Module Study Guide

Access to appropriate primary and secondary legal resources

Computing facilities to access material available via Blackboard, and the Web

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

Teaching Block 2:

Present a case to a group consisting of peers (peer assessment and tutors) The peers will contribute to 25% of the overall grade and the tutors will contribute 75%. The case will be presented via Power-Point presentation consisting of a seven minute talk followed by questions from the assessors. The total presentation time is fifteen minutes. The assessments assessment learning outcomes 1-5.

Additional Assessment Details

Working towards the assessment tasks will be a key element of the learning, and tutors will be available to guide students through the process. Face to face contact sessions focussed on assessment activities will be scheduled into the timetable.

The module allows students to delve into the contested subject of child abuse. This module aims to develop the students’ thirst for reading and research. The subject is intended to prompt an effective interest in analysing competing criminological theories and allow the students to build on their critical analysis. This module will hopefully develop reading and research skills that can be transferred to other modules.

Issues covered include:

1: An introduction to child abuse as a criminological phenomenon
2: Historical background
3: Exploring the definition of child abuse
4: Safeguarding and child protection
5: Criminal law
6: Psychological Perspective
7: Family law
8: Media
9. Case studies
10 Child trafficking

The learning strategy for this module is based around students committing a total of 150 hours of activities, split between 33 hours of direct contact with a tutor and 117 hours of directed and independent study, together with preparation for and completion of assessment tasks.

WHOLE GROUP SESSIONS
In these sessions, students are introduced to the general concepts underlying the subject and provided with an outline of the relevant legal principles and cases. Teaching materials will including the collaborative use of the Microsoft 365. These sessions guide students towards consolidating their knowledge and understanding

SMALLER GROUP SESSIONS
These are preceded by a period of independent learning. The module materials contain indicative reading for each session, together with subjects for discussion and case studies. The purpose of the smaller group sessions is to help students assess their understanding of a topic, to develop analytical skills, and to learn how to apply criminological principles to factual situations. For all smaller group sessions, there are questions to help guide reading and preparation. The sessions encourage active participation and interaction among students and between students and tutors. A variety of teaching methods is adopted in order to encourage the development of essential skills such as intellectual rigour, communication, problem solving, research, teamwork, negotiation, presentation, referencing, judgement and the appropriate use of IT.

DIRECTED AND INDEPENDENT STUDY (117 hours)
Independent study includes research and preparation for the work to be undertaken in the smaller group sessions and consolidation of understanding afterwards. Directed study opportunities, such as online tests, are provided to enable students to revise key topics at important stages in the module. Directed and independent study aims to develop a deeper understanding of issues within this area of criminological research. Students are provided with guidance in their module materials, including via Blackboard. Completion of the tasks encourages students to assess their progress, identify strengths and weaknesses and manage their time more effectively.
Pre-seen guidance to support research for the assessment is provided.

Kim Holt. (2016) Contemporary Family Justice: Policy and Practice in Complex Child Protection Decisions Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Hoyano, L., and Keenan, C. (2010) Child Abuse: Law and Policy Across Boundaries
OUP Oxford ISBN-10: 019829946X

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the criminological theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon of child abuse. To differentiate between domestic child abuse and organised crime and scrutinize each stage of the legal process that the child encounters, while contrasting the specialist response of the support services to the experience of the child going through a system designed for adults
Knowledge & Understanding

2. Apply the criminological theories on to several British case studies. Learner will use the often-competing theories to compare cases.
Application

3. Using research and academic opinion to provide an analysis of several British cases. These cases rely on historical and contemporary data.
Analysis

4. Using problem solving to determine whether safeguarding and child protection have effectively tackled child abuse in British society.
Problem Solving

5. Engage in directed research to demonstrate a developmental understanding of salient issues concerning children's competency and suggestibility but also guidance on the controversies surrounding false memories and untrue accusations.
Enquiry

The module allows students to delve into the contested subject of child abuse. This module aims to develop the students’ thirst for reading and research. The subject is intended to prompt an effective interest in analysing competing criminological theories and allow the students to build on their critical analysis. This module will hopefully develop reading and research skills that can be transferred to other modules.

Issues covered include:

1: An introduction to child abuse as a criminological phenomenon
2: Historical background
3: Exploring the definition of child abuse
4: Safeguarding and child protection
5: Criminal law
6: Psychological Perspective
7: Family law
8: Media
9. Case studies
10 Child trafficking