CAST 301 - Child Advocacy Studies I: Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Child Advocacy

(3 S.H.)

This is the introductory course for child advocacy studies. This course covers the history, comparative perspectives, legal framework, responses to child maltreatment, skills necessary to do the work, other pertinent issues pertaining to child maltreatment and child advocacy, and the future. The field of child maltreatment is fraught with controversy. Much of the class focuses on these controversies. The approach of the course will be from a variety of professional perspectives, including that of a prosecuting attorney versus a defense attorney. The course is designed for students majoring in criminal justice, education, social work, sociology, psychology, nursing, paralegal, or other areas in which knowledge of child maltreatment and advocating for children might be necessary. Much of the work will be hands-on. Meets GOAL 5. Grade only. Note:

Effective Spring 2014: The title of this course will change to “Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Child Advocacy.” The course description will changed to: “This course will cover the history of child maltreatment and child advocacy in the United States and around the world, the current theoretical perspectives for understanding child maltreatment, the definitions of child maltreatment, an introduction to the professional responses to child maltreatment, an introduction to advocacy for children, and contemporary issues in the fields of child maltreatment and child advocacy.” This course will also meet GOAL 9.

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