Module Handbook. Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences. Version 001. Date 09/14. Module Name: Reflective Practice in Social Work

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1 Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences Version 001 Date 09/14 Module Handbook Module Name: Reflective Practice in Social Work Module Code: UZVSMF-30-2 Module Leader Name: Gill Ince 2015/16 Version 1 1/3/2014

2 Aim of the Handbook The handbook is a guide for students in the Department of Health and Social sciences. The information in the handbook can also be found in a number of other electronic or paper sources and the document provides links to the definitive data sources wherever possible. Please note that the electronic version of the handbook will be kept up to date and you will be notified of any significant changes. If you have taken a hard copy of any information please remember to refer back to the electronic version to ensure that you are working with the most up to date information. Contents 1. Module team information Module specific information Practice learning timetable Assignment brief Submission details Additional information and reading strategies Communication Advice and support

3 1. Module team information Module leader: Gill Ince The module leader is responsible for the overall running of the module. Students, supervisors and practice educators who have queries arising from individual placements should refer in the first instance to the relevant Practice Tutor (see below). The module leader can assist if the practice tutor is not available. Practice Tutors: Sarah Leigh Patrick Moreno Celia Keeping Claire Cooper Sue Walton Liz Reilly TBC Placements Co-ordinator - Social Work: Sarah Davies Sarah9.Davies@uwe.ac.uk Sarah is responsible for co-ordinating the matching of students with practice learning opportunities and systems relating to the management of these. Please contact her for information about these processes. We will communicate regularly with students about progress in matching you to placements and if you need any further information about this you should seek it from the module leaders rather than Sarah. Students who think that a placement offer is problematic in some way should contact their academic tutor (not their practice tutor), or the module leader if they are unavailable. Social Work Placements Administrator: Kathy McPherson Kathy.Mcpherson@uwe.ac.uk Please contact Kathy for basic information relating to placements and placement offers. Kathy will send out paper copies of the module handbooks and assessment guidelines, and portfolio binders. She can provide additional copies on request. Kathy will also assist with queries relating to the payment of practice learning fees. Practice supervisors and educators will find electronic copies of supporting documentation for the placements on our practice support net at and then follow the links to Social Work and Reflective Practice in Social Work. 3

4 External examiners from other institutions are appointed to each module to act independently and work with the module team in the management of threshold academic standards. The external examiner appointed to this module can be found at 2. Module specific information The formal document providing the academic framework for this module can be found at This module is centred on your completion of a sustained period of learning in a practice setting. This placement will provide 70 days of practice learning.. The practice learning team Each student will work with a practice educator linked to the placement who will help you think about and develop your practice, and to develop evidence of your practice. If the educator is not themselves based in your placement agency (is off-site ) you will also be linked with an on-site practice supervisor. They should be your first point of reference for any query concerning the operation of the agency and your role as a student within it. You will also be supported by a practice tutor from the university who will either be your academic tutor or a visiting lecturer. Whichever it is, they will work with you both in this placement and your next one. You, your practice educator and your practice tutor comprise a practice learning team. Assessment of your practice learning is conducted jointly by all members of the team. Your practice tutor should be the first point of reference for any query about your participation in the module (rather than your role within the agency). If they are unavailable then please direct queries to Gill Ince as the module leader. Teaching before placement and work-based learning days As well as a practice placement, the module provides two teaching days to help you prepare for it and think about the links between research and practice. It is also the location for Level 2 academic tutor groups. Once your placements begin there will be two work-based learning days which will give you an opportunity to share experiences and consolidate learning. You will be encouraged to bring examples of practice to tutor groups. There will also be opportunities to focus on specific practice skills. We have arranged that the modules Service Improvement a collaborative approach and Knowledge and Skills for Social Work Practice will run alongside the placement. 4

5 The intention is to help you make active links between theoretical and practice learning. These sessions will take place throughout the duration of your placement. Student support Academic tutors who are not placement tutors will also be available on work-based learning days, and will continue to be your first point of reference for issues concerning your participation in the wider programme. If you have an impairment, or consider yourself disabled, you may already have agreed an access plan for placements. An access plan sets out arrangements needed to ensure you have equal access to your practice learning opportunity. If a plan has not already been agreed with you, or if think it should be changed, you should discuss this with your academic tutor or a student adviser well in advance of the placement. Students should let their placement tutor know as soon as possible if their access needs change during the course of the placement with a view to reviewing and revising the action plan. Further advice on disability services at UWE is available at The programme is aware that students who are carers, black, disabled, gay or lesbian, may experience discrimination or oppression both in the University and in the practice setting. In some practice agencies there are groups where staff can take their concerns about these matters and students may seek to take part in these. The programme is exploring ways to ensure that all students have positive learning opportunities, within the framework of the university s equality strategy. In the meantime, if students become concerned that they are not being treated fairly in their practice settings, they should discuss this with their practice or academic tutor, or the module leader whoever they feel most confident in and they will explore ways to address this. Blackboard The module is supported by Blackboard. A selection of materials will be available on the module site as well as links to websites and databases. However, you are expected to search independently for up to date information using web sites, books and journal articles through the library. There is a module discussion board where you can discuss placement experiences with other students and tutors and post useful links and articles to help each other. Students Health and Safety while on Placement This is a particular concern of the Faculty. Specific consideration should be given to this issue in drawing up the initial practice learning agreement and in arranging induction. You should be advised about: - the agency s general health and safety policy - how this applies in the particular setting in which you are placed; and of - your own and others responsibilities. 5

