Study mode:
- Part-time: 1 year
- 96 contact hours in total
- For programme offered in 2021/22, it will start in September 2021
The programme consists of 6 courses to be completed in one year of study. The courses are usually taught on weekday evenings and/or Saturdays.
Depending on actual operational need, the programme may adopt face-to-face or online teaching, or both.
The courses offered are as follows:
Courses
- Child Development
- The course aims to enable students to understand children’s development and behaviour with a historical-social-cultural sensitivity. The basic concepts, theories, and research findings on child development and their application in childcare practice will be critically reviewed and discussed. An ecological-constructionist framework for helping children will be stressed within different sociocultural contexts, including family, school, organization and environment.
- Child and Family-centred Childcare Practice
- This course is an introduction to child- and family-centred childcare practice. Based on an ecological-system–constructionist framework, early learning and development is conceptualized as a function of both personal and environmental characteristics. Child- and family-centred practice is based on the belief that whenever practitioners support families, family members are in a better position in terms of time, energy, knowledge and skills to take care and support the members in need.
- Child-centred Assessment, and Developmental and Mental Health Issues across a Child’s Lifespan
- This course is an introduction to child-centred assessment based on biopsychosocial and competency-based perspectives. Diagnostic considerations of developmental and mental health issues across a child’s lifespan will be introduced. Emphasis is placed on listening to the child’s voice and understanding their needs during the assessment process. Based on the assessment data, students will learn how to develop case formulation and initial treatment planning in mobilizing parents’ and caregivers’ support and community resources in addressing the child’s needs.
- Children and Families with Illness, Death and Grief
- This course focuses on working with families and children in times of illness, death and grief. This course builds on the family systemic perspective and stresses that illness, death and grief can affect the family system as a whole. Coupled with a child- and family-centred practice, social work practitioners can facilitate families to cope with the challenges of illness, handling the losses and anticipatory griefs, as well as preparing for the end stage of life of a child or a parent.
- Trauma and Crisis Intervention
- The course provides knowledge about the concept and meaning of childhood trauma, the types of trauma, the results of intentional violence, and the impact of childhood trauma. Core concepts of crisis intervention and the multidisciplinary handling of child abuse and neglect in Hong Kong will also be introduced. Detailed case studies about childhood trauma will help students understand the traumatic experience and its aftermath from the child-centred perspective and the ecological perspective.
- Rights and Welfare of Children - Legal and Ethical Framework
- Through the lens of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, this course introduces and critically reviews the relevant provisions of the legislation and public policies that have shaped children’s development and well-being in Hong Kong. Their adequacy, implementation and areas for further development will be examined; hence, students will acquire the concept of upholding children’s rights and can identify room for advocacy of the protection of children’s rights.
Entry requirement
To be eligible to enrol in the programme, you will need to be a Registered Social Worker in Hong Kong with a bachelor’s degree or higher academic qualification in social work.
Methods of assessment
Diverse assessment methods are used in the programme, including:
- assignments
- case studies
- class participation
- exam
- online quizzes
- presentations
Graduation requirement
To be awarded the Advanced Certificate in Social Work with Children, students are required to
- have no less than 70% attendance rate in each course
- obtain an overall grade of D or above in each course
- obtain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00 or above.
Medium of instruction
Cantonese, supplemented with English
Qualifications framework
QF level: 5
QR registration no.: 20/000043/L5
Registration validity period: 04/12/2019 to on-going
Tuition fee
For 2021/22 intake, the programme fee would be HK$26,750.
Continuing Education Fund (CEF)
The course has been included in the list of reimbursable courses for Continuing Education Fund purposes.
CEF course code: 44K127737
CEF course name: Advanced Certificate Programme in Social Work with Children
For details of eligibility and reimbursement procedures of CEF, please visit here.