Examination arrangement

Course content

The course covers the documentation and execution of a comprehensive child welfare assessment, with the main focus; «the best interests of the child». In the assessment is parenthood and childcare, as well as the surrounding circumstances and cooperation between services concerning the child. The course also focuses on the employee’s educated evaluation, and personal role in child welfare assessments, and the different empirical understandings.

The governing perspectives, at the time, of what children's needs are and what good childcare is, and how these influence the way we perceive the best interest of the child in the comprehensive child welfare assessment. The course provides knowledge of how to estimate, evaluate and execute the knowledge, values and mind set of the employee and how this influences the assessment overall. When assessing «the best interests of the child», the child’s participation is central. Thus, the course will provide knowledge of how to enhance the child’s voice in the assessment. Concerning the compilations of physical as well as psychological stress, when working with demanding cases and making life changing decisions for other people, we would like to prevent burnouts. The course also includes skills of compassion and selfcare, thus empowering long term selfcare for the employee.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - The student has:

• fundamental knowledge to carry out complete analysis in child welfare assessment with the perspective of the child’s best interests.
• thorough knowledge of executive assessments in child welfare decisions.
• advanced knowledge about risk and protection factors related to the child, family, and society.
• thorough knowledge that parenthood can have many perspectives, such as diversity, physical and mental health, as well as everyday life.
• thorough knowledge about culture, values, and ways of living as a basis for a culturally aware practice when meeting families in child welfare programs.
• advanced knowledge of ethnic minorities and sami children’s rights to an upbringing with the ethnic, language, religious and cultural attachments are preserved.
• advanced orientation of how fundamental knowledge and values influence childcare assessments and decisions.

Skills - The student can:

• analyze, execute, and complete comprehensive child welfare assessments as well as thorough assessments of the child’s best interests.
• analyze and document the child’s care situation from a developmental perspective, with surrounding factors as well as the family’s socioeconomic and cultural background, and assess which approaches are needed and how to implement these.
• critical reflection and how to assess professionally.
• establish good cooperative approaches to ensure the involvement of children, caregivers, and professional partners in the decision processes.

General competence - The student should have:

• thorough knowledge about central elements in the comprehensive assessment which includes methods and basis for legal soundness.
• thorough knowledge about own role and influence in the comprehensive assessment.
• thorough knowledge about what influences assessment and decisions.
• thorough knowledge of the importance of child participation in comprehensive childcare assessments.

Learning methods and activities

Tutorials, groups, seminars with oral presentations autonomous studying.

Compulsory assignments

• Written assignment

Further on evaluation

Written home exam, three days.

Compulsory activity must be approved in order to take the final exam in the course. The compulsory activities are approved for 4 years. If more than four years have passed since the approved compulsory activity, the student must carry out compulsory activities again in order to take the exam.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

The course has admission right requirements, which means that the course is reserved for students who have been admitted to study Master's degree in Child Welfare and Child Protection at NTNU.

Course materials

Will be published on Blackboard at the beginning of the semester.