SOCW 103 - Understanding Family Maltreatment: Identification, Prevention, and Social Response

3 Credits: (3 lecture)

Course Description
This course surveys theories and research on family maltreatment, examining child abuse and neglect, intimate partner and sexual violence, elder abuse, and abuse of marginalized populations. It also explores prevention, identification, and reporting, and analyzes the roles of social services, education, healthcare, and criminal justice systems in addressing family maltreatment.

Text
McClennen, Joan, et al. Social Work and Family Violence: Theories, Assessment, and Intervention. 2nd ed., Springer Publishing Company, 2019.

Objectives
The student will be able to:

A. Analyze the historical evolution of family violence, current theoretical perspectives and current research on the prevention and treatment of family violence.

B. Determine identification factors important to following legal protocols when reporting maltreatment.

C. Explain the importance of education and training for various groups of professionals who may be key individuals in the identification and treatment of family violence.

D. Analyze  the impact of economic and social justice issues in the identification and treatment of abuse and neglect.

E. Explain the impact of oppression on the vulnerable population.

F. Assess individuals and families for various types of violence.

G. Utilize social service skills to effectively intervene with diverse populations affected by family violence.

Content
A. Characteristics of family violence 

B. Service and legal professionals’ responses to family violence 

C. Child abuse and neglect 

D. Dating violence 

E. Intimate partner violence 

F. Elder abuse 

Student Evaluation
Evaluation for objectives A-G  will be based on exams,assignments, and presentations.