- Department: Social Policy and Social Work
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: C
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
In this module, you will be introduced to a range of topics, theories, concepts and arguments of direct relevance to social work. You will learn about the history of social work - how it has evolved over time and place - and you will study the contemporary context in the UK. Social work is distinctive in appreciating both the interior human world and the exterior material world, and their interrelationship.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
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A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
In this module, you will be introduced to a range of topics, theories, concepts and arguments of direct relevance to social work. You will learn about the history of social work - how it has evolved over time and place - and you will study the contemporary context in the UK. Social work is distinctive in appreciating both the interior human world and the exterior material world, and their interrelationship.
You will be introduced to debates about whether social work is a profession, about whether its primary goals relate to care, control or transformation, and to what extent social work is a relationship-based practice. You will learn about service users and carers and what they value in social work practitioners. You will explore your own value base and begin to consider the importance of cultural understanding and sensitivity. You will learn about social work's commitment to anti-oppressive practice, and the role of critical reflection as a crucial element of social work practice.
The module will be a combination of taught lectures, small group discussions and independent study. The overall aim of the module is to introduce you to a range of essential practice concepts and ideas that we will return to in subsequent years and study at a deeper level. In doing so, we will be aligning with the social work profession’s expectation that practitioners continuously develop their skills, knowledge and understanding.
This module will help you to demonstrate that you have built on the ‘entry’ level descriptors in the following Professional Capabilities Framework domains (and are working towards the standard required at the ‘readiness for practice’ level):
Knowledge
Values and Ethics
Contexts and Organisations
Professionalism
Diversity and Equality
Critical Reflection and Analysis
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Understand how social work has developed within the UK and understand how it takes place within a variety of contexts
Weigh up arguments about the nature of social work and justify different perspectives
Demonstrate an understanding a range of approaches and ideas that inform social work practice
Have an understanding of service user knowledge and experience of social work practice
Understand key concepts relating to reflective practice and its significance for effective social work interventions
Demonstrate an initial understanding of the variety of sources of knowledge that they can draw upon in making decisions and arriving at judgements in social work
The module will include 11 taught lectures and corresponding seminars (where the identified topic can be explored in depth), i.e., 2 hours teaching time per week. Lectures and seminars will both be an hour in length. Lectures will include both direct teaching and group discussion. There will be a reading week mid-semester, with recommendations given as to indicative reading for the assigned debate topics. A recorded presentation will be made, introducing the module, explaining the content and discussing the assessment task. This will be available before the commencement of Semester 1.
Indicative content:
The History of Social Work in the UK
Equality and Diversity
An Introduction to Anti-Oppressive Practice
Relationship-Based Practice
Lecture on Debate Topics
The Voice of the Service User and Carer
Social Work and Disability
Personal and Professional Values
An Introduction to Reflective Practice
Cultural Communication and Competence
Class Debates
Task | % of module mark |
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Essay/coursework | 100 |
Non-compensatable
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Written feedback provided 20 working days after submission.
Banks, S (2021) Ethics and Values in Social Work (5th ed) Red Globe Press
Coulshed, V and Orme, J (2012) Social Work Practice: An Introduction (5th ed) Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
Horner, N (2018) What is Social Work? (5th edition) Exeter, Learning Matters.
Lishman, J; Yuill, C; Brannan, J; Gibson, A (2018) Social Work: An Introduction (2nd ed), Sage, Los Angeles
Thompson, N and Thompson, S (2015) The Social Work Companion (2nd ed) Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke