SOCI42230: Advanced Social Work (30 credits)

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• This module is designed to enable students to extend their knowledge, understanding and application of social work theory and methods within appropriate legislative, policy and organisational frameworks and contexts and to achieve the relevant qualifying standards as set out within the Professional Capabilities Framework and Social Work England Professional Standards.

• There will be 4 distinct elements within the module, as follows:
• Practice Contexts;
• Principles and Values in Social Work;
• Theory, Knowledge and Research into Practice; and
• Practice in Children's and Adults' Services.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the module you will be able to demonstrate a systematic and applied critical understanding of:
• The scope and functions of i) social work with children and families, and ii) community care;
• Contemporary policy in social work with children and families and with adults;
• Organisational contexts for social work;
• The ethical and value base for interventions with children and families and with vulnerable adults and carers;
• Social work theories and methods and evidence of their effectiveness in working with individuals, families, groups and communities;
• The role of the social worker in the context of structures and processes that promote partnership working with service users, carers, and inter-disciplinary and inter-agency working; and
• The principles and value base of social work that inform ethical practice in a context of changing demands on social workers;
• The concept of leadership and its application to practice.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Collaborative systematic analysis of complex material relevant to specific areas of social work practice;
• The integration of theory and research and their application in social work interventions; and
• Verbal presentation of their role in assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation, and the social work theory and research that have informed the chosen method of intervention.

Key Skills:

• Effective communication skills as demonstrated by organisation and delivery of assessed oral presentation;
• Critical thinking, challenge and analysis in group settings;
• Making systematic use of research skills in investigating substantive subject areas;
• Taking responsibility for own professional practice; and
• Taking individual responsibility for continuing learning.

• During periods of online teaching, for asynchronous lectures in particular, planned lecture hours may include activities that would normally have taken place within the lecture itself had it been taught face-to-face in a lecture room, and/or those necessary to adapt the teaching and learning materials effectively to online learning.
• The module learning outcomes will be achieved through a range of direct teaching, presentations from visiting lecturers and from practitioners, inquiry-based group learning, small group seminar discussion and individual student presentation.
• Knowledge, understanding and skills will be assessed through:
• an individual presentation of a case study demonstrating application of social work theory and research in practice;
• A summative Critical Case Evaluation written report which would include PPT from the individual presentation of project and a summary of feedback from the individual presentation.

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