- Department: Social Policy and Social Work
- Module co-ordinator: Ms. Polly Sykes
- Credit value: 40 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
Pre-requisite modules
Co-requisite modules
- None
Prohibited combinations
- None
Prerequisite module - Social Work Practice Skills
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 2 2023-24 |
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
Expectations of undergraduate / postgraduate learning outcomes throughout placement.
Both undergraduate students (MSocW) and postgraduate students (MA) undertake a Practice Learning Placement 1 (first placement). While both sets of students are ultimately required to meet the nine domains of the ‘Professional Capabilities Framework: End of Final Placement’, in line with the professional award, we do expect students to bring the appropriate level of knowledge, insight and criticality to both their practical work and the resulting reports.
We expect postgraduate students (MA) to demonstrate professionalism in their practice, and to critically explore the nature of professionalism. We would like to see an ability to critically apply social work ethics within complex working environments, Students should be able to critically apply their knowledge of diversity and equality in practice, and to undertake work directly relating to the rights, justice and economic wellbeing of those who use the service while showing critical awareness of the broader context impacting on these areas. Students should be able to critically apply on a range of knowledge, including law and policy, theory and research to inform their practice. We would like them to reflect on and analyse their practice experiences, demonstrating critical self awareness. They should demonstrate a critical insight into the different contexts and organisations within which social work is undertaken, including complex multi-agency and inter-agency working. Finally, they should be able to demonstrate professional leadership; responding to leadership in others and building on their own ability to lead.
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 | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Essay/coursework Summative report |
N/A | 100 |
Pass/fail & Non-compensatable
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Essay/coursework Summative report |
N/A | 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.