Understanding Legal Issues in Managing Complex Cases
(Eligible for SkillsFuture Credit Funding, among others)
Funding Organisations
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Course Overview
As a helping professional, whether social worker, welfare officer, educator, school counsellor, or medical social worker, you will encounter cases like this:
‘Your client is an on-off working mother who stays with her family in a government-rented flat and is on social welfare. She has 3 children - a 2-month old baby boy, an 8-year girl and a 15-year old boy in secondary school. Recently, the mother befriended a man who started living with them. The man displaying anger management issues, constantly threatening to beat the woman and smashing things in the house. The two older children are displaying signs of intense fear and mental distress. In fact, the 15-year old boy has just ran away from him and has confided in you that he is having consensual sex with another 14-year old girl from another School. He trusts you to keep it confidential.’
What should you do?
In your specific helping role, you will have different focuses and priorities. But there is one common need across all the different roles – you need the necessary knowledge of the law to practice effectively and, more importantly, safely within the boundary of the Singapore legal system.
This workshop is conducted by a family lawyer with in-depth experience of Singapore law. He will provide principles that gives the participants a good handle on what the law says in complex cases, how to act responsibly and provide genuine help within the boundary of law, and to remain protected while doing so.
Target Audience
- Social Workers working in VWOs
- Medical Social Workers working in hospitals and medical institutions
- School Educators, such as Principals and Vice-Principals, HOD Pupil Welfare, HOD Discipline
- School Counsellors
- Psychologists and Counsellors in private practice.
The exchange of ideas and thoughts among people with such different specialised roles and skills, and yet all having the common objective of helping other is inertly very powerful and gives extremely valuable peer learning and networking opportunities.
Duration
1 day (9 am to 5 pm)
Arrangement with Professional Associations
CPE hours are awarded by Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC) on a class-by-class basis.
Topics
Part A: The Law
Overview of the Singapore legal system : Civil vs Criminal Law
The Concept of Duty
What the law says regarding:
- Who is a Minor?
- Divorce & Custody Dispute – Custody, Care and Control & Access
- Family Violence (Spousal and child abuse)
- Guardianship
- Protection from Harassment Act 2014
- Cyber Troubles
- Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Addictions - Illegal or Controlled Abuse
- Illegal Sex and Statutory Rape
Part B: Conduct Responsibly
Code of Ethics, Moral Obligation and the Law
Extending professional help
- Boundaries of action permitted by law
- Acting outside the boundary of law: Consequences
Part C: Case Studies
Small group discussion and presentation
