SW 566 Social Services to Children, Youth & Families

3 credits

This course examines the history, theory, values, goals and policies in the field of social work practice with children, youth and families. Social work programs relative to intervention with families referred for child welfare services will be examined, including traditional approaches such as child protection, foster care, adoption and permanency planning, as well as newer approaches to prevent out-of-home placement. As families of color and families living in poverty are typically over-represented in the child welfare system, individual, professional, and societal values and attitudes that contribute to structural oppression, power differentials and the disproportionate distribution of material, human and social capital within society and systems of care will be examined. This course will emphasize the role of social work in ensuring an integrated, evidenced-based, trauma-informed and human rights perspective practice approach to social services delivery at all levels of practice.