30 credits

FHEQ Level 7 (Masters)

Module Outline

This module is designed to enable managers and experienced practitioners in children¿s services to develop their knowledge and skills in current law, policy and research relating to risk analysis and decision-making and consider how these can be applied in day-to-day practice or management across a range of work place settings and roles.

The module will be taught through a combination of formal university teaching, small group learning (separate groups for managers and practitioners) and work-based action learning via an extended project. Emphasis will also be placed on e-learning and online tutorials, blogging progress via Splash (to facilitate reflective learning) and peer feedback via Study Direct.

Following an initial taught component candidates will identify a particular issue or challenge for them relating to risk analysis and decision-making in their current role as a practitioner or manager. This forms the basis for the subsequent action learning project where candidates reflect on and gain peer and tutor feedback in groups and via Splash and Study Direct and complete a final report. Assessment will be based on a portfolio which will comprise this report plus a short, reflective commentary on their learning experience (including contributing to and learning through feedback via the action learning groups and e-learning sites - including excerpts of their own contributions to this).

Overall, the module will provide the opportunity for candidates to work towards developing their own practice in one of three key areas:

Employing strategies to systematically integrate current policy and research in risk analysis and decision-making so as to promote better outcomes for children, young people and their families or carers, or
Enabling others both within and across groups (including multi-disciplinary co-located teams and short life Teams Around the Child and other professional groupings) to promote critical analysis and the integration of policy and research evidence in their work, or
Skills in undertaking direct, comprehensive assessments with children, young people and their families and carers, which analyse risk and involve complex decision-making, ensure their views are taken into account and key policy and research are integrated into recommendations made.

On successful completion of the course managers and experienced practitioners will have greater knowledge, skills and confidence in risk analysis and decision-making, and strategies to enhance an organisational culture where risks to children and young people can be safely managed.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, a successful student should be able to
1 Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary law, policy and research in relation to effective risk analysis, decision making and intervention and consider how this can be utilised to promote better outcomes for children, young people, and their families or carers.
2 Manage the work of self and/or others within and across teams and inter-professionally to ensure high quality critical risk analysis and decision-making is made.
3 Apply a range of skills to undertake, or supervise others to undertake, complex assessments with children, young people, and their families or carers, particularly when there may be conflicting and contradictory views within the family and professional system.
4 Demonstrate a capability to directly involve and incorporate the views of children, young people, and their families or carers at all stages of the risk assessment and decision-making process.
5 Promote professional resilience in self and others in high risk and challenging contexts.
6 For those students with a social work qualification who are using this module towards a PQ Social Work Higher Specialist or Advanced Award, this module will provide the opportunity for students to demonstrate in their assignments the knowledge and understanding which underpin the following professional standards and requirements. Such students would provide the evidence for and commentary on this in the professional Competence Portfolio which they would submit separately for the PQ Higher Specialist or Advanced Award:

A. Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children¿s Workforce (DFES)
A2. Child and young person development
A3. Safeguarding and promoting child welfare
A5. Multi-agency working (including accountability)
A6. Sharing information

B). Five Outcomes for Children (Every Child Matters/Department for Education and Skills)
B2.Stay safe

D). Specialist Practice Standards for work with Children and Young People, their Families and Carers (GSCC);
D2. Application of assessment models & frameworks including national service framework
D4. Identifying, evaluating and managing risks
D6. Applying knowledge/understanding of legal frameworks

E). Embedded Values (GSCC);
E2. Exploring ways to share control over decision-making with young people and their families;
E5. An ability and a willingness to look at the needs of children and young people in a holistic way, setting problems alongside overall interests, talents and abilities and drawing on an awareness and appreciation of the diversity of lifestyles and experiences of children

G. Code of Practice for Employees (GSCC);
G3. Promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm;
G4. Respect the rights of service users whilst seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people;
G6. Be accountable for the quality of their work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills.

H. National Service Framework (Department of Health)
H1 Promoting Health and Well-being, Identifying Needs and Intervening Early
H2 Supporting Parenting
H5 Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children and Young People

J. National Occupational Standards (TOPSS/Skills for Care and Development)
J3 Assess needs and options to recommend a course of action
J 7 Support the development of networks to meet assessed needs and planned outcomes
J 9 Address behaviour which presents a risk to individuals, families, carers, groups and communities
J 12 Assess and manage risks to individuals, families, carers, groups and communities
J 13 Assess, minimise and manage risk to self and colleagues
J 18 Research, analyse, evaluate, and use current knowledge of best social work practice
J 21 Contribute to the promotion of best social work practice

P. PQ Generic Higher Specialist Requirements (GSCC)
P iii. Demonstrate a substantially enhanced level of competence in a defined
area of professional practice, professional management, professional
education or applied professional research to the agreed national
standards for higher specialist work in this area.

P iv. Demonstrate a fully-developed capacity to use reflection and critical
analysis to continuously develop and improve own performance and
the performance of professional and inter-professional groups, teams
and networks; analysing, evaluating and applying relevant and up-todate
research evidence including service user research.
empowerment.

P vi. Work effectively as a practitioner, researcher, educator or manager in a
context of risk, uncertainty conflict and contradiction where there are
complex challenges and a need to make informed and balanced
judgements.

P viii. Support, mentor, supervise or manage others enabling them to identify
and explore issues and improve their own practice.

P ix. Develop and implement effective ways of working in networks across
organisational, sectoral and professional boundaries, taking
responsibility for identifying, analysing and resolving complex issues,
problems and barriers, promoting partnership, collaboration, interprofessional
teamwork, multi-agency and multi-disciplinary
communication, and ensuring the delivery of integrated and person
centred services.

R. Championing Children (DfES)
R2 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child
R3 Providing direction
R5 Working with people
R6 Managing information

Key knowledge, skills and behaviours required from Championing Children:
R11 Developing team members¿ ability to plan, manage and instigate change
R15 Generating, inviting and promoting ideas.

S. Generic Management and Leadership Standards (Management and Leadership Centre)
S1 Managing self and personal skills
S2 Providing direction
S6 Achieving results

T. PQ Leadership and Management Specialist Requirements (GSCC)
Develop and assess effective and competent leadership and management practice in:
T(3)a. Managing, supporting, mentoring and developing staff and at the higher specialist and advanced levels, planning and implementing strategies for workforce development;
T(3)c. Managing, working with and being accountable through multi-agency networks and inter-professional teams;
T(3)d. The selective use of research and other forms of evidence to inform leadership and management interventions and decisions;
T(3)e. Applying risk management strategies to decision-making processes and leadership and management interventions;
T(3)f. Applying relevant knowledge and skills to leadership and management practice in a specific service context.

U. Ten Principles of Social Care Management (Skills for Care)
U9. Provide an environment and time in which to develop reflective practice, professional skills and the ability to make judgments in complex situations;
U10. Take responsibility for the continuing professional development of self and others.

Pre-Requisite

Candidates may take this as a free standing module or as an elective.

All applicants must be in a relevant professional role for at least 15 hours per week. Candidates who are taking this as part of a PQ Higher Specialist or Advanced Award must have been qualified as a social worker for at least 3 years and be able to demonstrate an appropriate level of prior professional learning (such as a PQ Specialist Award, the PQSW, or substantial relevant in-service training).

View timetable

Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Dr Michelle Lefevre

Convenor
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/profiles/28733