Course

Children and the Law - JURD7492

Faculty: Faculty of Law

School: Faculty of Law

Course Outline: See below

Campus: Sydney

Career: Postgraduate

Units of Credit: 6

EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)

Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3

Enrolment Requirements:

Pre-requisite: 36 UOC of JURD courses for students enrolled prior to 2013. For students enrolled after 2013, pre-requisite: 72 UOC of JURD courses.

Excluded: LAWS3392

CSS Contribution Charge: 1 (more info)

Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule

Further Information: See Class Timetable

View course information for previous years.

Description

The law affects the lives of children and families in myriad ways. This course is designed to give students exposure to a wide range of legal issues that affect children including:
  • The role of law in the lives of children and families,
  • Child development,
  • Theories of children's rights,
  • Care and protection,
  • Juvenile justice,
  • Legal representation of children,
  • Domestic and inter-country adoption,
  • Issues affecting indigenous children,
  • International child abduction,
  • Consent to medical treatment, and
  • Immigration and asylum.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

There is no pre-requisite for this course, however for students with an interest in Family Law, Criminal Law, Criminology, Torts, Human Rights, Indigenous Issues, Immigration or International Law, this course allows further exploration of those areas with specific reference to children.

Course Objectives

Students are expected to achieve the following learning outcomes:
  • Identify the ways in which law can affect children's lives.
  • Think critically about different philosophical approaches to children's rights.
  • Recognise the institutions and people who exert power or influence over children.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of children's needs and development and the ways in which these are relevant to the legal practitioner.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of international treaties and domestic legislation designed to protect children.
  • Demonstrate an ability to think critically and to justify ideas in a reasoned manner.
  • Communicate effectively, in speaking and in writing.
  • Gain an understanding of the possible career paths available for lawyers interested in working with children.
  • Identify appropriate areas for legal research.
  • Conduct advanced level legal research and writing.

Main Topics

  • Role of the law in the lives of children and families
  • Constructions of childhood
  • Child development
  • Child rights
  • Care and protection
  • Juvenile justice
  • Adoption
  • International child abduction
  • Voice of the child and representation of children in court proceedings
  • Medical treatment of children
  • Indigenous children and the law
  • Children and immigration

Assessment

Class participation - 20%
Research essay - 40%
Exam - 40%

Course Texts

There is no set textbook for this course. Compulsory reading material will be issued for each class via Blackboard.
Law Books

Study Levels

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