Practice Learning Handbook MA and BA Social Work

Practice Learning Handbook MA and BA Social Work

2014 / 2015

Contents

UCLan Mission statement

Supporting Diversity at UCLan

1. Introduction to Practice Learning

1.1 Welcome to the Course

1.2 Rationale, Aims and Learning Outcomes

1.3 Practice Learning Team...... 5

2. Preparation for Practice Learning...... 6

2.1 Suitability for Social Work...... 6

2.2 Disclosure and Barring Service (DSB)...... 6

2.3 Assessment of Readiness for Direct Practice...... 7

3. Allocation of Practice Placements...... 7

3.1 Identifying a placement...... 8

3.2 Allocation Information...... 8

3.3 Allocation Process...... 9

3.4Querying an Allocation...... 9

4. Commencing Placement...... 11

4.1 Roles and Responsibilities...... 11

4.2 Overview of the Practice Learning Documentation and Process...... 15

4.3 Assessment of Practice Learning...... 17

4.4 Attendance and Absence from Placement...... 18

5. Quality Assurance of Placements...... 18

6. Addressing Concerns and Difficulties...... 19

7. Research on Placement: advice for students, tutors and practice educators.....23

8. Whistleblowing……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………24

9. Suitability and Fitness to Practise

10. Placement arrangements for BA Students who do not proceed at the June / July assessment boards.

APPENDICES...... 31

UCLan Mission Statement

WE PROMOTE ACCESS TO EXCELLENCE ENABLING YOU TO DEVELOP YOUR POTENTIAL

We value and practise equality of opportunity, transparency and tolerance.

We strive for excellence in all we do: locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

We work in partnership with business, the community and other educators.

We encourage and promote research, innovation and creativity.

Supporting Diversity at UCLan

UCLan recognises and values individual difference and has a public duty to promote equality and remove discrimination in relation to race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. During your time at UCLan we expect you to be able to:

• experience "an integrated community based on mutual respect and tolerance where all staff and students can feel safe, valued and supported."
• contribute to creating a positive environment where discriminatory practices and discrimination no longer happen.

Please review the UCLan Equality and Diversity Policy for further information.

1. Introduction to practice learning

1.1 Welcome to the course

Practice learning is a central and core component of social work education and the School of Social Work warmly welcomes all of those involved with it. This handbook provides guidance for key people involved in practice learning on the BA (Hons) and MA Social Work programmes: this includes students, practice educators, tutors, placement providers and practice supervisors. The handbook should be read in conjunction with information found on the practice learning website (external viewers) and Blackboard (students).

1.2 Rationale, aims and learning outcomes

All students who are training to be registered social workers are required to complete practice placements. The placement element of the social work programme has been structured in line with requirements and guidance from The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and The College of Social Work (TCSW).Key documents have been included as Appendices (1, 2 & 3) for further reference. Social work practice is complex and thus placements should be an opportunity for students to develop their knowledge, skills and values and build on their learning within the taught elements of the programme. Students will be assessed holistically across both placements and will be expected to develop generic practice skills applicable to all areas of specialist practice once they are qualified.

Students undertake a first placement of 70 days and a 100 day final placement. BA students go out on placement in Semester 1 and MA students go out in semester 2. This pattern has enhanced the number of good quality placements available to the programme and ensures continuity for agencies (Appendix 4). The School of Social Work at UCLan is able to provide practice placements in a broad range of different types of services and settings. This provides some flexibility in matching student learning needs.

Longstanding and effective partnership arrangements underpin the organisation and delivery of practice placements. The University works closely with a wide range of agencies from the Third and Statutory sectors and values highly its working relationships with practice colleagues. Practice colleagues are regularly involved in other aspects of the School’s activity, including involvement with admissions, teaching, assessment, suitability and fitness to practise procedures, preparation for employment, programme management and research. The Greater Lancashire and Cumbria Social Work Education and Training Network (SWETN) supports the overall strategic coordination of practice placements in the sub region and discusses issues relating to programme planning, placements, quality assurance and strategy. In this way, the SWETN ensures effective deployment, delivery and review of practice learning provision and social work education.

Placement patterns are reviewed at the sub-regional level of the Social Work Education & Training Network, supported by local Universities and partner agencies who work strategically together to ensure a planned approach to practice learning.

