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David Edmondson 2014
Helen Mayall and Teresa ONeill with Maureen Ajayi, Shauna Crawley, Richard Hawkins (The Autistic Organisation) and Melanie Metcalfe
First published 2014
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means, only with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013946211
British Library Cataloguing in Publication data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4462-0890-8
ISBN 978-1-4462-0891-5 (pbk)
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I would like to dedicate this book to the dear memory of my parents,
Eric and Vera Edmondson. Much missed and much loved.
About the Author and Contributors
David Edmondson is a senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, registered social worker and is a founder member of SWIFT (Social Work in Film and Television) research network. He worked for many years as a qualified mental health social worker in the North West of England.
Helen Mayall is a senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University. She teaches childrens rights and children and families social work, often teaching alongside young service users. She is a registered social worker with experience of local authority social work with children and young people in North West England.
Donna ONeill is a registered social worker workingforSolihull MBC. Her current rolefocuses on the management anddevelopment ofPractice Education within Local Authorities.She hasworkedfor many years in Children and Families Teams and with young people looked after.
Teresa ONeill is a senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is a registered social worker with over 20 years practice experience in children and families social work, specialising in fostering and adoption. Teresas current research interests include services users involvement in assessment of social work students.
Michaela Rogers is a registered social worker and lecturer at University of Salford. For over fifteen years she has worked with children and families in voluntary and statutory social work settings and she has expertise in domestic abuse work and foster care.
Dawn Whitaker is a lecturer at Lancaster University, and registered independent social worker. Dawn has worked for many years as a qualified mental health social worker in the North West of England, and continues to undertake independent best interest assessments / reports, for proceedings in the High Court / Court of Protection, instructed through the Official Solictor.
Introduction
The Purpose of this Book
A very warm welcome to Social Work Practice Learning: A Student Guide. This book aims to provide social work students with a quick and easy-to-access guide that can be used throughout the minimum 200 days of practice learning required to be completed as part of their professional social work training.
If you are a social work student entering professional social work training then this book is specifically designed for you. It incorporates all the new requirements for social work training and is written to help you successfully complete your social work placement(s) across a variety of contemporary fieldwork settings. The book is organised into 10 chapters, each focusing on key aspects of your practice-based learning:
introduces you to the idea of social work and to the context, features and challenges facing social workers in practice today.
introduces the new social work placement structure, the new Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Workers and the new revised placement structure.
helps you prepare and plan for beginning your placement.
looks at values and ethics in social work and working inclusively with service users and carers.
focuses on applying values and ethics in practice, here in the context of working with young people.
provides clear guidance about how your placements and practice will be assessed, and links your direct social work practice and activities with how to evidence your social work practice in order to pass your placement.
introduces you to risk in the context of your practice learning and how you can work effectively to promote positive, safe and defensible practice.
discusses the importance of supervision and reflective practice in social work.
advises on trouble shooting and problem solving on placement.
looks briefly at completing your social work training and preparing for professional practice.
All 10 chapters of the book are cross-referenced within the text to help you to integrate and consolidate your learning. The book uses a combination of features to promote flexible and blended learning, including:
Resources and tips to inform your learning and development.
Case studies and examples which are drawn from real-life social work encounters, practice situations and dilemmas.
Advice on working with diverse and different groups and communities.
Reflections, views and tips from experienced social work practitioners.
Reflections and opinions of service users, carers and others to ensure students gain insights into the views and perspectives of people experiencing social care services.
