LAW-30072 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

This module examines legal and socio-legal perspectives of children, using conceptual and analytic frameworks to identify the 'legal child' and the construction of childhood.
The module starts with identifying who the legal child is, exploring the child within the family setting, and looking at selected matters of parenthood, including approaches to conceiving children and constructing the family.
The module also explores substantive law surrounding the Welfare principle, autonomy, children¿s rights, the care of children (by parents and the state), and the shifting requirements of caring for children at risk. During the module you will explore factual situations and learn how to respond to problems using judicial decisions, statute law and applying sociolegal theory.
(Please note the focus in this module is on children in the public sphere so while we will touch on child and family relations, there is no in-depth consideration of private law children disputes, as this a topic which is considered in the Family Law module.)

(a) to provide a structured study of the law relating to children, including a detailed understanding of the law of child protection
(b) to critically examine the social, historical and philosophical texts in which the law relating to children is located

Intended Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate a coherent understanding of the law relating to children, in particular the Children Act 1989: 1
Articulate and synthesise the dominant philosophical and social theories in the field to create their own legal model of childhood: 1
Theorise the role and status of children in law: 1

Study hours

10 x 2 hours lectures/tutorials = 20 hours
5 x 1 tutorials = 5
Tutorial preparation = 54 hours
Essay preparation and independent reading = 78 hours
Total = 150 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment