| Unit name | Family Law 2: Child Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD30131 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Wade |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
LAWD20047 Family Law 1: Adult Relationships |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit is important because it focuses on how the law affects children in family matters in England and Wales. While much of the law you learn about is focused on issues concerning adults, this unit offers you the opportunity to critically analyse legal issues in family law from the perspective of children. You will explore questions about what makes someone a legal parent, what role the law can play in resolving disputes about caring for children and when (and how) the State should intervene to protect vulnerable children and/or children at risk of harm. The unit also examines the law of England and Wales in the context of established and emerging international laws and standards, with a particular focus on international children’s rights.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This optional, final year unit will provide you with a critical insight into a new area of law, exploring core issues in Child Law in England and Wales. This unit is distinct from Family Law 1 (Adult Relationships), because the focus is on how the law impacts children as opposed to adults. However, this module complements Family Law, as this unit draws on similar themes concerning state intervention in family life, autonomy, human rights, and protection for vulnerable individuals in the family unit.
An overview of content
On this unit, you will learn about:
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will increase your awareness of challenges facing children and families in modern society and learn how the law can impact, protect and empower children. You will have gained new skills and knowledge by learning to think critically about themes such as paternalism, vulnerability and autonomy from a fresh perspective and how new principles such as welfare, best interests and children’s rights shape the regulation of the family. The knowledge and skills gained will help you to effectively build further specialism into your future career.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:
The unit will involve lectures, large group sessions and seminars. The lectures will allow for delivery of content to help you to understand and identify the relevant legal principles (ILO 1). In large group sessions and seminars, content delivery will be complemented by giving you opportunities to both apply the law to factual scenarios and critically analyse the law (ILO 3 and 4). There will also be opportunities for group work and verbal communication of learning and insights (ILO 3, 4, 5).
You will also be required to undertake directed and self-directed learning, which will include reading assignments, accessing web-based supplementary materials, critical analysis, completion of tasks for in-seminar presentation, and completion of assessments (ILO 2).
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
There will be a formative assessment with a specified word-count. This will take the form of an “essay question memo” where you will complete a brief outline of your argument for an essay question. You will receive individual written feedback on your memo. The essay question will form part of the summative Timed Assessment (TA).
There will be other opportunities to engage in formative activities, through interactive problem solving and critical analysis in seminars and large group sessions.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
There will be a timed assessment with a 3000 word count, which will assess all intended learning outcomes for this unit. This carries 100% of your mark for this unit. You will be asked to answer two questions (one problem question and one essay question). The TA will consist of two parts: ‘Part A’ will contain a choice of problem questions; ‘Part B’ will set out one pre-seen essay question. The maximum word count for each question will be 1,500 words.
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessment required for credit in the usual way.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWD30131).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
