Course - Communication and collaboration with children and careers in the field of child welfare and protection - MBV3008
Communication and collaboration with children and careers in the field of child welfare and protection
About
About the course
Course content
Children and their parents have the right to participate in their own cases. Power differences between employees in child protection system, children, and children’s caretakers, can have negative effects on participation, collaborative alliances, communication, and decisions.
In this subject, the main focus is communication with and inclusion of children and children’s caretakers. The course provides knowledge about professionals' forms of collaborating with children and families who are in crisis or living in challenging life situations. This includes insight into trust and collaborative alliances, as well as conflict management. The course provides advanced knowledge in conversations with children. Cultural awareness is part of all the topics included in this course.
Learning outcome
Knowledge - The student has:
- advanced knowledge of children's development that is relevant to children as collaborators and conversational partners.
- in-depth knowledge on collaboration, trust- and relational building with children and caretakers at risk, who have challenging life situations, and those who have experienced trauma.
- in-depth knowledge of power relations and conflict management in encounters between children, caretakers and the child protection system.
- advanced knowledge of different models of participation, the goal of the conversation and different forms of conversation.
- in-depth knowledge of the welfare of children in various types of conversations.
- advanced knowledge of planning and carrying out conversations with children and children’s caretakers.
Skills - The student can:
- independently use relational skills to establish and maintain collaborative alliances with children and caretakers.
- apply relevant approaches, methods and communication tools (e.g. materials and use of interpreting services) to implement children's and caretakers participation.
- high awareness of one's own collaborative style, ethical assessments and power relationships that affect collaboration with children and caretakers.
- analyze power dynamics and identify ethical challenges in collaboration with children and parents in the field of child welfare protection.
- has insight into innovative practices.
General competence - The student can:
- analyze and critically reflect on how attitudes, knowledge, skills, power relations, language and culture influence collaboration with children and caretakers.
- work in child protection in a reflective way.
Learning methods and activities
The course consists of lectures, discussions, exploring examples close to practice in learning groups and self-study.
Compulsory assignments
- Written assignment 1
- Written assignment 2
- Participation when learning groups have presentations for each other
Further on evaluation
Mandatory activities that must be assessed as passed in order to be able to take the exam in the course:
- Two mandatory written assignements. An opportunity is given for correction in the event of lack of approval.
- The learning groups present parts of the curriculum to each other and all group members are expected to contribute to the presentations.
In this course, approved mandatory activity is valid for four academic years. If more than four years have passed since the approved mandatory activity, the student must complete the mandatory activities again in order to take the exam.
Five-hour written school exam. An essay and short questions.
Specific conditions
Admission to a programme of study is required:
Child Welfare and Child Pretection (MBV)
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
The syllabus list is published on Canvas at the start of the course.
Subject areas
- Social Sciences