Module manager: Gary Walker
Email: G.D.Walker1@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
This module is approved as a discovery module
Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility. This module aims to introduce students to the fundamentals of safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. On completion of the module students will be aware of key safeguarding legislation and policy. Students will also explore the complexities that surround working with children with unmet needs and where risk of significant harm is an issue. Through exploring case studies involving children and families with differing needs, and having different multiple professional involvements, students will gain an insight into the challenges of intervening into private family life while balancing the rights of different family members all the while assessing potential risks to children. This module takes a flipped/blended approach to student learning. Guided tasks are provided on a weekly basis online. Students must engage with these weekly tasks prior to attending class. It is expected that students are motivated to participate fully in class discussions and group work when applicable. Students should note class attendance times of this module. Students will be allocated to either an early afternoon class of an early evening class. Students should check that they can attend in the event they are allocated into the evening class.
The aim of this module is to enable students to gain a solid grounding in the legal and policy requirements of safeguarding children in England and Wales. Students will also learn of the child protection process from identifying the possibility that child abuse has occurred through to making a referral and tracking that referral through child protection processes. Students will be able to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse, and also come to appreciate the complexities of defining abuse as this means different things to victims, families, cultures and across time. The module will also consider the implications and challenges of accurately assessing child abuse using professional assessment tools, this will include the impact of the environment, the child’s stage of development and parents willingness to change their potentially abusive behaviour so that children can remain living in their families with varying levels of family support.
1. Apply relevant law and policy to safeguarding and family support scenarios.
2. Apply the concept of risk to decision making processes when working with children and families.
3. Acknowledge diversity and human rights issues when working in safeguarding contexts.
4. Assess and prioritise the needs of children based upon varying risks and needs.
The content will cover such areas as:
- The key provisions of the children act 1989, the children act 2004, and a very small number of other legal provisions.
- The main statutory guidance, known as ‘Working Together’
- Different types of child abuse
- Different contexts in which child abuse takes place
- How children and families understand abuse including denial and coercion
- The child protection process, from identifying concerns, making a referral, and professional planning meetings which might follow.
- The detailed assessment of children’s needs using professional assessment tools.
- The appreciation of allowing children and families to take risks, but also professional needs to monitor and manage risk in families.
- Child protection practice as being evidence informed; which includes studies and research, as well as reviews commissioned as a result of child abuse tragedies.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Tutorial | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Independent online learning hours | 83 | ||
| Private study hours | 100 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Most of the weekly class based activities have a component focused on the assignments which allow students to apply their subject specific learning to formative tasks.
There is opportunity in class for formative peer feedback; as students are expected to collaborate in groups.
There is opportunity in class for students to ask specific questions of the tutor.
Students are able to book one-to-one and small group tutorials with the tutor.
The five hour -seminar session allows students to explore the application of theory to the assignments in a single, sustained session.
Tutors are available to provide tutorials via telephone and Skype.
Online interactive activities such as quizzes are able to provide students with instantaneous feedback on their attainment.
Tutors are able to provide asynchronous feedback on students‘ comprehension using online discussion forums.
Tutors are able to provide feedback on draft work as appropriate.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| In-course MCQ | Online MCQ on the law and family support | 40 |
| Written Work | An initial assessment of needs and risks for a case study family 2,500 words | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 4/29/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team