- Department: Social Policy and Social Work
- Credit value: 40 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
- See module specification for other years: 2023-24
Pre-requisite modules
Co-requisite modules
- None
Prohibited combinations
- None
Prerequisite module - Social Work Practice Skills
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 2 2024-25 |
All social work students are required to undertake a 70 day first placement. Your first placement will enable you to learn more about yourself as a learner and as a developing professional, and will offer opportunities for you to develop the skills you need to progress to the next level (see End of First Placement: Student PCF Descriptors available on the British Association of Social Workers website).
While on placement, students will be supported by a Practice Educator (Registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ post-qualifying experience and a ‘Practice Education’ qualification) and a University Liaison.
‘Professional Development Groups’ (PDGs) are at intervals throughout the placement; PDGs are 1 hour sessions at which students reflect on their practice experience in small groups.
During the first placement students will acquire professional capabilities across 9 domains. In attaining these capabilities, the national (Social Work England) expectation is that students will gain practical experience of at least 200 days. This should include three elements –
30 days of skills practice
70 days first placement
100 days final placement
This module is the 70 day first placement. Details of the Professional Capabilities Framework are at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/. “The Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) is the profession-owned backbone of social work education and professional development in England” (BASW 2018).
During the first placement students will demonstrate ‘professional capabilities’ across 9 ‘domains’ at the level appropriate to the End of First Placement.
LO1: Professionalism
LO2: Values & Ethics
LO3: Diversity & Equality
LO4: Right Justice & Economic Wellbeing
LO5: Knowledge
LO6: Critical Reflection & Analysis
LO7: Skills & Interventions
LO8: Contexts & Organisations
LO9: Professional Leadership
Details of professional capabilities expectations for each domain at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/capabilities/?level=8
There will be an introductory lecture in Semester 1 Week 2, along with a practical ‘Placement Applications’ session.
Placement 1 starts in Semester 2. While on placement, students will be supported by a Practice Educator (Registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ post-qualifying experience and a ‘Practice Education’ qualification) and a University Liaison.
‘Professional Development Groups’ (PDGs) are embedded at intervals throughout the placement; PDGs are 1 hour sessions at which students reflect on their practice experience in small groups.
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Pass/fail & Non-compensatable
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Students receive feedback from their Practice Educator as part of the report writing process. Students are informed about their grade (P/F) within 4 weeks of submission.
Banks, S. (2021) Ethics and Values in Social Work, (5th Edn.). London: Red Globe Press.
Beesley, P. (2019) Making the Most of Your Social Work Placement, London: SAGE Publications
Doel, M. and Shardlow, S. (2016) Modern Social Work Practice: Teaching and Learning in Practice Settings (3rd edn.). London: Routledge.
Lomax, R. (2010) Surviving your social work placement. New York : Palgrave Macmillan.
Rogers, M., Whitaker, D., Edmondson, D. & Peach, D. (2020) Developing skills for social work practice. (2nd Edn.). London: Sage.
Teater, B. (2014) An Introduction To Applying Social Work Theories And Methods. (2nd Edn.). Basingstoke: Open University Press.
Thompson, N. (2021) Anti-Discriminatory Practice: Equality, Diversity and Social Justice, (7th Edn.). London: Red Globe Press.