Unit information: Assessment, Risk and Decision-making in 2023/24

Unit name	Assessment, Risk and Decision-making
Unit code	SPOLM0024
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Roy
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	N/A
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	N/A
Units you may not take alongside this one	N/A
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Unit Information

This unit focuses on a critical examination of current research and theoretical knowledge related to the assessment of children and families and its application to practice. It aims to:

• Consolidate students’ knowledge and skills in relation to risk assessment and the assessment of children and families with a range of complex needs, including assessing whether to reunite, with their parents, children who have been in the care system.
• Develop students’ theoretical and practical understanding of, and skills in, decision making in complex and challenging situations
• Explore interagency working and decision making within professional networks in the context of risk
• Consider theory and practice in relation to the involvement of service users in decision making
• Support and enhance the development of skills in analytical and critical thinking in assessment

Your learning on this unit

On successful completion of the Unit, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate critical understanding of current frameworks for, and approaches to social work assessment of children, young people and families, and apply this understanding and analysis in the practice context
2. Critically appraise different approaches to risk assessment and the use of risk assessment tools in practice
3. Evaluate and explain the factors that support or hinder inter-professional decision making in situations of risk
4. Critically evaluate the range of theoretical, conceptual and practical issues affecting parental engagement with services, when children may be at risk of harm, and apply this understanding appropriately to practice
5. Devise approaches to support constructive decision making with service users, where possible
6. Demonstrate critical understanding and application of core social work values, including anti-oppressive practice, child-centred practice and recognition of service user perspectives

How you will learn

Individual supervision with students to discuss their planning and learning (a minimum of three sessions). Each session will focus on navigating the course materials available and familiarisation with the assignment, discussing the learning materials and reading that this student has undertaken and making links to/reflecting on progress with their assignment.

How you will be assessed

One 4000 word essay plus confirmation of practice by a practice assessor.

The assignment for this unit is to write an essay (4000 words) which analyses and critically reflects on an assessment you have recently done with a child and/or family.

The assessment covers all intended learning outcomes.

Resources

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. SPOLM0024).

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.