Program Overview

Risk and Protection of Children

Overview

This module in Risk and Protection of Children critically examines contemporary childhood from an international perspective with a particular focus on children's experiences of harm in society. You will have the opportunity to understand the legal and policy contexts of child protection and safeguarding work.

The module explores explanatory models for understanding child maltreatment, along with evidence of the signs and symptoms of significant harm to children, including incidence and prevalence rates.

You will be required to critically appraise international research evidence on the risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect. Child protection interventions and responses to child maltreatment will be debated in relation to social and cultural contexts.

Key Facts

• Course code: WLBI7001
• Start dates: May 2025
• Application deadline: 1 December (for a January start)
• Location: Distance learning
• Course length: Part time: One semester
• School(s): Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery
• Academic level: 7
• Academic credits: 20

Entry Requirements

This module is for those who form part of the SCPHN programme. Students must be from a respective healthcare background and have support from the clinical manager to undertake this module of study.

If you wish to take this as a standalone module then you can apply to be a postgraduate associate student.

Tuition Fees

• 2025/26: CPD Home (UK) part time: £1,000 per single module
• Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year your fees will increase each year.

Payment and Refund Information

• Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
• For information on payment methods, please see our Make a Payment page.
• For information about refunds, please visit our Refund policy page

Financial Support and Scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Additional Costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Learning and Assessment

The teaching, learning and assessment strategy of the module reflects its interprofessional, student-centred, child and family-centred and practice-oriented approach.

It is a structured programme of varied learning activities, delivered on a weekly basis through the module Moodle site, with synchronous or on campus seminars that build on online work via action learning sets.

Action learning sets allow students to explore their own case studies in relation to the Law, Policy, safeguarding guidance and professional practice.

Outline Syllabus

• Contemporary childhood
• Child maltreatment and harm – defining the problem and its extent
• The legal and policy context of child protection
• Aetiology and consequences of child maltreatment
• Risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect
• Signs and ‘symptoms’ of child maltreatment: facts and fallacies explored
• Safeguarding children - responding to child maltreatment
• Core assessments and planning for care
• Models of managing child protection: interagency and partnership working

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of a single 3,500 word assignment comprising a critical analysis of one aspect of child maltreatment, law, child protection or safeguarding practice which relates to the student’s own country of origin (or selected country), work or sphere of experience. This assignment is intended to encompass critical appraisal of the scientific knowledge, as well as the evidence-base to inform child welfare and protection work and make recommendations to improve practice.