Posted: May 23rd, 2015

UK Legal issues in Two separate social work case studies

University of East London
CASS School of Education and Communities
B.A. in Social Work

Professional qualifying course in social work

 

Module Assessment: questions and assessment guidance

SK 5202SOCIAL WORK LAW

 

2014-2015

 

 

 

 

 

SK (5202)

Law for Social Work Practice Portfolio: Assessment questions and guidance.

 

There are 3 elements to this Portfolio, which must be submitted via Turnitin by 23.59 on May 27^th. The portfolio comprises:

 

1. Evidence of attaining specified standard in response to multiple-choice questions on basic legal knowledge Submission date: Test will open on January 12th and must be submitted by the submission date of your portfolio 27^th May 2015.
2. Students can take the multiple-choice on line test as many times as they wish, from its opening date on January 12th. However in order to submit this as part of their portfolio, they must achieve at least 70%, this is the threshold within which it can be considered to be part of the portfolio. The portfolio will not be complete without the inclusion of the multi-choice on line test with a mark of at least 70%. An incomplete portfolio will not pass.

 

3. Practice study:Analysis of how law applies to the circumstances of one service user, from the student’s current experience of practice (1500 words) Submission date is @ 23.59 on 27 May 2015
4. Case Study:Exercises on assessing and responding to the needs of vulnerable adults and children. (1500 words) Submission date is @ 23.59 27 May 2015

 

Total word count for two written pieces of work together: 3000.

Students should avoid going over or under the word count by any more than 10% anything above 10% over the word count will not be assessed.

Submission method: Through Turnitin, you are referred to the guidance on Moodlefor advice on how to do this.

 

Grading for this assessment

The portfolio accounts for 100% of the marks and you are required to submit all 3 aspects of the portfolio

 

Guidance

In addition to the guidance below, there will be seminar discussions about the assessment guidance on December 15^th and19^th January 2015.These sessions will involve both seminar groups

 

1)Evidence of attaining specified standard in response to multiple – choice questions on basic legal knowledge

 

• The first part of the portfolio is an on line multiple-choice test. This requires you to answer questions that draw on your basic legal knowledge. There is a formative assessment on Moodle offering you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the process. You will have unlimited opportunity to achieve 70% of the test. You must (See above) achieve 70% before this component can be included in your portfolio; your portfolio will be incomplete without all 3 components and therefore will not pass if one component is absent.

 

 

 

2) The second element of your portfolio is an analysis of how law applies to one service user example from student’s experience of practice. (1500 words)

 

Please consider the following guidance:

 

• Your case study should be based on a service user that you are working with, being mindful of anonymity.

 

• In your assignment set out how the service user came to the attention of your agency e.g. the referral route

 

• Consideration of the possible legal and ethical implications for the service user.So if, for example, you are working with a person experiencing domestic abuse, what are the legal issues that arise in respect of their rights and protection? Also consider the duties, powers and ethical obligations that your agency and other closely involved agencies, have towards the service user. If you are working in a children and familiesplacement setting, what are the potential legal and ethical issues that arise in respect of the legal rights for a particular family/child (ren) you are working with?

 

 

• If you are not working in a statutory placement, the person you are working with shouldbe placed in the wider legal context of their particular circumstances. So, if you are working in a voluntary organization; consider any powers or duties it has in relation to the service user, together with duties or powers of other involved agencies, and how these interact with the legal rights or entitlements of the service user.

 

 

• Provide an analysis

Consider the interface between possible competing aspects of law, such as the human rightsof service users, which potentially conflict with the duties of the local authority to protect either the service user themselves or others. For example a person who is known to a Community Mental Health Team could potentially be subject to detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 if their mental health was identified as deteriorating.

 

• Relevant legal referencing:

Sections of relevant legislation and case law should be linked to the points you make in the assignment. The analysis might begin with identifying some of the purpose or intention of a statute e.g. the intention of the Children Act 1989 was aimed amongst other things towards the protection of children.Then consider why a particular section of a statute applies to the experiences of the service user, which your practice study relates to e.g. X could be accommodated under s 20 of the Children Act.You would then consider how that statute might be interpreted in these circumstances and draw on case law to support your argument e.g. as illustrated by the case of Re xxxxx 2014.You should also consider alternative aspects of law which may apply e.g. but an interim care order may be sought if there is reasonable cause to believe x is at risk of Significant Harm. Students should also consider any counter points or arguments against the application of a particular statute or case law,e.g. but the mother of X is seeking supportand genuinely cooperating at this stage which may suggest the risk of future harm is not as high.

