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Practice learning makes up half of the social work degree.
Many social work students, however, are often most anxious about this aspect of their
studies. The general shortage of placements and concerns about the quality of some practice
learning opportunities simply heighten these anxieties.
There is no doubt that where students are well prepared for their
placement and where they clearly understand what is required of them, they get more from their
practice learning opportunities. Students certainly get out of practice learning what they
put into it!
Siobhan Maclean and Rob Harrison, well known for their popular
book “Theory and Practice: A Straightforward Guide for Social Work Students”, have now published a
Reference Guide for social work students to assist them to make the most of their placements,
whatever the setting.
Social Work Practice Learning
Our aim is to de-mystify the process as much as possible, so that
social work students are clear about what the practice learning process entails, what may be asked
of them, how they will be assessed during their placements, and what to do if things don’t go to
plan. We recognise that as well as wanting to learn, grow and develop, most students want to
come out of the placement at the end successfully and progress to the next stage of the course or
their first qualified position.
Practice learning is not just about passing the social work degree
– it is half of the degree. Social work is a professional qualification, so that the academic
grade which students receive is part of the qualification, and the other part which enables people
to practice as a social worker is achieved by successfully completing 200 days of practice
learning.
Completing placements as part of the social work degree is also
supposed to be an experience which is enjoyable. After all, the idea of doing a professional
qualification is to become a competent practitioner in that field of work. Students who
complete social work courses usually find that practice learning is the part of their course which
makes everything fit together, so that placements allow them opportunities to put into practice all
of the academic learning which they have undertaken in the university setting. By
de-mystifying some of the process and the expectations around assessment, this book will enable
social work students to enjoy the experiences on offer during practice learning.
Learning during social work placements
It is clear that anxiety can impede learning. However,
apprehension has a positive impact on learning. This Guide has been designed to address
typical anxieties which students might have, whilst recognising that it is useful for students to
be apprehensive as they enter their practice learning opportunities.
Social work students need to take responsibility for their own
learning as it is as much the individual student’s responsibility to make the placement a success
as any other participant. Students should be proactive about this from the outset of their
placement. An active approach to learning and the ability to explain reasons for decision
making and actions are crucial to a successful outcome for social work students.
Supervision for social work students on
placement
The word “supervision” can sound confusing to many social work
students, particularly for those who have not had any prior experience of professional supervision
in social care or social work. For some social work students, the idea of supervision can
provoke anxieties about being “watched”. Having a clear framework for supervision is
important so that social work students are clear about what to expect from supervision sessions in
terms of preparation and participation as both part of an assessment process and as a learning
opportunity in itself.
Assessment of students during practice
learning
Demonstrating competence in social work is key to successfully
passing a social work placement. Clearly the fact that placements involve a “pass” or “fail”
at the end is itself the key issue for most social work students in approaching their practice
learning. Understanding how assessment works in social work practice learning and what
assessors are looking for is helpful and this guide presents this in a clear and accessible format
so that students can feel less anxious and better prepared to achieve the pass they are working
towards.
Everything you ever wanted to know about social work
placements…
The book " Making the Most of Your Practice Learning
Opportunities " supports social work students to understand exactly what is expected of them in
their 200 days of practice learning during their social work course.
This book has been written by two experienced practice teachers to
address many students’ anxieties about their social work placements.
Section A gives an overview of the status of practice learning
within the social work degree, and explains the practice learning process. This section helps
social work students understand the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in practice
learning, including the practice educator (whether they are working on or off-site), the work-based
supervisor, the tutor, and the student themselves.
Subsequent sections include chapters on the following
areas:
• Getting a social work placement
• The differences between statutory and non-traditional practice
learning opportunities in social work
• How to prepare for a social work placement
• Taking responsibility for your own learning during
placements
• Using supervision in social work practice learning
• The assessment process and how this works for social work
student placements
• What to do if you are failing a social work placement
• Identifying your future learning needs and getting a job
following your social work degree
Current students and recent graduates have contributed to the
guide by summarising their learning and drawing on their experiences to advise students how to get
the most from their placement. A number of practice teachers have also contributed to the
Guide by outlining what they are looking for from a student on placement.
The idea is for the book to act as a reference guide in order to
develop students’ confidence about social work placements. The aim is that students feel well
prepared for practice learning, able to take responsibility for their own learning during
placements, and confident to enjoy the experiences which are available during the wide variety of
possible practice learning opportunities.
This brand new book available from Kirwin Maclean Associates
Limited has already proved very popular with social work students and lecturers in social work on a
variety of programmes across the country.
If you are sent into a sense of panic about what to expect during
your social work placement, then this is the book for you and you can see more details by
clicking HERE.
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