The historical and policy context of community care;

Models and theories of ageing, disability, mental health and multiple oppression, and their implications for practice;

Working with diversity in community care:-personal, cultural, religious and spiritual

The evidence base for work in community care, including:
- The impact of social factors on patterns of need and vulnerability;
- The impact of professional interventions;
- The concerns of service users;

Care management, including assessment and care planning;

Issues for carers, and carers assessments;

Multi-disciplinary working;

Rights, civil liberties and capacity for consent and decision-making;

Strategies for involving and empowering service users, including:
- Advocacy and self-advocacy;
- Involving service users in training and service planning;
- Supporting service users to manage Direct Payments;
- Supported decision-making.

Understanding and working with risk.

The abuse of vulnerable adults, and the social work role in adult protection.

Contact Hours (48)
Whole group sessions - consisting of participatory lectures and presentations by visiting speakers in order to disseminate core knowledge and theoretical perspectives, including those arising from the experience of service users -
2 full days = 14 hours
12 x 2 hrs lectures = 24 hours

Facilitated small group sessions - following a Problem Based Learning exercise on a given topic related to community care with adults.
5 x 2 hours = 10hrs


Independent Study Hours (252):
Range of materials including academic journal articles, web based resources, online activities, primary sources and lecture slides will be accessed through Blackboard / VLE. (132 hours)

Directed study and independent learning - preparation for the group task and indificual preparation for the written assignment, library/internet research and use of VLE (120 hours)

Computing facilities will be needed to access materials on the web and specialist online databases.
Access to appropriate texts and journals.

This module is open only to students enrolled on the BA (Hons) Social Work.

Kemshall, H. (2002) Risk, Social Policy and Welfare, Buckingham, Open University Press.
Means, R., Richards, S. & Smith, R. (2008) Community Care: Policy and Practice, 4th edition, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Thompson, N. & Thompson, S. (2005) Community Care, Dorset, Russell House.

Assignment 1 assessing LOs 3, 4 & 6:
A 20 minute group presentation (30% weighting) on a given Community Care with Adults topic, which considers:
- Community care legislation and policy
- Models / theories of assessment
- Care management processes
- Values and good practice
- Challenges, ethics and dilemmas
- Personalisation agenda / Person centred planning
- Research

Assignment 2 assessing LOs 1, 2 & 5:
A 2,500 word written assignment (70% weighting) on a community care with adults topic, reflecting current practice.

Students must pass both elements of assessment to complete the module.

Formative Feedback:
Tutor feedback.