Course credit
3 credit hours
Course description
Review of development of family and children's services and practice, focusing on current services, programs, and social work practice issues. Examination of policies and legislation, emphasizing how such policies affect family functioning and the delivery of services.
Delivery
This course is available in a web-based format, utilizing web pages and MyCourses, a computer conferencing program. MyCourses requires Internet access and a web browser — no additional software is required. Students may need access to someone who can assist with computer set-up.
Prerequisites
UNI students: junior standing
Instructor
Dr. Cindy Juby, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Cindy Juby received her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. From 1999 to 2006 she was employed as a Protective Services Training Institute Certification Coordinator at UTA and oversaw certification for all Department of Human Service employees in the state of Texas. During that period, she also served as an adjunct instructor at UTA. In 2006, Dr. Juby accepted a faculty position at the University of Northern Iowa.
Dr. Juby’s interests lie in child welfare and poverty. She has researched and published in the areas of child abuse, disciplinary practices, and child malnutrition. All of these projects incorporated poverty as a factor. Her teaching load consists of courses in child welfare, policy, and research at both the Undergraduate and Graduate levels.
While contributing to child welfare professional scholarship, Dr. Juby also contributes to community efforts that address issues with children. She currently serves as a member of the Community Partnership for the Protection of Children, a committee designed to address child welfare issues at the community level.
Evaluation
12 assignments, 4 exams
Overview
This course establishes a connection between child welfare policy and services, and social work practice. It builds upon the social welfare policy foundation course, and enables students to use an action-based advocacy approach to provide policy-informed services and to participate in policy implementation and change. The history, evolution, and current status of child welfare policies and services in the United States are presented and critically analyzed in terms of their responsiveness to the needs of the society in general and to the needs of vulnerable, high risk groups in particular, children, youth and families, within the principles of equality, social and economic justice and fairness, nondiscrimination, and cultural diversity. Current child welfare policies and services as well as the contemporary economic, social, political, and organizational processes, factors and forces shaping these policies are examined within these frameworks. Finally, professional self-development for competent child welfare policy practice is emphasized.
Objectives
Demonstrate an understanding of the major contemporary issues in the child welfare field.
Explicate the relationships and functions of various child welfare services and the relationship, or lack of, to policy formulation.
Identify societal problems which necessitate child welfare services and the relationship, or lack of, to policy formulation.
Relate current theories to practice skills.
Be knowledgeable of effective methods of service delivery and better prepared for work in the world of child and youth services.
Course organization
This course will be delivered over the world Wide Web, utilizing web pages and a learning management system (MyCourses). The course is divided into 12 assignments and 4 exams. All written assignment will be submitted via MyCourses. Please refer to the assignments for specific instructions. Your exams will be proctored.
Written Assignments
Type all assignments using a word processing program and save as a file. If you are using a word processing program other than Microsoft Word, then please save the file as Rich Text Format. Submit your assignments to the Assignments tool.
Exams
There will be four proctored exams, consisting of three chapters each. None of the exams is comprehensive, but instead tests you on the material included in the three assignments prior to each exam as well as information from the text. All exams will be multiple choice and true/false format.
Graduate Students
Please contact the instructor for additional requirements for graduate credit.
Grading
Your final grade will be based on the 12 written assignments and the four exams. You must turn in all 12 assignments and take each exam in order to pass this course. Your grade will be based on a standard scale. Each assignment will be worth 5 points and each exam will be worth 10 points for a total of 100 possible points. Grades will be assigned accordingly:
100-90 = A
89-80 = B
79-70 = C
69-60 = D
59 and below = F
Textbook(s)
Mather, J., Lager, P.B., & Harris, N.J. (2007). Child welfare: Policies and best practices. Belmont, CA: Thomson.
Texts are available from www.bookfinder.com
University Book and Supply carries most books used in guided independent study.
To search for textbooks by course, click on "Select a Campus Term" and select Univ.Northern Iowa - Guided Independent Study
Visit the store at 1009 West 23rd Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-266-7581 or 800-728-7581
Fax: 319-277-1266
E-mail: bookstore@panthersupply.com
To enroll
ONLINE
GIS enrollment information
IN PERSON
UNI Continuing and Distance Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
For more information
Cindy Klodt, Guided Independent Study
UNI Continuing and Distance Education
319-273-2123 or 800-772-1746
ContinuingEd@uni.edu