Law and Administration as a Framework for Social Work and Participation

22M1174

Master

German

5.0

only summer term

1 semester

In a constitutional state, the law ist both the basis und the necessary barrier to social work. The module ist intended to explain the legal and administrative framework that students are confronted with in their everyday professional life in social work. The focus is on areas of law that are particularly relevant to practice and on the key areas that are particularly important for social work. The students should be able to independently identify legal scope for action and implement it for their clients.

I. Basic legal framework for social work and participation
1. International legal framework (basics, e.g. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
2. European legal framework (overview of European law and its significance for social work, freedom from discrimination, Equal Treatment Framework Directive, Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU)
3. Constitutional framework (in particular the welfare state principle, the fundamental rights system of the Basic Law, individual relevant fundamental rights)

II. Social work in public administration
1. Administrative organization (supporting bodies, bodies, authorities)
2. Forms of administrative action (in particular administrative act, public law contract, bound and discretionary administration, legal protection and legal aid)
3. Municipal administration and municipal legal principles
a) Municipal self-government guarantee (meaning and content)
b) Areas of responsibility (own and delegated sphere of activity)
c) Basics of planning law (e.g. youth welfare planning)
d) Internal constitution of the municipality (in particular bodies, internal decision-making, expression of will in external relations, municipal elected representatives)

III. Selected areas of social law
1. General part of the social code and social administration procedures (SGB I, X), e.g. implementation of social benefits in accordance with Section 17 SGB I, principles of cooperation between service providers and with third parties in accordance with Sections 86 ff. SGB X)
2. Law on rehabilitation and participation of peoble with disablilities (SGB IX), e.g. participation benefits and their implementation, individual participation planning in accordance with Section 10 SGB IX
3. Social assistance (SGB XII), e.g. principles of benefits, assistance with living expenses, additional needs
4. Basics of nursing care insurance (SGB XI)

IV. Criminal law, criminal procedure law and juvenile criminal law
1. Basics of criminal law (structural principles, legal sources of criminal law, selected areas of substantive criminal law, legal consequences of crime)
2. Social work and criminal proceedings (in particular actors and procedural stages)
3. Basics of juvenile criminal law

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

• Written examination or
• Homework / Assignment or
• Oral presentation, with written elaboration

The students who have successfully studied this module know the basic legal and administrative framework for social work and participation. They recognize the responsibilities and tasks of a municipality and can understand processes and procedures within a public administration. 

The students have detailed knowledge of the municipal, social, disability and criminal law aspects of their work. 

The students are able to recognize and implement legal options for their clients.

• Lüttmann, Sarah

• Lüttmann, Sarah