Who is this course for?
This course is for those in appropriate roles as practitioners or managers, who are experienced in supervising and assessing trainee social workers in the workplace during a Level 2 or 3 Practice Learning Opportunity within social care related organisations.
Course overview
The Enabling Reflective Practice in the Workplace Module is an academically accredited programme, offered at postgraduate, graduate and undergraduate levels.
Building on the Enabling Others module, it provides knowledge and skills for supervising, mentoring and assessing social work students on Practice Learning Opportunities in social care related organisations, supporting and mentoring other practice educators; and mentoring and supervising other developing members of staff. It also forms Stage 2 of the proposed Practice Educator Framework and within the next 12 months, will build on Enabling Others, towards a Diploma level Practice Educator Award and Higher Specialist Post Qualifying Programme in Practice Education.
Entry requirements
You need to be working in a social care or social work setting of any nature - often multidisciplinary. You will be a qualified social worker, but you may also be qualified in other or different areas within social care.
You will have successfully completed an Enabling Others (Stage 1 Practice Educator) Programme, or equivalent.
How to apply
This course builds on the Enabling Others (Stage 1 Practice Educator) programme, and specifically equips you to manage and assess social work students for practice learning opportunities (PLOs) in the workplace - particularly final PLOs.
It also equips you to support and lead other less experienced practice educators, and to supervise, mentor and assess other developing members of staff (for example, newly qualified Social Workers and Specialist PQ Programme candidates).
Most people are sponsored by their organisations who are wishing to offer practice learning opportunities to University Social Work Degree programmes. For this reason, you will normally need to liaise with the Learning and Development Department of your organisation and will normally be sponsored by your organisation..
Course structure
A module of 5 days duration, with an optional additional reflective day, this programme meets the teaching requirements for the GSCC Guidance for Assessment in the Workplace (2004). The module reflects the requirements for the Stage 2 Practice Educator Award, as defined in the GSCC Skills for Care/CWDC Guidance Framework (2009). This document identifies requirements for Stage 2 within Domains A to D.
Day 1
Day 1 offers an exploration of the role of the practice educator in assuring quality of learning opportunities within organisations and regions. It establishes the reflective, research-minded and evidence led focus of effective practice education for social work students and developing staff.
Days 2 to 4
Days 2 to 4 explore at depth at each element of an effective learning process, with particular emphasis on:
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The Learning Organisation and the Advanced Workplace (Social Work Task Force Report 2009).
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The new role of a Practice Learning Opportunity for any learner, with a particular emphasis on:
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Core skills sets and key areas of knowledge and skill
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Learning in statutory settings
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Learning about Legislation and Safeguarding
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Assessing both anti-oppressively and rigorously, using diverse evidence sources (including academically-linked marking processes).
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Guiding/mentoring others in complex assessment processes which affect decisions about competence to practice.
Day 5
Day 5 focuses on the mentoring process and on the transfer of practice educator skills to other roles. It also foregrounds the importance of continuing professional development for practice educators in the organisation
Assessment
The module is academically assessed through 3 reflective accounts of 3000 word minimum in total, and practically assessed through provision of a Portfolio, which includes documentation from each period of a complete Practice Learning Opportunity. The Assessment includes a requirement for the candidate to undertake at least one Direct Observation and to obtain feedback from the student social worker with whom they are working. If candidates have not undertaken an Observation in the Enabling Others (Stage 1) programme which they undertook, they are required to do so for this module. This reflects the GSCC/Skills for Care/CWDC requirement for a Stage 2 Practice Educator to have been directly observed twice.
Further information
Start date: This course starts in January each year and runs annually on a modular basis.
Duration: 5 days split into two and three day blocks with an optional call back day between blocks.
Fees: £517.00.
Contact
Lesley Richards
Programme Administrator
Email: l.richards.3@bham.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)121 414 5711
Alison Paris
Director of Professional Practice Development
Email: a.m.paris@bham.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)121 414 5715