A portfolio of materials from the student's practice learning setting, which taken together, demonstrate a student's achievement of competence at honours level both in academic and professional requirements.

The academic standard will be assessed by the academic tutor and practice learning supervisor/assessor jointly. The professional requirements will be assessed
`competent/not yet competent' basis, by the practice learning supervisor/assessor.

a) Academic Knowledge, Understanding and Learning, underpinning professional practice - graded

Six analyses of practice focussing on the practical application of values; law; either children and family or adult service provision; lifespan development; social work theory and process; communication skills and addressing NOS Key Roles 1- 6.

Learning Outcomes 1 and 2
Students must achieve an overall mark of 40%. Students must achieve a pass in both academic and professional requirements.

b) Professional practice

Students will be assessed as competent/not yet competent in the following elements:

1)A competence report based on the NOS Key Roles 1 to 6 `signed off' by the practice learning supervisor/assessor
Learning Outcomes 3, 5 and 7

2)Three direct observations of practice, demonstrating competent `signed off' by the practice learning supervisor/assessor
Learning Outcome 6

3)A selection of supervision notes completed by the practice learning supervisor/assessor
Learning Outcomes 4 and 8

Students must also submit for information purposes only a description of the practice setting; an account of the work undertaken; the learning agreement; the mid point report; and the formal evaluation of the practice learning opportunities.

Word targets:

Analyses of Practice 6 x 1000
Other documentation maximum 1500
TOTAL 7500

Students must achieve a pass ie. a `competent' assessment in all components
Students must achieve 40% in order to pass this module. No compensation or condonation is allowed.

Practice learning for social work in a social work, social care, health, offenders and/or education agency in the statutory and/or independent sectors of social work provision.

This period of practice learning will enable students to demonstrate a systematic understanding of key aspects of social work knowledge and practice. This will include acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, at least some of which is at or informed by, the forefront of practice interventions and research in social work practice.

Practice learning and assessment will focus on the National Occupational Standards for Social Work (2002) key roles for social work:

Key Role 1: Prepare for, and work with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities to assess their needs and circumstances;
Key Role 2: Plan, carry out, review and evaluate social work practice with individuals, families, carers, groups, communities and other professionals;
Key Role 3: Support individuals to represent their needs, views and circumstances;
Key Role 4: Manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and colleagues;
Key Role 5: Manage and be accountable with supervision and support for your own social work practice within your organisation;
Key Role 6: Demonstrate professional competence in social work practice.

1. A practice learning setting agreed by the university as able to provide the required learning experiences. Practice learning settings are arranged by the Institute co-ordinator, students do not make their own arrangements.
2. A practice learning assessor agreed by the university and/or the partners involved in delivery of the award
3. Direct work with service users - agreed at a Practice Learning Opportunity planning meeting
4. Tutor support.
5. A practice learning pack of materials provided by the university.
6. IT resources
7. Library resources
8. Most practice learning settings will require that a student has the use of a car. The car must have business purposes insurance. The cost of this insurance to be borne by the student.
9. Financial support for practice learning provided by application to the university hardship fund or other sources.
10. The programme handbook - containing the requirements for practice learning

This module is open only to students enrolled on the BA (Hons) Social Work who have successfully completed level 2 of this award.

Student must also have studied all other level 3 modules on the BA (Hons) Social Work & cannot combine this module with level 3 modules outside of the BA (Hons) Social Work.

You will need access to the following texts:

1. Trevithick, P (2005) Social Work Skills (2nd ed), A Practice Handbook Open University Press, ISBN 0-335-21499-1
2. Adams, R, Dominelli, L. & Payne, M. (2002), 2nd Ed Social Work Themes, Issues and Critical Debates, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0-333-98593-1
3. Thompson, N (2002) People Skills, 2nd Edition Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0-333-98746-2
4. Parker, J (2004) Effective Practice Learning in Social Work, Exeter, Learning Matters, ISBN 1-84445-015-5

1. Supervision with a Practice Learning Assessor for one and a half hours each week (usually). This will involve:
learning practice skills to Honours level ? see outcomes below;
developing knowledge, critical understanding, and critical analysis of theory, skills, and methods for social work;
preparing for supervision sessions and maintaining supervision notes;
monitoring and working within the learning agreement.

2. Working directly with service users and their support networks.
3. Delegated supervision to another person - on occasions
4. Directed reading.
5. Working with team members.
6. Reading and working within agency policies and procedures.
7. Reflecting on own practice, by means of the Analyses of Practice
8. Linking the learning from the university modules to practice.
9. Observation and feedback on own practice.
10. Completing agency documentation.
11. Managing workloads.