Unit Synopsis

This unit provides an overview of the intersection between ethical principles and legal imperatives in social work practice in Australia. You will develop an understanding of First Nations lore, the first laws of Australia, and how British colonisation shaped the Australian Legal System. You will explore the human rights principles that inform the law, social work ethics, and social justice responsibilities to address human rights violations and challenge structures that sustain oppression and inequality. You will explore different areas of the law relevant to working in human services, understanding the inherent tension between legal obligations, ethics, and values, which contribute to ethical decision-making challenges practitioners commonly encounter in various settings. Using ethical decision-making models and the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), you will navigate challenges in case studies that involve balancing competing rights and responsibilities, ethical use of power, and constraints on individual freedoms when working with involuntary service users. Additionally, you will examine First Nations peoples' experience of the law and social workers' ethical and legal obligations when working with First Nations people and people from culturally diverse contexts. To build a robust ethical framework for your future practice, you will critically reflect on your values and attitudes, considering how they might impact your work with service users and stakeholders whose life experiences, views and values differ from yours. You will undertake your first fieldwork placement while completing this unit. This practical experience will allow you to reflect on your practice within a human service agency, enhancing your understanding of social workers' ethical and legal dimensions.

Details

Unit Availabilities from Term 3 - 2025

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).