article icon
Education & Development
Julie Asumu: mother, grandmother, stalwart of Manchester’s Black community, activist and care giver
Born in a rural village in Nigeria, Julie Asumu gives us a personal account of her journey to England and her support for refugees and asylum seekers.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Caring for an older family member with learning disabilities
Whether you are a parent or sibling caring for a relative with a learning disability, this free course, Caring for an older family member with learning disabilities, is designed to help you navigate the system as they grow older. It has been developed from a cutting-edge research project that explored how to improve the care and support for ...
article icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Forgotten families
It is estimated that there are over 200,000 children of prisoners in the UK. What is the potential impact of parental imprisonment and what support is available?
activity icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Is your social media use impacting your future?
Are you aware of how your use of social media could impact your future? Dr Gemma Ryan-Blackwell highlights the importance of being mindful of your digital footprint.
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Applying social work law to asylum and immigration
This course will present an overview of the policy and law that relates to social work with people involved in the asylum and immigration system and will introduce you to the ways in which social work practitioners can support people with insecure immigration status, refugees and asylum seekers more effectively. It will highlight some of the ...
article icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
The gift of being a foster carer
What is our conception of fostering? This article explores the reality behind the myths and what fostering means for our communities.
article icon
Society, Politics & Law
Bus driver, social worker and university lecturer, a personal, professional and political journey
Lynn Sheridan has campaigned for social justice throughout her life. Here she shares with us how it all started, her personal journey and what continues to motivate her
activity icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
What makes a good father?
Families come in all shapes and sizes, and not all families include fathers. But when there’s a father or someone in the fathering role, we all have our own ideas about what makes a good dad. What does a man have to do to earn this title, and have our standards changed over time? Explore our interactive to learn more.
article icon
Society, Politics & Law
Campaigning for refugee and migrant women
At The Open University, one key aspect we train social workers in, is understanding the law. We train students to explore how they can act ethically as social workers, encouraging them to apply their power as practitioners to challenge social injustice within the law.
article icon
Education & Development
Do boys need male role models?
Is a lack of ‘male role models’ the source of the problems faced by young men today? And does involving more men in boys’ care and welfare make a difference?
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Applying social work law with children and families
This course will introduce you to the law as it applies to social work with children and families in the United Kingdom. You will learn about varying definitions of childhood and family and then explore underpinning principles of the law relating to child rights and parental responsibilities. You will look at the key legislation relating to ...
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Social work law and UK regulation
Social workers have significant powers, rights and responsibilities in their professional role. The law has a vital role in the regulation of professional practice, and such regulation is important to social workers, as it provides clear boundaries for their practice. Boundaries also provide the public with confidence in the profession. It is ...