PRACTICE LEARNING AGREEMENT

Course: / BA Year 2
First placement / BA Year 3
Final placement / MA Year 1
First placement / MA Year 2
Final placement
Duration of the placement: / days
Student:
Address:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Emergency Contact:
Practice Educator / Supervisor:
Agency Name:
Address of Placement:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Off-site Practice Educator:
(If applicable)
HCPC Number:
Telephone:
E-mail:

Link Lecturer Details

Link Lecturer:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Alternative contact if the Link Lecturer is unavailable: / If you receive an out of office reply from the Link Lecturer and you are in need of assistance please direct your query via:
for the Placement Administrator
Or
for the Practice Placement Lead
Placement start date: Expected end date:
Irrespective of sickness, or other unforeseen circumstances, the student must complete no less than the required number of days.
Placement hours:
Agreed start time: Agreed end time:
Students will work in accordance with agency hours which will normally equate to a minimum of seven hours per placement day.
Reflective Time
Time is to be allocated each week for the student to reflect, evaluate and analyse placement related issues. Half a day per week is recommended. The student is to take evidence of reflection to supervision for discussion.Please indicate your proposed arrangements for supporting the student to engage in regular critical reflection and self-evaluation.
Reflective time - ½ day per week or 1 day per fortnight (Please circle)
Day reflective time to be taken -
University scheduled sessions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Absencesfrom placement should be notified as early as possible on the first day of absence to:

Name of person in the agency:

Please note: Any absences must be recorded on the calendar and submitted with portfolios at the end of the placement.Absences of more than 3 days must be reported to the student’s Link Lecturer. Absences of more than 5 days must be supported by a sick note. The Practice Learning Handbook has further details about the management of absences.

Supervision arrangements - the student MUST receive a minimum of one-hour supervision per week or equivalent.All dates of supervision sessions must be recorded on the Supervision Record and the record submitted in the portfolio. Please discuss your arrangements for supervision. (Supervision contract/ how will supervision berecorded etc.)
Person acting as practice supervisor during any absence of the educator / supervisor:
Observation of practice
The student MUST be observed in practice working with a service user on at least 3 occasions during first placement and at least 4 occasions during final placement. One of these should be prior to the midpoint review.The named educator may arrange for another colleague/professional to do no more than one of the observations. One observation may be in a multi-professional meeting or other professional setting: the others must involve direct engagement with service users/ carers.
Critical Analysis of Practice (CAP)
Student must complete a minimum of 2 CAPs in the first placement and 3 in the final placement. For both placements, the first CAP must be completed and uploaded to the portfolio in advance of the mid-point review. The CAPs are to be discussed in supervision with the practice educator, with the final section being completed by the educator. For the first placement, the second CAP will be academically marked by a lecturer. (BA only)
Additional Student Support
If the student has a disability assessment or specific learning difficulty they are requested to share this with the Practice Educator/Supervisor and tutor. Students must note that non declaration of a disability or learning need may impact on their progress.
Please identify the arrangements for meeting reasonable adjustments as identified in the student’s assessment.
In certain circumstances (e.g. pregnancy, health) it may be necessary for the agency / educator to conduct a risk assessment in line with their own procedures. Please attach any risk assessments to this document.
Equality & Diversity
If the student has any needs relating to culture, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation it may be helpful to discuss these with the Practice Educator/Supervisor and Link Lecturer.
Details of discussion had with student regarding any support available within the placement relating to equality or diversity. This may include relevant support groups or networks within the agency. Please identify any relevant policies and procedures within the organisation.
Specific learning and development needs
Where relevant please identify any specific learning needs and the provision to meet these. This should include learning needs identified by the student, the student’s previous portfolio, the Link Lecturer or any recommendations arising from Professional Portfolio development meetings with the Personal Tutor.

Learning opportunities to meet learning outcomes

The student will be assessed against the following professional frameworks: the PCF at first or final placement level and the HCPC Standards of Conduct and Ethics. Please note that the PCF statements have been mapped to the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for qualifying social workers. We have provided links to these frameworks below. With these in mind please indicate the learning opportunities the student will be engaged in to enable them to develop their social work identity, knowledge, skills and values.
The final placement (100 days) must prepare students for the statutory aspects of a social worker’s role by offering them opportunities to demonstrate engagement with:
  • Formal assessment processes
  • Application and understanding of legal frameworks relevant for social work practice, organisational policies and decisions and their impact on service delivery to service users
  • The demands of a high pressured environment, where time and competing interests have to be managed effectively
  • Multi-agency working, including planning interventions with other agencies, and analysing and managing tensions
  • Presentation of outcomes of formal assessment processes, including analysis of risk/recommendations in line with organisational policy /procedure at, e.g. panels/meetings/courts
  • Use of formal agency recording for assessment/risk
Please detail the experiences available in the setting to meet the above.

For PCF level descriptors please click on links below

First placement

Final placement

For HCPC standards please click on links below

Car Insurance Requirements
All students should check with their insurers that they are insured for work purposes. In addition students who may carry service users in their cars MUST ensure that they have appropriate insurance cover before doing so.
I confirm that my car is insured for use for all work purposes.
Signature of student:
I have seen the insurance document
Signature of Practice Educator/Supervisor/agency representative:
Travel Costs
There is an expectation that the agency will reimburse the student for in-placement travel costs. Travel costs should be kept to a minimum where possible. Please ensure that the student is aware of how to claim their costs back.
I the student
1)Have familiarised myself with the agency’s procedures in relation to the Data Protection Act.
2) Will adhere to the agency’s confidentiality policies.
3) Am aware of the Whistle Blowing statement of the agency and the procedures in the university ‘Escalating Concerns’ document.
Sign & date
I (the Educator/Supervisor or agency representative)
1) Public/ employee Liability: Agencies should provide the same standard insurance cover as they do for their own staff, both in terms of employer liability for any work undertaken and for accidents to staff in the course of their work. I confirm that the student will be treated as an employee for insurance purposes
2) Criminal Records:The student must produce a current DBS certificate on the first day of placement and keep it available for inspection thereafter. I have inspected the DBS certificate. (Please note – a copy should not be kept, only the number and date recorded)
3) Whistle Blowing: I am aware of the Whistle Blowing policy of the agency and the procedures in the university ‘Escalating Concerns’ document.
Sign & date
Target Dates for Completion of Portfolio Items

PORTFOLIO ITEM

/

TARGET DATES

Completion of Induction & Health and Safety Checklist
1st Direct Observation(Before Mid-Point Review)
Critical Analysis of Practice to Practice Educator (agree a date before the Mid-point review in order that feedback can be given)
Mid-Point Review date
Final Report
Submission of completed placement portfolio to University (via Blackboard),on the last day of placement.

Completing the Practice Learning Agreement

Remember that this document cannot be signed off until all sections are completed. It must be reviewed during the placement, particularly at the midpoint review.

Signatures

StudentDate:

Practice Educator Date:

Practice Supervisor Date:

Link LecturerDate:

If changes are made please ensure all relevant parties have a copy. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all parties have a copy of this document

Data Protection

This document may be shared with relevant parties only. This document is to be stored and destroyed in line with the host agency’s data protection arrangements.

November 2016