1. Evidence the knowledge, skills and values as set out in the Professional Capabilities Framework (BASW, 2018) ‘End of first placement’ level descriptor

Application and Problem Solving

Safe and Professional Practice

2. Critically reflect on personal and professional values, drawing on supervision and feedback to understand their impact on social work practice and to identify future learning needs.

Reflection

Personal development & entrepreneurship

3. Demonstrate critical awareness and application of the evidence base that informed your practice during your first placement.

Application and Problem Solving

4. Critically select and apply a range of digital tools to record, manage, and share information, demonstrating accuracy, ethical awareness, and adherence to professional standards

Digital Literacy

Safe and Professional Practice

Formative Assessment:

Formative assessments will be undertaken with the practice educator (PE) during the 70-day placement.  This may include reflective diary, written tasks, group discussions or short presentations designed to support you in meeting your identified learning needs, these are all designed to support students in making links between their practice and the Professional Capabilities Framework

Assessment 1:

Completion of all elements of the digital Professional Practice Portfolio. This will include

Student Learning Plan

Mid-Point Review

3 x Successfully completed direct observations of practice, including evidence of preparation, observer feedback and student reflection on the observation

3 x 750-word critical reflections mapped to the PCF super domains (NB an additional reflection will be required from students where the concerns process was initiated/followed)

Future learning needs

Summative Practice Educator report

Student reflection on the summative Practice Educator report

Where relevant, a Work-Based Supervisor’s Report.

Assessment 2: You will produce a 2000-word reflection based on your own practice during your first placement.

You will commence a 70-day practice learning opportunity (placement) where you will have the opportunity to demonstrate that you have met the requirements of the Professional Capabilities Framework at the End of First Placement level. Your placement could be in any relevant setting which will have been quality assured to ensure that it provides suitable opportunities to demonstrate your capabilities.

Prior to commencing your placement, you will be required to attend 2 weeks of mandatory skills days (or equivalent 10 days) to consolidate and apply the learning from level 4 and level 5 to practice, in preparation for your first placement. These will be phenomena-based in approach, using simulation and collaboration with practice partners and people with lived experience to develop your confidence and application of knowledge, skills and behaviours.

During your placement, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, critical understanding and application of theories, concepts, and values of social work. You will utilise a range of social work skills to provide and support service users their families and carers.

Throughout your placement you will receive a minimum of 1.5 hours supervision (or equivalent) provided by a practice educator, and or, an onsite supervision (sometimes called a work-based supervisor). This supervision will help you to explore and develop your:

Professional identity

Practice skills

Knowledge, critical understanding and application of theory, skills, and methods for social work.

Professional accountability for your own work

This module will also support you in developing the reflective practice, and analytical skills required for social work.  Teaching and learning during the professional development days (PDDS) will focus on:

Reflective practice

Application of social work theory 

The relationship between law and practice 

Social work values and decision making/ethical dilemmas 

Communication skills in practice 

Professional identity and accountability.

This module offers the first opportunity to put learning into real world practice. You will undertake a 70-day placement, will be allocated a professionally qualified Practice Educator who will work with you throughout your placement to facilitate critical thinking, support you to apply classroom learning to real-world practice and promote an anti-oppressive approach to social work practice.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities:

10 mandatory skills days focused preparation days prior to placements commencing. These are mandatory and form part of the 30 skills days required by SWE during the course, any missed days regardless of the reason must be made up.

4 Professional development days throughout the placement

During the classroom sessions there may be -

Peer learning: Small group discussion to explore some of the key issues in greater depth.

Case-based learning:

Simulated practice experiences

Reflective groups discussion.

Guided Independent Study:

Directed reading

Completion of tasks set by the practice educator

Assignment preparation

Accessing the VLE

You are required to complete 70 full days in practice. Any missed days, regardless of the reason, will need to be made up at the end of the placement.

Beesley, P. (2020) Making the most of your social work placement. 1st ed. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Thompson, N 2024, Understanding Social Work : Preparing for Practice, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [5 March 2026].

Teater, B. (2024) An introduction to applying social work theories and methods. Fourth edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Islam, M.R. (2024) Fieldwork in Social Work : A Practical Guide. 1st ed. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56683-7.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429297120

Littlechild, B., Mills, K. and Parkers, R. (2020) Working with conflict in social work practice. 1st ed. London, England ; Open University Press.

Parker, J. (2021) Social work practice : assessment, planning, intervention and review. 6th ed. London : Learning Matters.

Mantell, A. and Scragg, T. (2023) Reflective practice in social work : Sixth edition. London: Learning Matters.

Tedam, P (2024) Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice. Learning Matters

Simulation suites

Virti or other digital tools to aid in phenomena or simulation-based learning