module specification

Social Work Practice Learning 2 provides experiential learning opportunities for students to: integrate theory and practice, demonstrate appropriate professional behaviour and relationships, develop professional values and gain working knowledge of organisational contexts. Through this professionally supervised practice experience, students will be provided with constructive feedback on their performance and will be challenged to reflect on their effectiveness and capability in line with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency (SOP) and the appropriate level of the College of Social Work’s (TCSW, 2012) Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF).
Students will have opportunities to develop further their interviewing, assessment and intervention skills and knowledge of processes required for practice. Professional capabilities will be developed across a range of key learning areas and domains. These capabilities will be assessed in the final placement at the level of a beginning practitioner as identified by the TCSW (TCSW,2012), by the end of the qualifying level.

Successful completion of module SW5W02 (First Placement Module)

The Practice Learning Two module provides the opportunity for students to

• Develop their knowledge, values and skills in relation to working with service users in more complex situations
• Develop an understanding of, and an ability to apply ethical principles and relevant legislation whilst working alongside professionally qualified social workers in a setting, and with a service user group that contrasts with the first placement setting and service user group.
• consolidate the skills and knowledge developed in their first placement and in University based teaching modules, including the skills days.
• prepare for professional practice in social work under supervised conditions, and
• to complete the demonstration of professional capabilities (TCSW, 2012) and standards of proficiency (HCPC, 2012).

By the end of their final placement students are expected to be practising at the level that will be required of a newly qualified social worker.

BSc Social Work Students are required to complete two practice placements during the programme.  A 70 working days placement in year 2 and a 100 working days placement in year 3 as well complete 30 skills days.  The required standard of practice by the end of the programme is defined by the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency (SOP). Students are also required to demonstrate ethical conduct in line with the HCPC Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students (HCPC 2012a) and HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (HCPC, 2012b).

Learning opportunities on placement should include: a planned induction; opportunities to visit related agencies and ‘shadow’ staff; undertake direct work with a range of service users under guidance and with support; attend and contribute to team meetings and utilise opportunities to gain a greater insight into the role of the agency within its organisational and legal context. Evidence of practice capability will come from the practice educator (and on-site supervisor if applicable) as well as from the student.
Students will be provided with 1.5 hours of formal supervision per week. The placement will be governed by a learning agreement drawn up by the practice educator and student and agreed by a tutor from the University who will also meet with the practice assessor and student on at least two occasions.

The learning and teaching strategy will be governed by the need to meet the professional requirements and specific development needs of the student and as agreed in the learning agreement and set out in the placement handbook.  Evidence of meeting all the required practice capabilities is generated by both the Practice Educator as well as the student. Students will be provided with variety of different teaching and assessment models, including a minimum of three formal direct observations of their practice. The 1.5 hours of formal supervision per week should include reflection on the student’s progress towards meeting the Professional Capabilities and HCPC Standards of Proficiency (SOP). The placement learning agreement is drawn up by the practice educator and student (and onsite supervisor if applicable) and agreed by a placement tutor from the University who will also meet with the practice educator and student on at least two occasions.

By the end of the module, students should be able to: Provide evidence of progress towards meeting the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency (SOP) at the appropriate level. This includes:

LO1 Demonstrate professionalism and the ability to maintain personal and professional boundaries, prioritise workloads, use supervision appropriately and reflect on the role of the social worker in a range of contexts and developmental processes.

LO2 Recognise and demonstrate social workers’ obligation to conduct themselves ethically, applying a professional value base in decision making, including through partnership with service users and other professionals.

L03 Apply anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive principles in practice, taking account of how individual identity is informed by a range of circumstances and social contexts. 

LO4 Recognise and apply principles of human rights and equality, underpinned by national and international law whilst demonstrating understanding of the effects of oppression, discrimination and poverty.

LO5 Demonstrate an understanding of how social work theory, approaches and models of intervention, as well as knowledge of social sciences and law, apply to social work practice.

