Children Oriented Child Welfare (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Objective

After the course, you will understand the objectives, values, principles and working methods of child welfare work. You are able to structure the child welfare process from the legislation point of view and you understand the service system and record keeping related to child welfare. Additionally, you are capable of thinking in a child-centred way in compliance with professional ethics.


 

 

Content

The contents of the course include preventive child welfare work, the child welfare process, record keeping and legislation. Additionally, the contents include child welfare services and forms of support. The focus is on the values​, ethicality and child-centredness of child welfare work.

Materials

Lastensuojelulaki 2007/417
Sosiaalihuoltolaki 1301/2014
Räty, Tapio (2023). Lastensuojelulaki - Käytäntö ja soveltaminen.
Lastensuojelun käsikirja / THL (verkkomateriaali)
Araneva, Mirjam (2022). Lapsen suojelu, toteuttaminen ja päätöksenteko. Käsikirja lapsen asioista päättävälle. Talentum Pro.
Kiili, Jaakola, Anis, Lamponen & Stenvall (toim.) (2024). Lapsiperheiden ja lastensuojelun sosiaalityö.

Teaching methods

The teaching and learning methods used in the course include webinars, face-to-face teaching at school, independent work, independent or small group study visits and reporting, tests in the Moodle learning environment and written learning assignment in pairs.

Both webinars and face-to-face learning in school are interactive learning situations and you will be prepared for them according to the instructions given in advance. To participate in webinars, you need a working camera, headphones and a microphone.

If you use AI in your assignments, please include a verbal description of how, to what extent and where you have used it.

Employer connections

Study visit to an organisation providing child protection services
Visit by an experience expert
Visit by a representative from working life

Exam schedules

Online exams (2 tests) in Moodle
Written learning task in pairs
Reporting of the study visit to Moodle

Detailed timetables can be found in the Moodle workspace.

Completion alternatives

You can apply for admission with previous equivalent higher education studies (content/objectives/extent), or with at least one year (12 months) of work experience in child welfare work that is relevant to the content and objectives of the course. Discuss your competences with your tutor and, if necessary, submit an e-application at least two weeks before the start of the course.

Student workload

Face-to-face learning 8h, preparation for face-to-face learning 6h, webinars 15h, preparation for webinars 6h, study visit and reporting 10h, tests 2h,
independent work and written learning assignment in pairs 88 h. Total 135 hours.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Sufficient 1
You know the preventive child welfare work and child welfare services and forms of support. Additionally, you know the child welfare process and legislation in different child welfare client situations. You are capable of looking at things from a child’s perspective and knows the values ​​and ethical principles of child welfare work. You are capable of discussing child welfare and producing professional text, partly in compliance with the JAMK reporting instructions.

Satisfactory 2
You can preventive child welfare work and child welfare services and forms of support. Additionally, you can the child welfare process and legislation in different child welfare client situations. You are capable of looking at things from a child’s perspective and knows the values ​​and ethical principles of child welfare work. You are capable of discussing child welfare professionally and producing professional text, partly in compliance with the JAMK reporting instructions.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3
You are capable of describing preventive child welfare work and child welfare services and forms of support in an illustrative manner. Additionally, you are capable of applying the child welfare process and legislation in child welfare client situations. You are capable of looking at things from a child-centred perspective and is able to describe the values ​​and ethical principles of child welfare work. You are capable of discussing child welfare professionally with due consideration given to others’ points of view and of producing professional text in compliance with the JAMK reporting instructions.

Very good 4
You are capable of describing preventive child welfare work and child welfare services and forms of support in an illustrative manner. Additionally, you are capable of analysing the child welfare process and legislation in child welfare client situations. You are capable of thinking in a child-centred manner and you are able to apply the values ​​and ethical principles of child welfare work. You are capable of discussing child welfare professionally with due consideration given to the points of view of others and of producing professional text in compliance with the JAMK reporting instructions.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
You are capable of describing preventive child welfare work and child welfare services and forms of support in an illustrative and structured manner. Additionally, you are capable of applying and analysing the child welfare process and legislation in child welfare client situations. You are capable of thinking and analysing in a child-centred manner and is able to apply the values ​​and ethical principles of child welfare work. You are capable of discussing child welfare professionally, producing new points of view, and of producing professional text in compliance with the JAMK reporting instructions.

Qualifications

You are familiar with the Finnish social welfare system and support services for families. You perceive the connection between social factors and human everyday life.

Further information

The course is assessed by a study visit and its report (approved-fail), Moodle tests (approved-fail) and a written learning assignment (0-5). The learning assignment includes a personal self-assessment of the student based on the learning objectives of the course. The numerical grade for the course will be given on the basis of the written learning task.