This module introduces students to the main law, principles and policies operating in relation to adult partnerships and parent/child relationships. The module encourages understanding of how law and policy have responded to both traditional and non-traditional family models. A strong emphasis is placed on the critical assessment of English Family Law by reference to scholarship, research and proposals for reform.

Students can expect to participate in a diverse range of learning and assessment activities which are each designed to encourage the rigorous application of sources to constructing solutions to contemporary problems in family law and policy.

On completion of the module a student will be able to:

1. Use relevant cases and legislation to describe the main legal rules and principles of the English family law topics studied and explain how they might apply in a range of situations;
2. Use a range of sources including, legislation, case law, official publications, research reports and academic commentaries to identify current problems and debates in family law and analyse them in light of the political and social context in which the law has evolved;
3. Outline law reform proposals and draw on relevant research and commentary to present and evaluate arguments for and against reform of the law on several of the topics studied and demonstrate awareness of the political and social context in which the law has evolved;
4. Research and evaluate comparable laws applying in other systems, and recognise and apply relevant international law rules and norms to discussion of English law
5. Conduct independent research on an aspect of family law, select the most relevant materials and use them to construct a reasoned response to a proposition concerning the law’s approach to family problems;
6. Devise a strategy for responding to a new problem-based task by acquiring, comparing and evaluating relevant materials and presenting them in an appropriate format;
7. Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the work of others and to use peer and tutor feedback to reflect on how to improve their own learning.

* More detailed learning outcomes are set out in the teaching materials for individual topics and students are advised to read these closely when studying the module.

A mixture of lectures and tutorials 

Lectures in this subject will be designed to enable students to prepare for seminar activities and corresponding assessments on each topic. Lectures will include sessions which outline substantive law, explore research studies, introduce problem-based tasks, give guidance on research and problem solving strategies and provide opportunities for peer assessment and tutor feedback activities.

During seminars, students will be expected to participate in a diverse range of activities designed to help them demonstrate achievement of the appropriate learning outcomes. The activities conducted in seminars will be designed to help students achieve each of the module learning outcomes. Seminar activities will include presenting and discussing findings from independent research, discussing materials and problems with peers and tutor in order to clarify knowledge and increase understanding of the law and current problems, debating and negotiation exercises, and preparing for the completion of written tasks which will contribute to students’ module coursework. Several seminars will require students to work in groups to devise solutions to particular legal problems.

N.B. This module is assessed by a portfolio of work to be completed as the year progresses. Students will be required to prepare short pieces of written work at regular intervals throughout the year and these will be used in seminar activities and peer assessment and feedback lectures. Students will have opportunities to receive feedback on their portfolio work and to rework drafts before final submission of the complete portfolio.

The module is strongly focused on the development of skills alongside the acquisition of core subject-based knowledge. Students will have the opportunity to practise and develop the following skills in particular:

• Independent research
• Problem solving
• Synthesis and evaluation of sources
• Critical thinking
• Written and oral presentation
• Self and peer assessment
• Teamwork

100% coursework (submission in May)

The course work will consist of a portfolio containing the following pieces:

3 x 300 word exercises (30% total mark)

3 x 1250 word pieces (60% total mark, i.e. 20% each)

1 x oral presentation (10% total mark)

Each portfolio piece will be related to a seminar topic and will be designed to enable students to demonstrate at least one of the learning outcomes for that seminar. Students will be expected to submit drafts of each portfolio piece at scheduled times throughout the year. They will receive personalised or generic tutor feedback on each piece. Students will be required to produce drafts of each of the 300 word exercises at various points throughout the year for use in seminar activities or in peer assessment and feedback activities. The dates for submission of drafts of the 1250 word pieces will be confirmed at the beginning of the academic year.

Students will have the opportunity to rework all pieces before final submission of the complete portfolio in April.

The oral presentation will take place during the final seminar. Opportunities to practise and receive feedback on oral presentation skills will be built into earlier seminars.

Semester One: Forming Relationships

Marriage, civil partnerships and cohabitation

The law and parenthood

Post-separation parenting

Semester Two: Ending Relationships

Post-separation finances

Child protection

Students will be asked to purchase the following textbooks (or a more up-to-date textbook, should one become available):

S Harris-Short, J Miles and R George, Family Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (3^rd edition, OUP, 2015)

Or J Herring, Family Law (7^th edition, Longman, 2015)

Students will be expected to read primary legal sources as well as journal articles, research reports and reform proposals. There will be a mixture of guided and self-researched reading.