6 In particular you should know what assessment of risk in the practice learning setting has been carried out, and what you should do if you have reason to believe that an aspect of the work carries particular risk. Please note that the university does not offer students manual handling training and so you should not be asked to undertake any manual handling tasks (which involve the lifting of any heavy or awkward loads, and including physically assisting people to move) unless the agency provides the appropriate training. The practice learning team is asked to advise the module leader of any injury or accident to the student that occurs during the period of practice learning including any that the agency would formally record and certainly any that is required to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Difficulties on placement If there are difficulties on placement that make it difficult for a student to continue the student s practice tutor or the module leader should be contacted as soon as possible. The notes of guidance on Managing Sensitive Issues and Difficulties in Placement in the practice learning handbook provides further information on this. 3. Practice Learning Timetable Start and finish dates For students required to complete 70 days of practice learning the placement will normally begin on Monday 14 September 2015 and end on Friday 5 February Students for whom part-time placements are arranged will have placement dates agreed individually with the placement, the practice tutor and the module leader. Pattern of attendance, teaching sessions at UWE and practice learning days Students will complete 3, 4 or 5 practice learning days each week during the placement. Please check with your timetable for the details of required attendance at University. Before the placement starts, the module provides sessions to help you think about the links between research and practice and prepare for the placement. There will also be 2 work-based learning days at UWE while on placement. The work based learning days are on Thursday 22 October and Thursday 10 December. The 2 workbased learning days count as practice learning days. (The module is also the location for Level 2 academic tutor groups, and you will have an opportunity to meet your academic as well as your practice tutor at the work based learning days.) 6

7 Leave days Students are entitled to take leave from the Monday 21 December 2015 to Friday 1 January 2016 None of these days count as practice learning days The structure of a practice learning day, workload and study time Normally you are expected to work hours that are typical in your placement agency and in any case not less than 7 and not more than 7.5 hours per day. Compensation arrangements for days longer than this should be noted on the placement calendar which will be given to you. Any expectation of work at evenings or weekends should be agreed before the start of the placement and identified in the placement learning agreement. All students are required to undertake at least 170 days of practice learning in order to qualify. It is in relation to a working day of between 7 and 7.5 hours that this requirement is calculated. The programme may be required to provide evidence to regulatory bodies that students complete the required number of days and so students should complete and practice educators should sign the placement calendar clearly indicating how the required number of practice learning days has been achieved. Your workload should be planned to take account of the fact that you are a student, and ensure that you will have time to prepare for and reflect on practice, as well as practice. You should therefore have reasonable time to research issues relevant to the practice you undertake and to prepare evidence for the portfolio. Exceptionally, it may be appropriate in some circumstances for students to complete this work away from the placement, for example where there is no quiet space available. However, this should be clearly agreed with the practice educator in advance and should generally not be more than half a day each week. There is no entitlement to study leave. 4. Assignment Brief Practice Portfolio You must submit a Portfolio of Practice Learning. The purpose of the portfolio is to help you develop and demonstrate safe and effective practice, and to reflect on your learning, through a collection of evidence which illustrates it. To complete the practice component of this module successfully you must show both in your practice and in the portfolio that you are competent in required domains of the professional capability framework. When you are in the practice learning setting you will have many opportunities to provide evidence to help you achieve what you need to. 7

8 The assessment of your practice skills is a continuous process and you will work together with your practice educator and tutor as part of a practice learning team. There will be an interim assessment point halfway through the placement and a final evaluation at the end. Detailed guidelines for this component of assessment, marking criteria and the assessment process are provided in the Practice Learning Handbook. Your practice tutor will visit you on placement twice during your practice learning experience, once in the first 10 days of the placement and again at the midpoint review. Full details of the portfolio contents are available in the Practice Learning Handbook that accompanies this module. 5. Submission details Please note that the submission deadlines are absolute and based on UWE server time, therefore you are strongly advised to submit work well ahead of the deadline dates to avoid situations where penalties could be incurred. If penalties are imposed it will result in late work submissions being capped or not accepted for marking. The portfolio should be submitted in paper copy either to the submission boxes in A Block at Glenside, or by post to the Student Administration Team, Room 2B24 Glenside Campus, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Glenside Campus, Blackberry Hill, BRISTOL BS16 1DD. In either case it should be accompanied by a coursework cover sheet available from myuwe. If you download a cover sheet from here, it will include a bar code which will be scanned by the Student Administration Team when they receive it, and will generate an electronic receipt. If you use any other front sheet, you will not receive a receipt. If you are submitting your coursework in the submission boxes please ensure that the work is secure and placed in a plastic wallet. If you are submitting by post the envelope must have a postmark showing the submission date and you should also have proof of postage showing that it was posted before 2:00 pm on the relevant date. Don t forget to print your coursework coversheet from myuwe which should also be attached to your work. Submission date For all students who start their placement on time and whose placements have not been interrupted, final submission of the portfolio should be made by 2pm on Tuesday 16 February 2016 Delayed and interrupted placements and changes to submission dates If your placement starts late, or for any reason is interrupted, then you will need to discuss the situation with your tutor and work with the module leader to adjust the submission dates to ensure equity of treatment. A note of revised dates will be 8

