Children and youth at risk (BBA102)

Content

The course builds on basic knowledge about children and young people’s development and childhood environment. Child development takes place in interaction with the environment. Therefore, we focus on factors that may contribute to children and young people being exposed to risk. The course has a socio-pedagogical starting point, where knowledge is drawn from different academic perspectives that contribute to developing a comprehensive theoretical and academic understanding of children and young people. Vulnerability in children and young people must be understood in light of the interaction between individual circumstances and circumstances in children’s ecological development environment, and how these mutually affect children’s overall development.

The child welfare worker’s social mandate and professional practice are focused particularly on the field of child welfare and work involving children and young people at risk. Key elements of the child welfare worker’s history, social mandate and professional practice will also be addressed.

Learning outcome

After successfully completing and passing the course, candidates will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

• Broad knowledge about the conditions that cause children and young people to find themselves in vulnerable life situations.
• Broad knowledge about how vulnerable life situations affect all aspects of children’s development and childhood conditions.
• Broad knowledge about how family life, interaction between children and parents, and neglect affect children’s development.
• Has broad knowledge about work relating to families and networks.
• Has knowledge about how substance abuse and mental health problems are expressed, how they can contribute to children and young people being exposed to increased risk and what consequences this has.
• Can update their knowledge about the relationships between different factors that contribute to good health in children and young people.
• Has knowledge about communication challenges for children and young people in a society characterised by diversity.
• Has knowledge about Sámi children’s right to an upbringing where their ethnic, linguistic and cultural affiliation is emphasised.
• Has knowledge about how the life situation of indigenous peoples, minorities and refugees can contribute to increased risk in this group of children.
• Has knowledge about cultural diversity, multicultural understanding and cultural sensitivity.
• Has knowledge about how children’s everyday digital lives can lead to increased risk.
• Has knowledge about inclusion, marginalisation and exclusion processes, as well as non-discrimination and equality.
• Has knowledge about ethics, ethical values, dilemmas and issues within the field of child welfare.
• Has knowledge about the child welfare educator’s social mandate and the history of the child welfare field.
• Has knowledge about the need for knowledge from children and young people as part of the basis for ensuring their participation and contribution, both in their own lives and in society.

Skills

• Can apply theoretical knowledge in discussions about practical issues related to vulnerable children and young people in different arenas.
• Can reflect on the child welfare educator’s position and social mandate in encounters with children, young people and their families living in difficult life situations.
• Can find relevant practical examples of children’s and young people’s vulnerable life situations, and analyse and assess these in light of relevant theoretical knowledge.

General competence

• Has insight into their own attitudes and values, and can reflect on personal challenges, ethical dilemmas and issues in future professional practice as a child welfare educator.
• Has insight into key conditions at individual, group and societal levels that contribute to an increased risk of marginalisation and exclusion among children and young people.
• Can communicate relevant written and oral theories that shed light on the course’s themes.

Required prerequisite knowledge

Recommended prerequisites

Exam

Coursework requirements

All compulsory activities (3) must be approved in order for the student to take the examination. Approval/non-approval of compulsory activities is announced on Studentweb, normally no later than 7 days before the examination. Students who lack approval of one or more compulsory activities will be withdrawn from the examination.

Seminars: Preparation for, attendance and participation in five seminars. Students who have less than 75% attendance at the seminars lose the right to take the examination, regardless of the reason.

Written submission 1: Individual coursework of +/- 1500 words +/- 10%, excluding table of contents and bibliography. Referencing style: APA 7th.

Written submission 2: individual coursework of +/- 1500 words +/- 10%, excluding table of contents and bibliography. Referencing style: APA 7th.

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Course coordinator:

Study Program Director:

Method of work

Working methods in the course are diverse: Students must expect considerable time for self-studies in addition to lectures, preparations in groups, seminars, and individual written assignments.

Groupwork and seminars are working methods that will provide students with skills to utilize and reflect on theoretical knowledge in discussions, and analysis of practical problems.

Literature