The aim of this module is to enable participants to integrate and embed their professional knowledge and social work value base gained throughout the programme into their specialist practice setting, developing and demonstrating competence in empowering specialist social work practice. The students will be facilitated to explore and challenge the utility of theories and models of empowerment for practice, critically analysing how empowering social work practice is supported and challenged by the differing values bases encountered in contemporary practice contexts. Students will also be encouraged to explore theories of change management and their application to self and others and will be facilitated to reflect upon and develop further personal strategies in order to improve the ability to cope with uncertainty and manage their practice within the rapidly changing social and policy context. A critical understanding of responsibility and accountability will be enhanced through an exploration of models of leadership. Students will explore the development of a portfolio as a systematic method of providing evidence of Continuing Professional Development and competence and will revisit the use of critical reflection as a process for transforming perspectives on practice. The links between critical reflection, transformational learning and personal development planning (PDP) will be explored and it's utility in guiding and providing evidence of the achievement of their specialist standards and competencies in practice. Further opportunity to discuss progression and achievement of individual PDP's will be provided throughout the module both through specialist group and individual tutorials. Two individual review sessions will be jointly completed with the student's personal tutor and their practice assessor. In the latter part of the module, students will use specialist action learning sets in order to learn from peer review and reflection on relevant problems and issues drawn from the student's empowering practice, being facilitated to explore the professional knowledge, theory and values that underpinned or challenged the issue and evaluating the effectiveness of decisions taken. Students will produce an action plan at the end of each set meeting and will be encouraged to consider how this links to their PDP.

Adams,R(2003) Social Work and Empowerment, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN 1403905517http://site.ebrary.com/lib/staffordshire/
Cournoyer,B.R and Stanley,M (2001) The Social Work Portfolio:Planning,Assessing and Documenting Lifelong Learning in a Dynamic Profession ISBN 9780534343057
Gould,N.G and Baldwin,M (2004) Social Work, Critical Reflection and the Learning Organisation, Aldershot, Arena ISBN 9870754631675
Pease, B and Fook, J (1999) Transforming Social Work Practice: Postmodern Critical Perspectives. London,Routledge http://site.ebrary.com/lib/staffordshire/

Qualified social worker, registered with the GSCC.
Students must have attended the taught element of four modules of the full specialist social work practice award
Must be currently working in the relevant context for specialist practice route.
Will have an identified assessor to support practice learning and assessment.

Audio visual aids and equipment: laptop PC and data projector, OHP and flipchart, television monitor and DVD or video player.
Appropriate rooms for small group work
Peer group within action learning set
Module and personal tutor.
PC with internet access, access to Blackboard VLE

Teacher/Student Contact Hours 60 hours
The emphasis of this module is to develop and integrate the learning and application of learning from the full programme of study. Therefore contact time will initially provide input on theoretical underpinnings and reinforcement of skills to develop reflection and synthesis of knowledge. Later input will focus on key themes relevant to the settings of the student group and strategies for effective communication of evidence. (50%) Students will also be supported through action learning to reflect on the challenges of specialist social work practice in complex situations. (40%) Group and individual tutorial support will also be provided (10%)

Independent Learning: 240 hours
Independent learning time will be utilised to firstly to explore literature relevant to the key themes (20%) and subsequently to prepare material for use in the action learning set (20%). However the development of the portfolio is central to the module and therefore the majority of independent learning time will be spent in preparation for the module assessment (50%). Practitioners can independently access resources and support for their learning using Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) (10%).

Portfolio of Practice (100%) Meets learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5 and 6

Students will construct a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that they have achieved the GSCC professional requirements and standards for specialist social work practice.

The portfolio must include:
- Successful completion of specialist competency document. The achievement of competence must be verified, passed and signed by an agreed practice assessor
- Successful completion of a direct observation of practice in the learners specialist area of social work
- A range of further supporting evidence demonstrating achievement of specialist competency
- A critically reflective narrative (6,000 words) of the evidence provided in the portfolio which demonstrates
i) how professional knowledge and evidence, professional and organisational drivers, assessment and evaluation has been utilised to transform perspectives and ideas
ii) their response to transformed perspectives that have resulted in the creative development and delivery of empowering competent social work practice that delivers effective person-centred or child-centred outcomes
iii) makes recommendations for own further learning and for the development of further knowledge and evidence within the professional body of knowledge

Both elements of assessment must be passed

Formative assessment:
Two individual joint reviews will provide feedback and guidance on the ongoing personal development plan, and the construction of evidence for the portfolio
Feedback will provided on formative reflective writing.