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 |
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 2025 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 5 | 26 August 2024 | Online | Dr Laura Vidal |
| 2025 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 3 | 12 May 2025 | Online | Dr Tanya Lawlis |
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.
Inclusion and engagement
During your study in this program, if you identify a need for support, please reach out to the unit convenor:
Dr Laura Vidal, Lecturer in Social Work
laura.vidal@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
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 the Virtual Room in your UCLearn teaching site. The Virtual Room allows you to communicate in real time with your lecturer and other students. To participate verbally, rather than just typing, you will need a microphone. For best audio quality we recommend a microphone and speaker headset. For more information and to test your computer, go to the Virtual Room in your UCLearn site and 'Join Course Room'. This will trigger a tutorial to help familiarise you with the functionality of the virtual room.
- 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.