1.3 Practice Learning Team

Jane Heyes
Principal Lecturer / 01772 893463

Pam Field
Senior Lecturer (Work-based Learning Team Lead) / 01772 892729

Mia Gatrell
Senior Lecturer / 01772 893474

Ruth Parkes
Associate Lecturer / 01772 893939

Sue Bradshaw
Practice Learning Administrative Assistant / 01772 893763

Harrington 301
Practice Learning Administrative Assistant / 01772 894361

Harrington 301
Practice Learning Team
Postal Address / School of Social Work
Harrington Building
University of Central Lancashire,
Preston.
PR1 2HE
Undergraduate Year One students atBurnleyshould, in the first instance, contact: Anna Gillespie (Course Leader). Alternatively Steve Gethin Jones (Burnley Campus UCLan lead) / 01282 711242


Undergraduate Year One studentsatKendalshould, in the first instance, contact: Gayle Salt(Course Leader) / 01539 814792

2. Preparation for Practice Learning

2.1 Suitability for Social Work

As part of the Admissions process,all students are considered in relation to their suitability for social work education and training. The School Suitability Panel, chaired by a member of the Senior Management Team and attended by agency colleagues makes decisions according to agreed criteria. Once on the course, students then complete annual declarations of on-going suitability. It is the responsibility of each student to notify the School of Social Work of any changes. Suitability includes: criminal matters; disciplinary matters; protection of children and people that use services; health; residency and previous training.

2.2 Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Please read this section of the handbook very carefully, irrespective of your criminal record/barring status. As this course will involve regular access to children and/or vulnerable adults students will be required to obtain an Enhanced Disclosure, including checks on both children’s and adults’ barring lists, from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Having a DBS check

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they apply for a DBS certificate when instructed to do so. Failure to do so will result in a delayed placement and may be deemed to be unprofessional behaviour. Students will be assisted to complete a DBS application during the induction period.

All students will have been screened using the Declaration of Suitability process prior to being formally accepted upon the social work programme. It is important that you notify us if your status has changed in the period between application and enrolment, as discrepancies between your original declaration and the result of your DBS check will be referred to the Suitability Panel.

Students will be required to produce their Disclosure Certificate for scrutiny when requested by the Practice Learning Team, placement settings, or at any other relevant time. It is the student’s responsibility to safeguard their certificate and ensure that it is available for scrutiny during the full period of the programme. In the event that a certificate is lost the student will be required to apply and pay for a new certificate, and this may result in delayed start to placement.

Each student will complete an annual Declaration of Suitability at the point of re-enrolment. Students returning from a period of absence will need to apply for a new DBS certificate.

If the DBS status changes

It is the student’s responsibility to inform their tutor and course leader immediately (verbally and in writing) if their Disclosure status changes, or if police investigations are proceeding, at any point during the duration of the course and a decision will be made as to whether the student may remain on the programme. If students are found not to have disclosed any changes to their Disclosure status, they will be required to leave the programme.

DBS and placements

• No student will be permitted to commence a placement, until they have had their DBS certificate verified and agreed as being appropriate for social work training.

• Where students have offences or bars recorded on their DBS record, the Practice Learning Team will be required to share details of these with prospective placement agencies. This will be done anonymously at first: the student’s name will only be shared if the agency is considering offering a placement to that student. The agency may wish to invite the student for a meeting to discuss their DBS status further.
• Agencies reserve the right not to accept students. Students who have offences or bars on their DBS certificate are advised that in some circumstances, it may take some time to find a placement for them. Exceptionally, it may not be possible to find a placement. Where this situation arises, the student will be informed and counselled with a view to pursuing an alternative course of study. In very exceptional circumstances, a student’s DBS certificate may be returned with ‘additional information’. In such circumstances the School may be unable to allocate a practice learning opportunity.
• Students are required to take their DBS certificate to the pre-placement meetings, to show to their practice educator and have this available for further inspection should the agency require it at a later date.

2.3 Assessed Readiness for Direct Practice

Before commencing a practice placement, all students will be assessed for readiness for direct practice. This assessment will be undertaken in line with TCSW requirements for Readiness for Practice under each of the 9 domains (Appendix 6). A formal Panel will consider relevant factors.

The preparation for practice modules will enable students to demonstrate basic communication skills, ability to engage with users, capacity to work as a member of an organisation, willingness to learn from feedback and supervision and demonstrate basic social work values, knowledge and skills in order to be able to make effective use of the first practice placement.

If a student is assessed as unfit or unsafe to undertake practice learning the student will be referred to the Assessment Board. The Board will consider and make a recommendation.

The options are:

• That the student will be offered further opportunities to demonstrate readiness to undertake practice learning
• That the issues are serious enough to warrant the decision that the student has failed and no further opportunities will be offered to the student. In this instance the student will normally be referred to the Fitness to Practise Panel and may be offered the opportunity to transfer to a non-professional degree course.

3. Allocation of Practice Placements

Practice placements are co-ordinated by the Practice Learning Team in partnership with colleagues in agencies. Students are placed in a wide range of practice settings including fieldwork, residential, day care, community settings, health centres or hospitals and may be in the Third or Statutory sectors. Agencies offering practice learning opportunities are also spread across a wide geographical area. Students will have different practice experiences in the first and last placement; the final placement must prepare students for the statutory aspects of a social worker’s role.

