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ED10494: Children's rights: a global approach

[Page last updated: 05 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Education
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CW100
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Assessment detail data for this unit is currently being updated as a change has been approved. Updated assessment information will be published here shortly.
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Aims: The intention of this unit is to:
* Introduce students to children's rights with reference to key global policies (including the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, the International Labour conventions, Education for All and the Sustainable Development Goals) and agencies (such as UNESCO, International NGOs and national governments)
* Develop students' awareness of how children's rights are realised and restricted, with reference to participation, provision and protection and through a range of examples from a selection of different countries.
* Introduce students to some of the critiques of global policies for their Western conceptualisation of childhood.

Learning Outcomes: In completing this unit students would be expected to:
* Be aware of some of the key policies related to the rights of the child (e.g. the UNCRC, ILO conventions, the SDGs and EFA) and key actors involved in developing and implementing the policies;
* Evaluate the effectiveness of key global policies for realising the rights of particular marginalised groups of children (such as those involved in child labour, in conflict and war, girls, children in care);
* Critically review the concept of universal children's rights by drawing on the new sociology of childhood.

Skills:
* Ability to accommodate new ideas, question concepts and provide conclusions relating to children's rights (F/A)
* Ability to use examples of the implementation of international and national policies in practice (T/F/A)
* Ability to construct and communicate oral and written arguments to specialist and non-specialist audiences (F/A)
* Ability to make effective use of technology (F/A)

Content: The following topics will be included:
* Introduction: what is a child? What are children's rights and why do we need them?
* The UN, the rights of the child and the key agencies of the UN
* Children's rights to provision (comparative approaches to care; education for all)
* Children's rights to protection (child labour, girls' early marriage and FGM)
* Children's rights in conflict and emergencies (child soldiers, refugees)
* Children's right to participation
* The child's right to be a child (play)
* Critiques of universal rights and the Western assumption of childhood
* Key conclusions.

Programme availability:

ED10494 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Education
  • UHED-AFB12 : BA(Hons) Education with Psychology (Year 1)
  • UHED-AKB12 : BA(Hons) Education with Psychology with Professional Placement (Year 1)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.