Practice Learning Agreement

Course: / BA Yr 2
First placement / BA Yr 3
Final placement / MA Yr 1
First placement / MA Yr 2
Final placement
Duration of the placement: / days
Student:
Address:
Telephone:
Mobile:
University Email:
Emergency Contact:
Practice Educator:
HCPC Registration Number:
The Practice Educator for final year students must be a Registered Social Worker
Agency Name:
Address of Placement:
If offsite educator please insert contact details
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Practice Supervisor:
If different person than the educator
HCPC Registration Number:
The Practice Supervisor for final year students must be a Registered Social Worker
Agency Name:
Address of Placement:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:

Practice Tutor Details

Tutor:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
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
Agreed study time: (The equivalent of one half day per week may be agreed for study purposes following discussion with the appropriate agency representative as to most appropriate timing)
University Skills Development Days: These do not count as a placement day
1. / 5.
2. / 6.
3. / 7.
4.
Absences
Absences from placement should be reported to the agency as early as possible on the first day of absence.
Name of person in the agency to report to:
Please note:
Any absences must be reported to the Social Work Office and absences of more than 5 days must be supported by a sick note. All absences must be recorded on the placement calendar and submitted with portfolios to the Social Work Office at the end of the placement.
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 supervision will berecorded etc.)
Person acting as practice supervisor during any absence of the educator:
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.
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 orientationit may be helpful to discuss these with the Practice Educator/Supervisor and tutor. It may also be helpful to discuss any issues with the Departmental Equality Representative.
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 tutor or any Practice Assessment Panel recommendations.
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

For HCPC standards please click on links below

Induction & Health and Safety Checklist

Please insert date of completion against each criterion. You may add to this list to comply with agency requirements and procedures.

Induction check list / Date
Agency Aims and Objectives
Organisational structure and accountability of student
Policy information re: service delivery
Practical information (Who’s who, what’s where, etc.)
Equal Opportunities Policy and details of any support for particular groups of students
How the agency relates to other services
Glossary of terms (especially initials used)
Brief summary of relevant legislation
Health and Safety induction as per agency procedures to be completed within 1 week of placement commencement.
Standards of conduct/staff guidance
Confidentiality and recording
Complaints procedure (Organisation and Practice Learning)
Whistle blowing
Emergency Procedures including appropriate telephone numbers
Safety policy received or location known
Location of First Aid box
First Aid arrangements (including names of first aiders)
Fire procedures and location of fire extinguishers
Accident reporting and location of accident book
Protective clothing arrangements (if appropriate)
Instruction on equipment you will be using (if appropriate)
Other issues:
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.
  1. Will adhere to the agency’s confidentiality policies.
  1. Am aware of the Whistle Blowing statement of the agency and the procedures in the Practice Learning Handbook.

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.
  1. Criminal Records:The student must produce a current CRB or DBS certificate on the first day of placement and keep it available for inspection thereafter. I have inspected the CRB/DBS certificate.
  1. Whistle Blowing:I am aware of the Whistle Blowing policy of the agency and the procedures in the university Practice Learning Handbook.

Sign & date:
Target Dates for Completion of Portfolio Items

Portfolio Item

/

Target Dates

Completion of Practice Learning Agreement (including Induction & Health and Safety Checklist)
1st Direct Observation(Before Mid-Point Review)
Critical Analysis of Practice to Practice Educator (please agree a date before the Mid-point review in order that feedback can be given)
Mid-Point Review date
Completed portfolio to Practice Educator
Submission of portfolio containing PE report to University. (to the Social Work Officeon the last day of placement)

Completing the Practice Learning Agreement

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

Signatures

Student / Date:
Tutor / Date:
Practice Educator / Date:
Practice Supervisor / Date:

One signed and completed copy to be submitted to the Social Work Office no later than two weeks after placement start date.

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.

1

May 2015