Practice Learning Placement 1 - SPY00073H

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Additional information

Prerequisite module - Social Work Practice Skills

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2025-26

Module aims

All social work students are required to undertake a 70 day first placement. Your first placement will enable you to learn more about yourself as a learner and as a developing professional, and will offer opportunities for you to develop the skills you need to progress to the next level (see End of First Placement: Student PCF Descriptors available on the British Association of Social Workers website).

While on placement, students will be supported by a Practice Educator (Registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ post-qualifying experience and a ‘Practice Education’ qualification) and a University Liaison.

‘Professional Development Groups’ (PDGs) are at intervals throughout the placement; PDGs are 1 hour sessions at which students reflect on their practice experience in small groups.

During the first placement students will acquire professional capabilities across 9 domains. In attaining these capabilities, the national (Social Work England) expectation is that students will gain practical experience of at least 200 days. This should include three elements –

• 30 days of skills practice

• 70 days first placement

• 100 days final placement

This module is the 70 day first placement. Details of the Professional Capabilities Framework are at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/. “The Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) is the profession-owned backbone of social work education and professional development in England” (BASW 2018).

Module learning outcomes

During the first placement students will demonstrate ‘professional capabilities’ across 9 ‘domains’ at the level appropriate to the End of First Placement.

LO1: Professionalism

LO2: Values & Ethics

LO3: Diversity & Equality

LO4: Right Justice & Economic Wellbeing

LO5: Knowledge

LO6: Critical Reflection & Analysis

LO7: Skills & Interventions

LO8: Contexts & Organisations

LO9: Professional Leadership

Details of professional capabilities expectations for each domain at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/capabilities/?level=8

Module content

There will be an introductory lecture in Semester 1 Week 2, along with a practical ‘Placement Applications’ session.

Placement 1 starts in Semester 2. While on placement, students will be supported by a Practice Educator (Registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ post-qualifying experience and a ‘Practice Education’ qualification) and a University Liaison.

‘Professional Development Groups’ (PDGs) are embedded at intervals throughout the placement; PDGs are 1 hour sessions at which students reflect on their practice experience in small groups.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

Pass/fail & Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Students receive feedback from their Practice Educator as part of the report writing process. Students are informed about their grade (P/F) within 4 weeks of submission.

Indicative reading

Banks, S. (2021) Ethics and Values in Social Work, (5th Edn.). London: Red Globe Press.

Beesley, P. (2019) Making the Most of Your Social Work Placement, London: SAGE Publications

Doel, M. and Shardlow, S. (2016) Modern Social Work Practice: Teaching and Learning in Practice Settings (3rd edn.). London: Routledge.

Lomax, R. (2010) Surviving your social work placement. New York : Palgrave Macmillan.

Rogers, M., Whitaker, D., Edmondson, D. & Peach, D. (2020) Developing skills for social work practice. (2nd Edn.). London: Sage.

Teater, B. (2014) An Introduction To Applying Social Work Theories And Methods. (2nd Edn.). Basingstoke: Open University Press.

Thompson, N. (2021) Anti-Discriminatory Practice: Equality, Diversity and Social Justice, (7th Edn.). London: Red Globe Press.