Children, Protection and Justice unit (HGA337)

Cradle Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Online

Introduction

This unit engages students in a multi-disciplinary Community of Practice focused on understanding how children and young people become involved with statutory service systems, what their experiences of these systems are, and current directions for system reform and service improvement.  The unit confronts the foundational impacts of poverty, trauma and violence in the lives of children and explores the difficult realities of mobilising complex care within and across community and government services.  Adopting a child-centered, trauma-transformative approach, the unit unpacks the operation of Australian child protection and youth justice systems and services, children’s pathways through these, and foregrounds the different perspectives of children, families, practitioners, advocates, policy-makers and researchers.  A public health lens is mobilised to highlight the positive role of prevention and early intervention in transforming child and family welfare policy and practice and minimising the traumatising impacts of children’s contact with statutory systems.

Summary

Unit name	Children, Protection and Justice
Unit code	HGA337
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Arts and Society Humanities and Social Sciences
Discipline	Sociology and Criminology
Coordinator	Associate Professor Catherine Robinson
Available as an elective?	Yes
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Advanced

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Cradle Coast	Semester 1
Hobart	Semester 1
Launceston	Semester 1
Online	Semester 1

Note

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Units are offered in attending mode unless otherwise indicated (that is attendance is required at the campus identified). A unit identified as offered by distance, that is there is no requirement for attendance, is identified with a nominal enrolment campus. A unit offered to both attending students and by distance from the same campus is identified as having both modes of study.

Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 1	22/2/2026	16/3/2026	19/4/2026	13/6/2026

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2026 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2026 will be available from the 1st October 2025. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the causes and nature of children’s involvement in child protection and youth justice systems
• Evaluate the operations and effectiveness of child protection and youth justice systems
• Engage with contemporary debates on child welfare policy, research, advocacy, practice and lived experience
• Communicate your ideas clearly in written and verbal form

Fee Information

Field of Education	Commencing Student Contribution 1,3	Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3	Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3	Domestic Full Fee 4
099903	$2,174.00	$1,020.00	not applicable	$2,562.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

¹ Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
² Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
³ Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
⁴ Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UniConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Requisites

Mutual Exclusions

You cannot enrol in this unit as well as the following:

HGA237 and HGA437

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	Weekly lectures  Weekly reading and engagement activities  Weekly on-campus workshop (2 hours) [HBA, L, CC] Weekly online workshop (1 hour) + digital Community of Practice exchange
Assessment	Engagement activities (10%)|Issues Pitch (20%)|Issues Briefing - Group Presentation (30%)|Individual Reflection (40%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required	Required Readings are those provided by your Unit Coordinator via MyLO.
Recommended	Recommended Readings will be provided by your Unit Coordinator via MyLO.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.