SUBJECT

Title

Child Protection

Type of instruction

lecture

Level

master

Faculty

Faculty of Education and Psychology

Part of degree program

Credits

Recommended in

Semester 3

Typically offered in

Autumn semester

Course description

Aim of the course

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the scope of activities of family and child protection at the school and acquaint them systematically with the basics of family and child protection. During the course competences are developed which help students understand the legal background of child protection; learn the basics of the theory and practice of family, child and youth protection and prevention; develop an attitude focusing on the individual and the community which is necessary for child protection activities and dealing with children; learn and implement in practice differentiated helping/developing activities and the supporting methods for individuals and small-groups; internalize the methods of activities supporting educators, self-help, group and individual case consultations; become aware of what professional potentials, limitations and tasks can occur in the field of professional assistance based on his/her competences; know the system of professional contacts of the school and be able to establish contact with the helpers; become informed about the members and work of the child protection signal system and his/her place in this network; learn the basic principles and conditions of successful communication with other professionals.

Learning outcome, competences

knowledge:

Getting acquainted with the system of child protection, basic notions, clarifying official measures, children’s rights and legal regulations
Psychological aspects of child protection
Dilemmas in child protection
Socially disadvantageous situation and endangerment – how to take action
Signal system
The responsibilities of a child protection professional and the psychologist
Methods of develpoment
The connections between family and child protection at school and social work and social pedagogy. Professional competences, similarities and differences. The notion, functions and scope of activity of family and child protection at the school.

attitude:

To recognize and to be open to situations in child protection in order to help function the signal system
Able to use child protection aspects and to represent human and psychological values int he system
Sensitivity and empathy towards social inequalities
Sensitivity and empathy towards families and young people involved in child protection matters

skills:

Basic knowledge in the system of child protection
Able to recognize the situation of families involved in child protection
Ability to cooperate with professionals and institutions in the field
Ability of recognizing endangered children and young people
Ability to work in a team in order to help and educate mentally and psychologically challenged children and young people
Ability to use the signal system

Content of the course

Topics of the course

The connections between family and child protection at school and social work and social pedagogy. Professional competences, similarities and differences. The notion, functions and scope of activity of family and child protection at the school.
The basic values, rules and ethics of family and child protection. The legal regulation of institutional family and child protection, its functional models and areas. Preventive and special (problem-solving) child protection.
The institutions of family and child protection, its results and limitations.
The basic principles of general prevention, the methods, procedures and participants of its implementation.
The improvement of socially disadvantaged situations and the reduction of the consequences of inequalities with integrated programmes and methods of early development.
The practice of family and child protection at individual, group and community levels.
The work of a psychologist in child protection

Learning activities, learning methods

presentation
case study

Evaluation of outcomes

Learning requirements, mode of evaluation, criteria of evaluation:

requirements

exam based on course material and given compulsory and recommended reading

mode of evaluation: 1-5 grade

criteria of evaluation:

the level of acquaintance of the recommended and compulsory reading
ability of using the learnt material in practice

Readings

Compulsory reading list

Andrea Racz, Papp Eszter: How Professionals in the Social System and Child Protection Perceive Their Profession. ACTA UNIVERSITATIS SAPIENTIAE SOCIAL ANALYSIS 1: pp. 71-91. (2016)
Ágnes Farkas, Andrea Rácz, Julianna Szabolcsi: Child Protection and Education In: Rácz Andrea, Czibere Ibolya (szerk.): Poverty, equal opportunity, child protection: Studies on social inequalities concerning woman and children. 176 p.
Debrecen: Debreceni Egyetem Politikatudományi és Szociológiai Intézet, 2015. pp. 60-68.
(ISBN:978-963-473-829-9)
Rácz Andrea, Czibere Ibolya (szerk.): Poverty, equal opportunity, child protection: Studies on social inequalities concerning woman and children. 176 p.
Debrecen: Debreceni Egyetem Politikatudományi és Szociológiai Intézet, 2015.

Recommended reading list

Child protection: A handbook for parliamentarians. UNICEF, IPU, 2004. ISBN: 92-806-3796-6
Neil Gilbert, Nigel Parton and Marit Skivenes eds. (2011) Child Protection Systems: International Trends and Orientations. Oxford University Press, Oxford. ISBN: 978-0-19-979335-8