 

 

Learning Outcomes

 

Please ensure you link your assignment with the learning outcomes. As you write your assignment always remind yourself of the need to ensure that your answers reflect the learning outcomes of the module. Your answer will be assessed on the extent to which you achieve this. These areset out in the module specification in the SK5202 handbook

 

 

 

3) Case study exercises on assessing and responding to the needs of vulnerable adults and children.

 

• This third element of the portfolio will be based on one of two (NOTE not both) case studieseither Alice or Joseph, which are setout below. (1500 words) You cannot simply choose, however. You must answer in relation to the area of practice in which you are not currently experienced.
• The case study you select will be dependent on whether your current placement is with adults or children.
  • If you are in a placement that works mainly with adults then you should select case study 1 that relates to Alice and Adam (Children).
  • If you are in a placement that works mainly with children or families then you should select the case study 2 that relates to Joseph (Adult)
• This is to ensure that overall the portfolio provides students with an opportunity to consider legal issues as they relate to adults and children irrespective of their current placement setting.
• If you happen to be in a placement that does not readily conform to the definition of being either an adult or children defined setting, or are not in a placement, then please discuss with the module leader as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASE STUDY 1: Children and Families

 

Alice’s case

 

Word count 1500.

 

 

 

Alice is aged 30 and has a 10-year-old son Adam. As a child Alice was accommodated by the Local Authority as a result of experiencing severe neglect while under her own mother’s care. She occasionally experiences low moods and as a teenager she self-harmed. Alice has little contact with her own family.

 

Alice has recently separated from Adam’s father Lincoln because of his violence towards her over the course of the last 5 years. However Lincoln has recently returned to Alice’s home on 2 occasions and assaulted her in Adam’s presence. She is scared to inform the police because of the threats he has made that he will kill her and take Adam from her.

 

In the last few weeks, Alice has been experiencing a ‘low mood’, which has affected her ability to undertake household tasks such as shopping and cooking for Adam.

 

On a Monday morning after taking Adam to school, Alice telephones Children’s Services and asks that they accommodate Adam at the close of the school day; explaining that she is not currently able to offer him appropriate care. Later that morning Alice takes an overdose of sleeping tablets (prescribed by her GP a few weeks ago). Alice is found unconscious by a friend (with spare keys to Alice’s home) and Alice is taken to hospital where she recovers from her overdose after 2 days. Alice then contacts Children’s Services and asks that Adam be returned to her care.

 

Assessment guidance

 

Assuming that you have just been allocated this case consider the following:

• The legal issues that potentially arise in respect of Adam’s family situation.
• The possible legal options available to the relevant local authority. This is where you begin to specifically apply the law to the apparent facts of the case.
• Use case law and legislation to illustrate your answer.
• Ensure you focus on the legal issues rather than completely focusing on a general social work analysis: that is identify points in the case scenario that link to relevant sections of legislation and or case law. However your analysis should not present as a list of relevant law but the law should be weaved into and directly applied to the circumstances of the case scenario.
• Ensure you reference legislation, case law, books and anyarticles appropriately.
• You are referred to the reading list set out in the module handbook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Case Study 2: Adults

 

Word count 1500.

 

Submission date:

 

Joseph’s case

 

Since Joseph’s wife died 5 years ago, Joseph, now aged 70, has lived with his daughter Anya.   Joseph experienced depressive episodes some 10 years agonecessitating two hospital admissions, one voluntary and one compulsory detention under s 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983

 

During the last few months Joseph has started leaving the house late at night and has been found wandering the local streets in the early hours of the morning. Joseph has also told Anya that he hears voices calling to him from the local Cemetery. Anya has started to lock Joseph’s bedroom door at night to prevent him from wandering (he has an ensuite bathroom). Last night, being unable to get out of the door, Joseph climbed out of the window, fell 2 floors down and sustained injuries to his leg. Anya took her father to hospital where he is now refusing treatment for the very deep cut on his leg. He has been trying to leave the hospital and one of the nurses has locked Joseph in a room so that she could speak with Anya about him.

 

Assessment guidance

 

Assuming you are the allocated social worker in this matter consider the following:

• The legal issues that potentially arise in respect of Joseph’s family situation.
• The possible legal options available to the organisations involved in Josephs care.
• Use case law and legislation to illustrate your answer.
• Ensure you focus on the legal issues rather than completely focusing on a general social work analysis; identifying points in the case scenario that link to relevant sections of legislation and or case law.
• Ensure you reference case law, legislation text and any articles appropriately.
• You are referred to the reading list set out in the module handbook