2026/27 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LLLC2285 Working with Change, Conflict and Crisis with Children and Families

20 Credits Class Size: 30

Module manager: Nathan Loynes
Email: n.loynes@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2026/27

Module replaces

Management of Self and Others

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Working with children and families is rarely straightforward. In this module you will explore what happens when professional intervention meets resistance, conflict or crisis, and how you can respond effectively. You will develop the practical skills that matter most in direct practice: communication, relationship-building, negotiation, and the ability to remain grounded under pressure. Alongside developing these skills, you will study the theories that explain why change is difficult, how conflict escalates, and how crisis can also be a catalyst for positive change. A key part of the module involves turning the lens on yourself, developing the self-awareness and resilience that effective practitioners need. You will examine your own responses to challenge and learn how your interpersonal style affects the people you work with.

Objectives

This module introduces students to established theories of change conflict and crisis. Students will be taught using the case study method, in which they will be encouraged to think about supporting hypothetical children and families through varying processes of change. Students will be encouraged to re-evaluate their understanding of conflict and crisis, and see potential for these to be positive change catalysts. Students will reflect upon their own emotional and behavioural responses to change, conflict and crisis in order to become more resilient learners and practitioners.

Learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate and critically evaluate skills in communication, relationship building, negotiation, conflict resolution and the management of change in professional contexts.
2. Analyse key aspects of resistance to change and evaluate how conflict and crises might emerge in ineffectively managed professional relationships.
3. Critically apply change, conflict, and crisis theories to complex problem-solving scenarios when working with children and families in challenging contexts.
4. Synthesise self-awareness, reflection and resilience skills, critically evaluating their role in direct work with children and families.

Skills Learning Outcomes
Reflection (Work Ready and Academic Skills): Students will critically reflect on their own emotional and behavioural responses to change, conflict and crisis, connecting personal experience to theoretical frameworks in order to develop resilience and self-awareness as practitioners.
Interpersonal skills (Work Ready Skills): aligns precisely with the module's objective to develop practitioners who can demonstrate awareness and understanding of self and others whilst building effective relationships in challenging family contexts.

Syllabus

How do we respond to change, reflection and resilience, introduction to change theory, loss, grief and withdrawal, aggression and resistance,r espect and assertiveness, oppression and empowerment, introduction to crisis theory, solution focused approaches, motivational interviewing

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Workshop 1 5 5
Seminar 10 1 10
Tutorial 2 1 2
Independent online learning hours 83
Private study hours 100
Total Contact hours 17
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 200

Private study

This will be a ‘flipped’ class in line with the Child and Family Studies Programme suite of modules. Students are expected to learn from interactive online materials prior to attending each weekly seminar wherein this prior learning will be applied and formatively assessed. Alongside maintaining expected progress and learning within the structured online interactive resources, it is expected that students deepen, extend and enhance their learning by consulting with recommended and self-sourced academic texts on the subject.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will receive instantaneous formative feedback on their understanding via electronic, online materials. The concepts encountered each week online will be revisited in the face-to-face flipped session in class, within 'real world' applications such as, but not exhaustively, family case studies.
Students will receive feedback on their video reflective logs.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Reflective log NA 50
Role-play NA 50
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list

Last updated: 30/04/2026

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team