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Social Work Across the Lifecourse for Apprentices - SPY00045I

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  • Department: Social Policy and Social Work
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

This module will introduce you to social work theories and models. It will give you a critical understanding of how this knowledge is applied in assessment, planning and interventions in social work. The module is designed to cover the whole lifecourse (including work with children, adults and older people in various settings). The module takes a case study approach which integrates the learning of theories and knowledge with practice.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module will cover key theories for social work (including human development, life course theories, sociological theories) and the skills and critical insight around how these theories might be applied in practice (assessment skills, risk assessment, multi-agency working and decision making).

Throughout the lectures, seminars and skills days, the module will draw on case studies to allow apprentices the opportunity to apply theory to practice and understand the knowledge and skills required to undertake complex and dynamic cases in a variety of social work contexts.

Through the above activities, the module will prepare apprentices for social work practice in relation to the following PCF domains:

  • Professionalism. Apprentices will learn about the role and expectations of social workers in different areas of practice; they will develop an appreciation of how our profession intersects with other professions and of the centrality of the experience of people with lived experience.

  • Values and ethics: throughout the course apprentices will be introduced to ethics and values in social work practice by using challenging and ethically complex case study scenarios.

  • Diversity: the module includes teaching relating to people who have protected characteristics, and throughout the course apprentices will explore the impact of practice on diverse groups. The SUPA group (people with lived experience of receiving a service) contribute to the module. The main case study includes people who have diverse characteristics.

  • Rights, justice and economic well-being: there is an emphasis on person centred planning and participation within this module, and social justice is a theme that runs throughout the module.

  • Knowledge: this module specifically explores key knowledge and theories and considers how these might be applied to social work practice.

  • Critical reflection and analysis: the module introduces models of critical reflection and analysis,. This is central to effective social work practice. The module thus lays the groundwork for ‘Knowledge into Practice’ module running in the next semester.

  • Intervention and skills: a practical understanding of the role and responsibilities of social workers is a key element of this module; each week a new area of social work is explored.

  • Contexts and organisations: this module analyses different practice settings and allows apprentices the opportunity to consider the multi-agency and multi-disciplinary nature of social work. There may be opportunities to work with students from other disciplines.

  • Professional leadership: apprentices will begin to develop an appreciation for leadership in social work practice, and how leadership can foster good practice. Through work with other students, they will develop their own confidence around sharing their knowledge and supporting others. This is supported by the elements of ‘Enquiry Based Learning’ approach used as part of the teaching.

Module learning outcomes

Having completed the module, you should be able to:

LO1: Demonstrate an understanding into how social workers, in various settings, evaluate and apply social work knowledge.

LO2: Demonstrate an insight into a range of theories, approaches and models for assessment and intervention in social work practice.

LO3: Demonstrate the ability to negotiate practice dilemmas with a view to sound ethical decision making

LO4: Demonstrate an insight into how to approach effective practice, with particular attention to the importance of multi-agency working

LO5: Demonstrate reflective thinking and self awareness.

Module content

Note:

  • Lecture = 3 hours (student prep required)

  • Sessions below are indicative only, and may vary in title, content and order

Semester 1 (week numbers on the left hand side):

  1. Prep session with apprenticeship lead

  2. Lifecourse / Lifecycle Theories, systems theory

Enquiry Based Learning, Case Study & Assignment

  1. Person Centred / Child Centred Working

Practice: Children & Families Teams

  1. Human Development – psychological approaches, focus on attachment theory (& impact). Brief reference to psychodynamic theory.

Practice: Children looked after, Fostering & adoption

  1. Human Development: cognitive & emotional development, learning theory

Practice: Children with disabilities

  1. Sociological approaches – Social construction of childhood, concept of agency / sociology of family

Practice: Working with parents with LD / MH needs

  1. Theories of Change incl. turning points, crises, managing change / adolescence & identity development

Practice: Transitions / Leaving Care

  1. Sociological approaches: youth & emerging adulthood, The social construction of ‘adolescence’

Practice: Youth Justice

  1. Models of mental illness / child & adolescent MH

Incl diagnoses & labelling, social perspective, stress vulnerability model & self harm

Practice: CMHT / CAMHS

  1. Models of disability / sociology of disability

Practice: Hospital teams, Adults with disabilities

  1. Personalisation, solution focussed work

Practice: Adults Social Care

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

In accordance with School policy

Indicative reading

  • Barnes, V. (2018) Child-centred social work: theory and Practice. London: Palgrave

  • Beckett, C. and Taylor, H. (2022) Human Growth and Development. (4th edn.). London: SAGE

  • Gould, N . (2016) Mental Health Social Work in Context. (2nd edn.). London: Routledge.

  • Shakespeare, T. (2014) Disability Rights and Wrongs Revisited. (2nd edn.). Abingdon: Routledge


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.