LO6 Apply reflection and analysis to inform and provide a rationale for decision making using critical thinking supported by creativity and professional curiosity.

LO7: Apply judgement and authority to intervene with individuals, families and communities using a range of practice and communication skills to identify needs and risks, provide support to promote independence, and to prevent harm, neglect and abuse.

The assessment strategy is made up of a mixture of formative and summative assessments. The formative work is undertaken throughout the module and as set out in the Placement handbook and Learning Agreement and there is a mid-point review through a mid way meeting where progress is reported. The guidance and required document templates for the placement portfolio are in the placement handbook.

There are two summative assessment components:

1. A portfolio consisting of three elements (in addition to the required document templates):
 

• An oral presentation (15 minutes) based on work undertaken with a service user (10%)
• A case study of 3,000 words based on the student’s work with a service user above (50%)
• A critical incident analysis of 2,500 words (40%).

2.  Practice Assessment Report: an holistic assessment is made by the Practice Educator of the student’s acquisition of the professional capabilities against the nine domains in the Professional Capability Framework. The Practice Educator completes a final Report at the end of the placement – this includes evidence of meeting the professional capabilities at the end of placement level. The Practice Educator will be required to make a final recommendation on whether the student has met the required standard as either a pass or fail at the end of their report.

Banks, S (2012) Ethics and values in social work. 2nd edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Beckett, C. (2010) Assessment and Intervention in Social Work – Preparing for Practice. London: Sage
Cree, V.E. and Myers, S. (2008) Social Work – Making a Difference. Bristol:The Policy Press.
Coulshed, V and Orme, J. (2012) Social Work Practice (5th Ed.) Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Dalrymple, J. and Burke, B.  (2006) Anti Oppressive Practice: Social Care and the Law. (2nd Edition). Milton Keynes: OUP
Doel, M. and Shardlow, S (2005) Modern Social Work: Teaching and Learning in Practice Settings Surrey: Ashgate.
Fook, J and Askeland, A, (2007) Challenges of Critical Reflection: ‘Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained’ Social Work Education, pp. 1–14 [Online] Available from www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/openup/fook%26gardner/resources/6.pdf
Fox, J. (2011) Effective Supervision: Child Centred Practice  [Online] Available from: www.childcentredpractice.co.uk/Websites/ccp1/images/CCP%20main/6-1%20Handbook-Effective%20Supervision%20v7-1.pdf
Hawkins, P. and Shohet, R. (2000) Supervision in the Helping Professions. Milton Keynes: OUP.
HCPC (2012a) Guidance on conduct and ethics fro students [Online] Available from:
http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10002C16Guidanceonconductandethicsforstudents.pdf
HCPC (2012b) Standards, of conduct, performance and ethics [Online] Available from:
http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10003B6EStandardsofconduct,performanceandethics.pdf
Jones, K. Cooper, B and Ferguson, H. Eds. (2008) Best Practice in Social Work. 2nd Edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Knot, C. and Scragg, T. (2007) Reflective Practice in Social Work. London: Sage/Learning Matters.
Oko, J. (2011) Understanding and Using Theory in Social Work. 2nd Edition. London: Sage/ Learning Matters.
Parker, J. and Bradley, D. (2007) Social Work Practice; Assessment, Planning & Review, 2nd edition.  London: Sage/Learning Matters.
Thompson, N. (2009) Practising Social Work.  Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Thompson, S. and Thompson, N. (2008) The Critically Reflective Practitioner. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Trevithick, P.  (2012) Social work, skills and knowledge. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.

Websites
British Association of Social Workers - is the largest association representing social work and social workers in the UK  http://www.basw.co.uk/index.php

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency (SOP) http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10003B08Standardsofproficiency- SocialworkersinEngland.pdf

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is an independent registered charity, whose role is to develop and promote knowledge about good practice in social care.
http://www.scie.org.uk/

The College of Social Work (TCSW) (2012) Professional Capabilities Framework
http://www.tcsw.org.uk/pcf.aspx