SWK (0404) 749 - Advocacy for Children and Families

Credits: 3.00

Students will identify challenges for families and present strategies for developing policies and services to meet them. Students will examine specific policies and services that most affect families and consider broader questions concerning power and its distribution, allocation of resources, and the role of government in promoting family well-being.

Prerequisite 1: SWK 521
Given regular class attendance, participation in class activities, completion of assigned readings, and completion of course assignments, students will, at the conclusion of the course, be able to:

Knowledge

Discuss the connection between family policy and social work practice;

Discuss the meanings and significance of families and the reasons for investing in families;

Delineate the roles played by the governmental and private sectors in determining and implementing family policies;

Identify major current policy issues and choices affecting families;

Summarize selected major federal and State legislation, regulations, and court opinions affecting families in the United States; and

Describe strategies for involving families, advocates, and helping professionals in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies.

Develop the ability to translate the knowledge that they learn into advocacy skills to help address the needs of families.

Skills, Values, and Ethics

Students will develop skills to complete analyses of existing and proposed policies. They will develop knowledge about families with emphasis on a.) the ways in which policy choices affect the life chances of families who historically have suffered disadvantage; b.) the ways in which policy choices reflect societal values and values of the social work profession; c.) the empirical support for policy choices; and d.) ethical considerations in implementing policy choices

In addition, students should have enhanced skills in:

Locating resources, including government documents, professional literature, and statistical reports that can inform analysis of and dialogue on policy choices;

Engaging in a thoughtful dialogue concerning major issues related to family policies and services; and

Developing and effectively articulating positions on policy and identifying strategies for influencing change in policy.