Course Information

Many social problems have unfortunately withstood the test of time, continuing to threaten the health and well-being of Canadian Families and their children. Poverty, discrimination, family violence, addiction and crime are all serious social problems which affect quality of life of our children, families, communities and even society as a whole. This course will not only assist students in recognizing and understanding social problems but also encourage them to view these social problems in a theoretical and critical manner. Students will be challenged to recognize the multifaceted and broader impact of social problems and consider their own personal and professional duty to recognize when a child’s identified problems are potentially caused or exacerbated by one or more of these social problems. Students will gain a theoretical understanding of the paradigms which define social problems. They will learn to assess the impact of various social problems and consider appropriate ways of intervening in both the micro and mezzo systems. Students will learn to assess, identify, advocate for, and intervene with children who are impacted or at risk of being impacted by social problems. Student will further explore their role and reflect upon their skills for intervening in the lives of children who are impacted or at risk of being impacted by these social problems. They will explore the application systematic methods for assisting those who are impacted by social problems ranging from. Much of the course discussions will focus on understanding the impacts of social problems and empowering children and families affected by these social problems with helpful strategies for dealing with and overcoming their impacts. Students are encouraged to consider personal experiences as they explore and react to the world’s social problems. This will lead to a greater understanding of the concepts and assess how their own experiences and beliefs affect their practices in human services.