Course Summary

This course is designed to introduce you to the legal system and to the statutory requirements that frame and inform professional social work practice. The course is not designed to equip you for legal practice, but rather will alert you to the implications of the law for you and the people you work with. Specifically, the course will introduce you to the:

Australia's legal system, particularly Commonwealth and Victorian Courts and Tribunals and the Koori Courts
Specific areas of law (for example child protection, family violence, refugees, mental health)
Legal requirements influencing practice (for example, 'duty of care' and 'natural justice').
Systems for supporting people with legal problems (for example, legal aid, welfare rights centres, community legal centres, the Ombudsperson)
The relationship between your legal obligations and the AASW Code of Ethics and Practice Standards

Course Overview