course-details-portlet

BSA2004

Child Welfare

Credits 7.5
Level Intermediate course, level II
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction Norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Home examination

About

About the course

Course content

The course focuses on social work with children, young people and families living in difficult and marginalized life situations. The course offers students the opportunity to understand and analyse the role of Child Welfare Services (CWS) double sided roles as both a helper and a controller. We pay particular attention to the organization, role and mandate of the Norwegian CWS. The course is also designed to develop students skills in practical decision-making processes. We pay particular attention to deliberative decision-making, emphasising the importance of childrens, parents and families involvement.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - The candidate has knowledge about

  • the role of family in children's individual growth and development and in the provision of informal social care and support
  • he role of the Norwegian Child Protection and its legal framework
  • the normative and cultural dimensions of childhood and parenting practices
  • the elementary phases of the decision making processes in Child Welfare Services
  • complexities and power issues associated with the assessment and helping processes in Child Welfare Services

Skills - The student

  • identifies children and families in need of child welfare services within the legal framework of the Norwegian Child Welfare Services
  • suggests possible measures that might help children and families in need
  • communicates with children, youth and parents about their everyday life and involves them in decision-making processes
  • identifies and discusses complexities that might come to matter in child welfare workers decision making
  • reflects on how social policies impact on the provision of CW measures to children and families

General competence - The student

  • critically analyses the ethical dimensions of child welfare and identifies ethical dilemmas in practical assessment and helping processes
  • recognizes the complexity associated with child protection decision-making, including the limits and possibilities of CWS
  • reflects on CWS double sided role as both a helper and a controller
  • reflects on how social categories such as gender, ethnicity, religion, class, sexuality and disability come to matter in a child welfare context

Learning methods and activities

The course is conducted through lectures, workshops, practice skill development, reading, writing and group work focused on case analysis. Teaching approaches are designed to encourage active learning and the development of critical analysis.

Compulsory assignments

  • Skill excerices

Further on evaluation

Compulsory skills training must be passed in order to be eligible for the exam in the course. There is a requirement for compulsory participation of at least 80% in skills training.

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required:
Social Work (HSGSOB) - some programmes

Required previous knowledge

Students must have passed all exams in the first semester and 45 credits in the program in order to take the exam in this course.The course has study rights requirements. This means that the course is reserved for students admitted to the programmeBachelor in Social Work at NTNU.

Course materials

Lecture notes, books, selected papers, lovsamling (Child Protection Act) and skill excercise material.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
HSAR2006 7.5 sp Autumn 2019
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Social Work

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Social Work

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Home examination
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

Home examination
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids ALLE Date Release 2025-12-15
Submission 2025-12-18
Time Release 10:00
Submission 12:00
Duration 3 days Exam system Inspera Assessment

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

Home examination
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids ALLE Duration 3 days Exam system Inspera Assessment