HS 4450 - Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Child Advocacy

3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: A grade of “C” or better in HS 4430.
This course is the first of two courses for the CAST certificate and may also be taken as an elective. The course covers the history, comparative perspectives, legal framework and responses to child maltreatment. It also discusses the skills necessary to work in the field and other pertinent issues pertaining to child maltreatment and child advocacy. 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 diverse, professional perspectives including the perspectives of a prosecuting attorney versus a defense attorney. The course is designed for students majoring in human services, criminal justice, education, social work, sociology, psychology, nursing, or other areas where knowledge of child maltreatment and advocating for children might be necessary. Much of the work will be hands-on.