Ethical and Legal Contexts of Social Work Practice PG (12015.1)

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.

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 effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
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

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.