Safeguarding children (degree and masters level)

Encourages you to utilise your learning in ways which have potential to improve the quality of services for children, young people and their families
Safeguarding children (degree and masters level)

Key features

This 20 credit module can be taken at degree and masters level and is delivered in collaboration with Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board (PSCB) and Torbay Safeguarding Children Board (TSCB) to enhance children’s safeguarding practice in Plymouth and Torbay.

You will be encouraged to utilise your learning in ways that have potential to improve the quality of services for children, young people and their families. It has been designed for individuals working, or planning to work, in the health, education or social care sectors and will build upon the knowledge you have previously gained through children’s safeguarding events provided by either PSCB, TSCB or the University of Plymouth.

The module is completed by self-directed study and you will attend a study skills day at the beginning and then periodically meet with your tutor who will support you in planning your assignment.

Completion of this module will provide evidence of your ability to study at your chosen level, to the wide range of potential employers with a ‘safeguarding children’ remit and will support any future application for further university study.

Module code

ADV604 / ADV728

Credits

20

FHEQ level

Level 6 – bachelors degree

Level 7 – masters degree

Location

Distance learning with induction and tutorials at Plymouth

ADV604 course details (degree level)

At the end of this module you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of current best practice in safeguarding children including the policies, procedures and legal frameworks within which this practice takes place and their applicability to practitioner roles and organisations. You will also be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some specialist areas in depth.
  • Work with ideas within existing knowledge frameworks and practice approaches, arguing from competing perspectives and suggesting new concepts or practice approaches.
  • Take responsibility for accessing support and supervision within agreed guidelines and accept accountability for determining and attempting to achieve personal and/or group outcomes.
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of your own values and attitudes and of the importance of anti-discriminatory practice when making judgements and decisions in safeguarding children, in the context of relevant ethics and values literature, standards, frameworks and/or codes.
  • Demonstrate an ability to reflect on, critically analyse and evaluate the extent to which your application of knowledge has had a positive impact on the provision of services for children, young people and their families, within a complex and unpredictable context. You will also be able to critically use evidence to support conclusions, synthesising ideas or information to generate novel solutions or recommendations.



ADV728 course details (masters level)

At the end of this module you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a deep and systematic knowledge and understanding of current best practice in safeguarding children including the policies, procedures and legal frameworks within which this practice takes place and their applicability to practitioner roles and organisations. You will also be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current theoretical and methodological approaches in this area and in related areas of study and how these affect the ways that the safeguarding children knowledge base is interpreted.
  • Work with ideas at a level of abstraction, arguing from competing perspectives. Suggest new concepts or practice by developing critical and innovative responses to existing knowledge frameworks and practice approaches.
  • Take responsibility for accessing support, supervision and team working opportunities within agreed guidelines to show initiative in making accountable decisions. Determine and attempt to achieve personal and/or group outcomes by autonomous and innovative practice.
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of your own values and attitudes and of the importance of anti-discriminatory practice when making judgements and decisions in safeguarding children, in the context of relevant ethics and values literature, standards, frameworks and/or codes. You will also be able to manage ethical dilemmas and work proactively with others to formulate solutions.
  • Demonstrate an ability to reflect on, critically analyse and evaluate the extent to which your creative application of advanced knowledge has had a positive impact on the provision of services for children, young people and their families, within a complex and unpredictable context.
  • Judge the reliability, validity and significance of an advanced range of evidence to support conclusions, synthesising ideas or information to generate novel solutions or recommendations.



Module dates

This is a distance learning module. There is one full day taught induction date on the University campus which includes a first academic tutorial along with library and study skills introductions. After this, you will be offered a minimum of two tutorials with a University academic, as well as email and telephone tutorial advice. This module will be delivered twice in the 2018/19 academic year:

Delivery one: 23 and 30 November 2018 and 11 January 2019

Delivery two: 8 and 22 February and 26 April 2019

(Occasionally delivery dates might be subject to change – always check with the module lead or Professional Development Unit).

Please be aware that all modules run to minimum numbers. In the event that there are low numbers, this module may be rescheduled to an alternative date. Some modules are also subject to maximum numbers.

The degree-level module can be taken as a standalone professional development module or as an optional module towards some other BSc (Hons) Professional Development pathways.

The masters-level module can be taken as a standalone professional development module or as an optional module for our MSc Advanced Professional Practice (Health and Social Care Professions) programme and some relevant pathways.

For further information please contact the Professional Development Unit.

Module lead – Gill Spry

"This course can be studied at degree or at masters level as a standalone module, providing you with a challenging and interesting (and we hope also enjoyable) opportunity to engage in academic writing about safeguarding children. You will draw upon your own working experience and also on the content of the three PSCB, TSCB or University of Plymouth events which you have attended as an entry requirement to each module. You will have the full use of all University of Plymouth library facilities and the support of an academic tutor to support you to produce an academic assignment with the potential to inform improved practice in safeguarding children."

Entry requirements

Individuals working or planning to work in the health, education or social care sectors can apply to enrol on this module. Applicants must attend pre-enrolment (within an 18 month period prior to enrolling) that is a minimum of three taught days offered by Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board (PSCB), Torbay Safeguarding Children Board (TSCB) or children's safeguarding events (conferences/workshops) provided at the University of Plymouth.

To study the module at masters level you must also have previously studied to graduate level.

Fees and funding

Fees for 2018/19 academic year

£550

Funding

Funding for this module may be available through your employing trust. Please contact your trust’s education coordinator in the first instance. If you work in the private, independent or voluntary sector, please contact your employer who will advise you accordingly.

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