Contemporary Perspectives on the Child Welfare System

Catalog description

This course will provide essential insight into the structure and function of the child welfare system, relevant for anyone providing services to at-risk or child welfare involved families, including fundamental assumptions, emerging practices, and critical reflection. A social justice framework will be applied to understanding and analyzing the organization of services and major policy issues relevant to social work practice with children, adolescents, and families. Attention is focused on the reproduction of race, gender, class and other inequalities in social policies and social service systems. The organizational context of practice and structure of service delivery for children and families will be critiqued, drawing on current and emerging perspectives.