3.1 Identifying Placements

If students or tutors have information about potential placements (that are not part of our existing placement pool) they should discuss these with the Practice Learning Team. If appropriate they will liaise with agency staff and assess these as potential placements to be added to the placement pool. If a student is offered a placement (e.g. by a friend / family / agency) the student must advise them to direct the offer back through their agency placement coordinator. Students must not approach agencies directly themselves and are not permitted to arrange their own placement. The reason for this is to ensure objectivity of assessment, equity for all students and is in accordance with local protocols with agencies. This is standard practice on all Social Work Programmes.

3.2 Allocation Information

Students are required to complete a profile to inform placement allocation. The profile is sent to placement providers. The purpose of the profile is to capture useful information to inform the allocation process and introduce the student to a potential placement. It is important for students to advise the Practice Learning Team of relevant information; this can be documented either on the profile or via direct communication.

Please note: Some placements require a car driver and are not able to take students who do not drive and do not have access to a car. In order to ensure that an appropriate allocation is made, students are asked to indicate clearly whether or not they drive and have access to a car for their placement. It is becoming increasingly difficult to identify final placements, particularly in the Statutory sector, for non-car drivers.

• Students will be allocated according to the criteria set out in The College of Social Work’s Practice Learning Guidance Placement criteria document (edref9)

• Students will be invited to express a broad preference of service area for their final placement. This will be taken into account amongst other factors.

• Wherever possible, the Practice Learning Team will strive to place students conveniently in relation to their home town. Students will not normally have more than 1 hour travelling time each way (including on public transport). However, where students choose to live significant distances from Preston, this cannot be guaranteed. In some cases where we cannot allocate in the student’s home area we will consider placements near the student’s University campus as a fair allocation.

• Students in receipt of a bursary receive a fixed contributiontowards their placement travel expenses from their term time address to the placement agency.Students will need to cover any additional placement travel costs themselves. It is expected that the agency offering the placement will contribute towards the in-placement travel costs incurred while carrying out placement duties.

Applicants should consult the NHS/BSA website for further information

• Students are not permitted to undertake out of area placements. The ‘area’ refers broadly to the North West of England.

• Students should not be placed in any setting where a fair and objective assessment may be compromised. Students must make the practice learning team aware of any potential conflicts of interest. Depending upon the circumstances, this may not necessarily preclude the placement; however students MUST make the team aware of any instances where their assessment may be compromised.

• In order to assist with appropriate allocations: Students should advise the practice learning team if they are or have been service users in a particular agency. Where this is the case, students are advised to discuss this with their tutor.

3.3 Allocation Process

The following principles underpin the allocation of student placements. They have been devised to ensure that procedures are transparent and to enable reasonable adjustments to be made where appropriate.

The allocations are made on the basis of the information provided by the student on their placement allocation profile and information on any documentation relating to disability or specific learning support needs.The Practice Learning Team take into account both student circumstances and agency requirements.

Student circumstances to take into consideration at allocation / Requirements of the placement to take into consideration at allocation
Specific disability requirements
Specific health issues
Significant carer responsibilities / Some agencies require students to do hours outside of the usual working pattern of 9am to 5pm
Specific cultural considerations
Use of car or public transport / Does the placement require the student to have access to a car?
Residence during the placement / Is the placement within one hour travel (car or public transport) from the student’s home or University campus?
DBS status / DBS status will be checked with the agency
Additional skills (e.g. additional language skills) / Some agencies are only able to offer a placement to students with specific language skills e.g. British Sign Language.
Age / Is there a minimum age requirement of the placement e.g. Care Standards in relation to residential care of young people?
Gender / Does the agency specify a particular gender e.g. a women’s’ refuge?
Student’s previous allocations or work experience / Will the allocation offer appropriate learning opportunities?

3.4Querying the Allocation

Although the Practice Learning Team strive to offer placements near to home and within a setting the student has indicated interest in, it is not always possible to do that. Students are advised to approach the Practice Learning Team in the first instance if they think there has been an error in the allocation (for example if they are allocated a final placement that is very similar to the first placement). Where errors have been made the Practice Learning Team will reallocate.

Students may express a preference to work with a particular service group but be allocated a different type of placement. In these circumstances students are reminded that the social work award is generic and therefore they need to demonstrate capability in a range of settings. Although they may not consider it ideal initially they may find that it is an area of work that they are suited to and will go on to have very rewarding placement experience.

It must be noted that the world of social work is changing and the Third Sector increasingly provides services, both statutory and non-statutory. The majority of first placements and a growing minority of final placements will take place in the Third Sector. This is a standard situation in social work education across the country.