Contexts of Child Protection

Code:

LPSI212

Acronym:

CPC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2023/2024 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	First degree in Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LPSIC	72	Official Curricular Structure	2	-	3	27	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This Curricular Unit aims at approaching the basic concepts of Psychology applied to the child protection contexts.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the semester, students are expected to:

1. Know the legal framework that defines the System for the Promotion and Protection of the Children's Rights.
2. Identify the circumstances that determine the screening of a child by the Protection system, as well as the Child Protection contexts and the professional procedures involved in the process of protecting a child.
3. Know the types of adverse childhood experiences and its impact on the child development. 
4. Know the multidisciplinary work developed within the scope of the Child Protection System, with special emphasis on the one developed by psychology professionals in the protection contexts.
5. Be aware of the main theoretical models of the psychological approach to child protection issues.
6. Be aware of the main contributions of research in the field and its implications in the definition of Child Protection professional practices.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. The national and international legal framework on Child Protection and the Rights of the Child.


2. Architecture and Organization of Child Protection System. 


3. Definition and organization of child protection contexts.


4. Characteristics and needs of the child in the protection system.


5. Adverse childhood experiences and its impact on the child development. 


6. Characteristics and needs of families involved in the Protection System (birth families, foster families and adoptive families).


7. Needs, competencies and difficulties of child protection professionals.


8. Quality of protection contexts.


9. Introduction to professional intervention programmes in Child Protection (family preservation, family reunification, family foster care, residential care and adoption).

Mandatory literature

Jill Duerr Berrick; The impossible imperative. ISBN: 978-0-19-067814-2
Mallon, G.P. & Hess, P.M. (Eds.); Child welfare for the 21st century: A handbook of practices, policies, and programs, Columbia University Press, 2014
Eunice Magalhães; Acolhimento familiar de crianças e jovens em perigo. ISBN: 978-989-693-128-5
Carlos Silva Peixoto; Acolhimento residencial de crianças e jovens em perigo. ISBN: 978-989-693-127-8
Gretchen Miller Wrobel, Emily Helder, and Elisha Marr; The Routledge Handbook of Adoption, Routledge, 2020. ISBN: 978-1-138-36250-5

Complementary Bibliography

Javier Rafael A. 070; Handbook of adoption. ISBN: 1-4129-2751-X
Amorós Martí Pere; Acogimiento familiar. ISBN: 84-206-4593-1
Brodzinsky, D.M. & Palacios, J. ; Psychological issues in adoption: Research and practice, Praeger, 2005
James K. Whittaker; Therapeutic residential care for children and youth. ISBN: 978-1-84905-792-9

Teaching methods and learning activities

This Curricular Unit is part of the first cycle of studies in Psychology. Thus, the need for greater structure in the teaching methods used is taken into account. These are as follows:

1. Lectures
2. Watching of films and holding of debates
3. Participation of students in practical activities (deveopment of an interview guide, literature review) and , under the guidance of the teacher in work done in the classroom and supervision of the teacher in work done outside. 
4. Contact with the professional practive through classroom interviews with professionals from different child protection contexts.

The films shown, as well as much of the proposed bibliography, are in English, facilitating access for international students. However, the classes will be taught in Portuguese.

keywords

Social sciences > Psychological sciences
Social sciences

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	20,00
Trabalho de campo	20,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	23,00
Frequência das aulas	28,00
Trabalho de campo	15,00
Trabalho escrito	15,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Students must attend at least 75% of classes and carry out the proposed practical work.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final classification is the sum of the grades obtained in the different components (attendance, field work,  presentation and written work) according to the weighting assigned to each one. The field work, the presentation and the written work will be made in group. The final grade is marked out of 20.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Special situations will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, through their presentation by students in the first week of classes.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The assiduity requirement is not applied, but the students are not exempt from carrying out the tasks corresponding to the distributed evaluation that are part of this CU. It follows the FPCEUP regulation (see art. 9th).

Classification improvement

Grade improvement requires the re-registration in the UC in the year following the one of accomplishment of the same, according to regulation.