; or an area in which the student has worked, students will prepare a report which addresses the issues related to the application of advocacy skills to legislative and policy frameworks.
The following should be covered in the report
1.Identification of the policy and/or legislative framework, including relevant history and rationale
2.Identification of the impact of the policy and/or legislative framework on the target group and the community generally in relation to social inequality
3.Identification of an area within the framework which is in need of reform
4.Your proposal for reform and assessment of feasibility- note that this is a vital part of the question
5.Outline your advocacy strategy ie how you would achieve this reform- what level of government? Who should it be addressed to? What advocacy strategies could you use?
102394 Contextualised Practice Assignment-Western Sydney University Australia.
Be specific in your proposal – identify clearly what you want to change, why it should be changed, how you would change it, and how likely it is to be adopted (feasibility)