Practice learning for social work students

Practice learning is a compulsory element of the social work degree. In the past year Skills for Care North West has built on previous developments by continuing to support practice learning for social work students across the region.

Practice learning - case studies from the North West

Projects have included the provision of training for practice assessors and activities to facilitate the development of new practice learning opportunities particularly in the voluntary / independent sector. We have also commissioned an in-depth Position Statement for practice learning across the region which will provide a resource for sub-regional partnerships as they plan their future activities.

• Practice learning 1- sustaining social work practice learning with local authorities
• Practice learning 2 - revisiting 'new approaches to practice learning'
• Practice learning 3 - how new projects and initiatives in social work practice learning successfully mature
• Practice learning 4 - practice learning in national organisations

Contact catherine.wilson@skillsforcare.org.uk for hard copies.

Quality Assurance is a major concern for all those involved in practice learning and over the past year the General Social Care Council (GSCC) in conjunction with Skills for Care and other stakeholders has developed benchmark standards in this area. Universities and agencies in the North West have been very proactive in supporting this development and are currently participating in a regional pilot of the new audit and evaluation tools for placements.

Quality assurance in practice learning

 

LeaRNS is a new system being developed by Skills for Care.  The system will be user friendly web-based way of helping to efficiently manage millions of student placement days.  The system will be for all stakeholders engaged in social work education at pre and post qualifying levels.

LeaRNS briefing number 5

The Lancashire remote working and practice learning project was set up to examine the implications of the introduction of "remote" or "agile" working policies for social workers in relation to practice learning placements and to develop good practice guidance for practice learning placements in a remote working environment.

Download the Lancashire remote working and practice learning project report

For more information on practice learning contact:-

Hilary Kenny
Mobile: 07974 255 803 (preferred)
Tel: 01772864171
hilary.Kenny@skillsforcare.org.uk