9 formally recorded and circulated to the practice learning team and other relevant personnel by the module leader. Marking criteria This module is a pass/fail module and will be assessed against UWE marking criteria. Students are reminded that this is an academic piece of work and they are expected to include a reference list as part of the portfolio submission. Marks and feedback Written feedback on the portfolio will be provided individually within 20 working days (excluding student vacation periods) following the deadline for submission of the assessment concerned. Where the period is longer than four working weeks students will be informed of the deadline for the provision of feedback and rationale for the extension. Outcomes which have not been confirmed by an examining board shall be considered as provisional. Date for return of marks and feedback You will receive informal feedback verbally through all teaching sessions ensure you listen carefully. Each assessment you submit will be returned to you with written feedback, and consists of comments made by tutors on students assessed work which enables students to understand how they have met the defined assessment criteria and identifying areas for further improvement. Feedback on, and an outcome for, assessment shall be provided individually or in groups in an appropriate format and within 20 working days (excluding student vacation periods) following the deadline for submission of the assessment concerned. Where the period is longer than 20 working days students should be informed of the deadline for the provision of feedback and rationale for the extension. Outcomes which have not been confirmed by an examining board shall be considered as provisional. For portfolios submitted on 16 February, feedback will be available for collection from Glenside reception on 15 March Dates for return of marks for assignments with later submission dates will be communicated to you separately. MyUWE is used to communicate provisional marks, provide cover sheets for assessments and to submit work. 6. Additional information and reading strategies As each practice learning situation is different you will need to talk with your practice educator about reading that is particularly useful for your practice learning in relation to the setting you are in. All the books and articles that are on the list for Service Improvement a Collaborative Approach and Knowledge and Skills for Social Work Practice are very relevant for this module too. In addition the reading lists provided in 9

10 other module handbooks will be useful. However there are some books that you may like to access as well: Foley, P. and Leverett, S. (2008) Connecting with Children: Developing Working Relationships. Bristol: Policy Press. Gaine, C., ed. (2010) Equality and Diversity in Social Work Practice. Exeter: Learning Matters. Green, L. (2010) Understanding the Life Course: Sociological and Psychological Perspectives. Cambridge: Polity Press. Lomax, R., Jones, K., Leigh, S., and Gay, C. (2010) Surviving Your Social Work Placement. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Doel, M. and Best, L. (2008) Experiencing Social Work: Learning From Service Users. London: Sage. Knott, C. and Scragg, T. (2007) Reflective Practice in Social Work. Exeter: Learning Matters. Lishman, J. (2009) Communication in Social Work. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Maclean, S. and Harrison, R. (2011) Theory and Practice: A Straightforward Guide for Social Work Students. Rugeley: Kirwin Maclean Associates. Musson, P. (2011) Effective Writing Skills for Social Work Students. Exeter: Learning Matters. Pollard, K.C., Thomas, J. and Meirs, M. (2010) Understanding Interprofessional Working in Health and Social Care: Theory and Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Ryde, J. (2009) Being White in the Helping Professions. London: Jessica Kingsley. A guide to referencing can be found at: The University s policy on word count can be found: 7. Communication Throughout your time with us, you will receive regular communication from your module leaders, and also administrative staff, and it is your responsibility to ensure that you read everything that you are sent, and act upon it where appropriate. The main communication channel used is the Blackboard for all the modules you are currently studying. Blackboard provides the main communication channel for module specific information and these too should be checked regularly for new content and announcements. Please see for further information on all aspects of your myuwe portal. 10

11 8. Advice and support There are a range of facilities and services available to go to for advice and support depending on what the issue is. Remember - asking for help at the earliest possible stage will help you in the long run. Your first point of call should always be your Academic Personal tutor, as they will be able to sign post you to the right services and will be able to deal with specific matters relating to teaching and learning. If you are not able to contact your Academic Personal tutor for any reason go to an Information Point, details of which can be found at Student advisers are available and can also be contacted through the Information Points, see for information on how they might be able to help. However, you are more than welcome to talk to other members of UWE staff depending on who you feel most comfortable talking to. 11