0905 Human Welfare Studies and Services

Human Welfare Studies and Services is the study of social intervention designed to help persons, individually and collectively, maximise their social and economic wellbeing.

The main purpose of this narrow field of education is to develop an understanding of the social, political and economic climate in which social policy is developed, administered and implemented, the social needs of individuals, groups and communities within society, the resources available to meet these needs, and the social influences that effect the behaviour and social functioning of people. It also involves developing an ability to plan and deliver welfare programmes, and organise resources to meet individual and community needs.

Courses in Narrow Field 0905 Human Welfare Studies and Services develop skills in:

• assessing the welfare requirements of individuals and groups
• assisting individuals, groups and communities in relation to family and child welfare, probation and parole, housing, health and rehabilitation
• assisting individuals, groups and communities to utilise their own resources to improve their wellbeing
• communicating with young children, parents and other professionals
• mediating between and counselling individuals, groups and communities
• planning, organising and implementing programmes for the care of young children

This narrow field comprises the following detailed fields:

090501  Social Work
090503  Children’s Services
090505  Youth Work
090507  Care for the Aged
090509  Care for the Disabled
090511  Residential Client Care
090513  Counselling
090515  Welfare Studies
090599  Human Welfare Studies and Services, n.e.c.

Health care. This is included in Broad Field 06 Health.
Developmental psychology. This is included in Detailed Field 090701 Psychology.

Social Work is the study of promoting, restoring, maintaining and enhancing the functioning of individuals, families, social groups, organisations and communities by the utilisation of resources within individuals and the social environment in order to alleviate social problems.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• agency intervention
• crisis intervention
• social work analysis
• social work theory

Children’s Services is the study of the care and development of children.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• storytelling
• infant and child care and development
• early childhood research
• understanding and guiding children’s behaviour
• play and learning environment

Youth Work is the study of the development and support of youth.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• homeless youth
• working with adolescents
• perspectives on youth

Care for the Aged is the study of caring for elderly people in various social support services associated with families and groups in the community.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• research techniques in gerontology
• quality of life and welfare of the well and frail aged
• working with dementia

Care for the Disabled is the study of caring for disabled people in various social support services associated with families and groups in the community.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• augmentative communication systems
• disability and development
• supporting people with disability

Residential Client Care is the study of caring for people living in a variety of welfare and residential settings.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• principles and practices of residential client care service provision
• residential and community services theory

Counselling is the study of the practice and skills required to provide guidance on personal, social and psychological problems.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• conflict resolution skills
• developmental counselling models
• theories of counselling
• career guidance

Welfare Studies is the study of providing personal services to individuals and family groups who are socially disadvantaged or otherwise in need.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• community and welfare studies
• community resource identification and use
• human service organisation
• interaction of welfare services and law
• paradigms of welfare practice

This detailed field includes all Human Welfare Studies and Services not elsewhere classified.

Examples of subjects in this detailed field include:

• drug dependence studies
• community care
• family support
• community development