You will have a 70-day practice learning opportunity in a social work, social care, health, and/or education agency in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors of social work and social care provision.

This period of practice learning will enable you to demonstrate knowledge, critical understanding and application of the well-established knowledge, concepts and principles for social work. You will use a range of social work skills to provide and support service users their families and carers.

Practice learning and assessment will focus on the Professional Capabilities Framework domains:

(1) Professionalism
(2) Values & Ethics
(3) Diversity
(4) Rights, Justice & Economic Wellbeing
(5) Knowledge
(6) Critical Reflection & Analysis
(7) Intervention & Skills
(8) Contexts & Organisations
(9) Professional Leadership

During the placement you will attend Professional Development Days where current themes and issues will be discussed and links formed between theories, law and practice.

You are required to complete 70 full days in practice. Any days lost during placement will need to be made up at the end of the placement.

(1)

Submission of a portfolio of evidence of practice that meets the requirements of the Professional Capabilities Framework at "End of First Placement Level". Within this portfolio:
- You will need to complete three successful (pass) direct observations of your practice; interacting with service users
- To have had a Mid-Point Review of practice, considering your development against the Professional Capabilities Framework
- A completed and successful final report of capability completed by the Practice Educator, that makes a pass/fail recommendation. The report should also include confirmation that 70 days practice learning has taken place.
- Where relevant, a Work-Based Supervisor’s Report.

(2)

An ‘Analysis of Practice’ assignment (2500 words weighted at 100% assessing all LO's)
You will need to reflect on and analyse a situation occurring during your practice learning opportunity. You will write an essay reflecting on:
1. The theories used in this situation
2. How you have worked within the legislative framework, and with current policies and procedures
3. Communication skills used in the interaction/intervention, and
4. How you have considered and managed personal and professional values in your work with service users.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (33 hours):

Supervision with a Practice Educator / Work Based Supervisor for one and a half hours each week (or equivalent). This will involve:
- Learning practice skills to End of First Placement level
- Developing knowledge and critical understanding and application of theory, skills, and methods for social work
- Preparing for supervision sessions and maintaining supervision notes
- Monitoring and working within the learning agreement and any other agreed learning plans

Further to this all students should attend x3 Professional Development Days at university.

Guided Independent Study: (267 hours):

- Working directly with service users and their support networks
- Directed reading
- Working with team members
- Reading and working within agency policies and procedures
- Reflecting on own practice
- Linking the learning from the university modules to practice
- Observation and feedback on own practice
- Completing agency documentation
- Managing workload

Some materials will be accessed through Blackboard / VLE

1. On completion of this module, you will be able to demonstrate the knowledge within the Professional Capabilities Framework (TCSW, 2012) at the level of 'End of First Placement'. Knowledge and Understanding

2. On completion of this module, you will be able to apply the theories to social work / social care situations and practice within the Professional Capabilities Framework (TCSW, 2012) at the level of 'End of First Placement'. Application

3. On completion of this module, you will be able to reflect on supervision and use this to enhance accountability, professional reflection and development. Reflection

4. On completion of this module, you will be able to critically analyse your own practice. Analysis

5. On completion of this module, demonstrate an awareness in terms of your development needs for your own future practice. Learning

Computer facilities to access materials on the web and specialist online databases.

Access to appropriate texts and journals

Lishman, J. (ed.) (2015) Handbook for Practice Learning in Social Work and Social Care: Knowledge and Theory. 3rd. London Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Payne, M. (2020) How to Use Social Work Theory in Practice: An Essential Guide. Bristol. Policy Press

Thompson, N. (2021) People Skills. 5th. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This module is open only to students enrolled on the BA (Hons) Social Work.

This module is open to students enrolled on the BA (Hons) Social Work course and builds on the Level 4 skills-based module Readiness for Supervised Practice.

Students will each be allocated a professionally qualified Practice Educator (and where appropriate a Work Based Supervisor) who will work with them throughout their placement to facilitate critical thinking, support to apply classroom learning to real world practice and promote an anti-oppressive approach to social work practice.