An introduction to social work law
Introduction
In this free course, An introduction to social work law, you will consider the role of social workers and the values that shape social work practice. You will be asked to examine some of your preconceptions about social work and the law and reflect upon your own views.
The course will explore the relationship between social work practice and law and will be of relevance to people interested in social work internationally, although it will draw on legislation from a UK context.
So why do social workers need to study law? That’s a question many people studying social work ask. Some may even have a preconceived idea that the law is all about courtrooms and people in wigs.
Whilst this is partly correct, we are all governed by the law in both our personal and professional lives. The aim of this course is to help you to understand the importance of law in social work practice. As you progress through this course you will discover that the law provides social workers with the power to make great changes in people’s lives, and that with that power comes great responsibility.
This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course K271 Social work law [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .