Ethical and Legal Contexts of Social Work Practice PG (12015.1)
Please note these are the 2025 details for this unit
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | Online real-time |
UC - Canberra, Online |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Health |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| Discipline Of Social Work | Post Graduate Level | Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) Band 2 2021 (Prof Pathway Social Work- After 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) |
This unit explores the complexity of social work practice within the framework of legal structures, conventions, and regulations. The importance of how human rights and ethical principles underpin social work practice are outlined. Areas of relevance to social work practice such as child wellbeing and safety, mental health, disability, guardianship law, probation, and parole, aging, immigration, refugees and asylum seekers, working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and income security are critically analysed.
1. Critically analyse human rights, legal rights, and ethics for social work practice;
2. Analyse legal processes and their impact on the field of human service practice; and
3. Critically reflect on the Australian Legal System and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Critically analyse human rights, legal rights, and ethics for social work practice;
2. Analyse legal processes and their impact on the field of human service practice; and
3. Critically reflect on the Australian Legal System and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
Prerequisites
None.Corequisites
None.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 3 | 12 May 2025 | Online real-time | Prof Lynne Keevers |
| 2026 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 3 | 11 May 2026 | Online real-time | Prof Lynne Keevers |
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit
timetable.
Required texts
Please note: All readings related to the course are digitised and a reading list, with links to online readings, will be available ont he Unit Case site.
The following texts form part of the required readings and may be useful for broader understanding of the unit of study:
- Marson, S. & McKinney, R. (2018). The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Ethics and Values. Routledge, London.
- Pease, B. (2020). Doing Critical Social Work: Transformative Practices for Social Justice. Routledge, London.
- Maylea, C. (2019). Social Work and the Law: A Guide for Ethical Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Submission of assessment items
Use of Artificial Intelligence in this Unit
Students have permission to utilise assistive academic support services or tools (translation, editing and paraphrasing tools or services) and/or Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) programs for assessments in this unit, provided the following conditions are met:
1. Students appropriately acknowledge the use of assistive academic support services or GenAI in the assessment itself, as well as in the reference list (as per APA7 style)
2. Students provide a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement that is placed after the reference list. The GenAI Acknowledgement Statement should clearly outline what tools or services were utilised and in what ways they were utilised in the process of completing the assessment.
Your Unit Convenor may require additional specific information about how you have used GenAI, such as including the prompts you used or providing the output of the GenAI as an appendix to the submission. These requirements will be specified in the assessment instructions.
It is recommended that you:
- Keep records of the development of the work submitted for the assessment, and any drafts of the works submitted for a work-in-progress review, in a learning portfolio or equivalent. Access to these records may be requested by teaching staff.
- Ensure you are ready to respond to questions about your assessment to demonstrate your achievement of the learning outcomes of that assessment if / when you may be requested to participate in a conversation about your submission.
GenAI Acknowledgement Statement Examples
Complete the relevant GenAI Acknowledgement Statement for your assessment before copyin the statement into your submission after the reference list:
- I did not use any GenAI tools / services in the preparation of this assessment. I understand that providing false or misleading information in this GenAI Acknowledgment Statement may constitute a breach of the University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023.
OR
- I have used the following Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools / services in the preparation of this assessment:
- GenAI service name and version: [Insert]
- Link to the GenAI service: [Insert]
- I used this GenAI service: [Insert]
I confirm I have not used GenAI in the preparation of this assessment for any purpose other than what I have acknowledged above. I understand that providing false or misleading information in this GenAI Acknowledgment Statement may constitute a breach of the University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023.
Example:
I have used the following GenAI tools / services in the preparation of this assessment:
- GenAI service name and version: Microsoft Copilot
- Link to the GenAI service: https://copilot.microsoft.com/
- I used this GenAI service for: initial ideation in response to the topic, assisting in structuring my thinking, developing a comparison table, and suggesting clearer language.
I confirm I have not used GenAI in the preparation of this assessment for any purpose other than what I have acknowledged above. I understand that providing false or misleading information in this GenAI Acknowledgment Statement may constitute a breach of the University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023.
GenAI supporting information for students
The GenAI for Students Guide will assist you in understanding GenAI and how it can be used at the University of Canberra: https://canberra.libguides.com/genai
GenAI and referencing
Each referencing guide provided by the Library provides advice on how to appropriately reference the use of GenAI in-text.
Free and protected access to Microsoft Copilot
The University provides students with free and protected access to Microsoft Copilot and Dall-E. These GenAI services are accessible when you log-in using your UC username and password at: https://copilot.microsoft.com/
Recommendation
UC students should avoid using GenAI tools other than the secure Microsoft Copilot system provided by the University for completing assessments. Using this version of Microsoft Copilot ensures your student data, personal information, and intellectual property are protected.
Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.
Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.
UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).
UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.
Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.
Inclusion and engagement
During your study in this program, if you identify a need for support, please reach out to the unit convenor:
Dr Amelia Wheeler, Senior Lecturer in Social Work
amelia.wheeler@canberra.edu.au
You are also welcome to contact the University of Canberra Student Wellbeing Service:
Email: wellbeing@canberra.edu.au
Phone: (02) 6206 8841
Website: https://www.canberra.edu.au/future-students/support-at-uc/student-wellbeing
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are welcome to contact The Ngunnawal Centre:
Email: ngunnawal@canberra.edu.au
Phone: (02) 6206 8350
Website: Ngunnawal Centre - University of Canberra
Participation requirements
- If this is your first unit of study in the Social Work program you are required to complete the 'Social Work Foundations Module' located within the Social Work Hub. This module provides essential information and core skills needed to fully participate in this unit of study.
- Attendance at tutorials is highly recommended in this course. Students will be strongly supported to attain and demonstrate the required learning outcomes in their assessments via attendance and participation in weekly tutorials.
- Recordings will be made available for those students who are unable to attend live tutorial sessions, however recordings cannot replicate the live learning experience of engagement with peers, teachers and guest speakers.
- Please note sections of tutorial recordings may be removed if sensitive information has been disclosed.
Required IT skills
- In order to engage in this unit, you are expected to have a reliable computer with the latest operating system. You will also need reliable internet connections and the latest version of Google Chrome (preferred browser) to access UCLearn.
- You are expected to have access to Microsoft Office applications: including OneNote, Word, Excel and PowerPoint equivalent.
- In some units, you will be required to download specific software applications to complete the unit content and assessment successfully.
- This unit involves online meetings in real time using Zoom in your UCLearn teaching site. To participate verbally, rather than just typing, you will need a microphone. For best audio quality we recommend a microphone and speaker headset.
- In order to complete research, you will need to be able to search the library data bases for relevant journal articles. It is the individual student's responsibility to access appropriate help from the University IT services or the library if they do not have adequate skills.
- Please see the Social Work Hub on Canvas for orientation to key software and applications.
Work placement, internships or practicums
None.
