Social Issues Across the Life Course

Overview

This module will provide: an introduction to life course theory and social issues relevant to service users and carers across the life course. Students will have the opportunity to explore core social issues and their relevant to social work practice including disability, mental health, and domestic and sexual violence.

This module will complement the other modules in that semester as SWK2006 Social Work in Context will further develop student knowledge of skills and methods relevant to these topics and SWK2009 Research for Policy and Practice will extend student understanding of research relevant to some of these areas of social work practice.

Teaching will also include inputs from service users, carers and practitioners working in these areas of practice.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the module, students will:
• Have knowledge of psychological and sociological perspectives on the life course
• Understand the impact of turning points, transitions and loss on the life course
• Recognise the effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences in adult life and the implications for social work practice
• Be able to critically analyse social issues relevant to social work practice with both children and adults
• Have developed self-awareness and reflection on their own life course

Skills

Students will further develop their ability:
• Explain and analyse theoretical concepts relevant to the life course
• Apply understanding of change and adversity on the life course to social work practice
• Identify and analyse information on social issues from a range of sources
• Critically discuss the complexity and relevance of social issues to social work practice
• Demonstrate self-awareness and reflection on own life course

Assessment

None