BSc Hons Social Work

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BSc (Hons) Social Work

• Northumbria University
• Pauline Gertig October 2007

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Reflections of the broad picture

• Second cohort of graduates in employment
• Positive feedback from External examiners and
  agency partners
• Curriculum developments reflect changes in
  practice.
• Teaching staff involved in research and
  consultancy
• Bursary (http//www.ppa.org.uk/swb)

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Meet some examples
Yvonne is 33 and seconded from a local SSD where
she has worked for 6 years as a Care Manager 1
Brenda is a nurse and has come to the UK from
Nigeria with her family in 2004. She wants to
re-train
Emma came on to the Programme from school in
Teesside. She has experience of helping in a
special needs school. Her aunt is a social worker
Dave is local, 27 had a variety of jobs,
including residential child care
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Key decisions

• Is this for me?
• How will I afford it?
• Can I meet the challenges of study and practice
  over 3 years?
• Where shall I study?

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Why be a social worker?

• Lets start with the negatives
• What about the attractions? You are a
  professional doing a varied job which focuses on
  improving peoples well being. Scope to manage
  your own time and make decisions and enjoy
  professional support and training to develop your
  skills. You will be a honours graduate with a
  fully accredited vocational qualification.

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What do social workers do?

• Assess need, plan and review packages for older
  people and people with learning disabilities
• Investigate allegations of child abuse and abuse
  of vulnerable adults
• Work with community groups individuals and
  families to address social problems
• It is a job carrying significant responsibility.
  It requires initiative and commitment as well as
  professional knowledge

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Who do you work with?

• During your social work career you are likely to
  work with different groups. These are the broad
  areas
• Work with Children, Families and Young People.
  Knowledge of statutory duties of child protection
  and of child care law are essential.
• Work with Adults Work with people with mental
  health problems or adults with a long term
  condition who need support services to live
  independently in the community

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Professional Registration

• All social workers have to be registered with the
  General Social Care Council
• This ensure that everyone who is called a social
  worker is appropriately trained and assessed as
  fit to be in the workforce and follow the code of
  practice
• For details of this code visit www.gscc.org.uk

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Social Work Degree at Northumbria

• Graded practice experience
• Inter professional learning at all levels
• Guidance tutor is a qualified social worker
• You get an honours degree and a professional
  qualification

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Year One (level 4)

• Students study four taught modules and undertake
  2x20 day placements
• Late September until end of January students
  attend University full time
• First placement across February
• Teaching in University March/April
• Second placement across May

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Year 2 (level 5)

• Students in University full time from late
  September until end October where they study 2
  core modules
• 60 day placement from November until beginning of
  February
• Full time in University from March until end of
  May.

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Year 3 (level 6)

• Students full time in University from late
  September until end November studying 2 core
  modules and research methods in preparation for
  dissertation.
• Students commence 100 day placement end November
  through to end May
• Concurrent commitments are dissertation seminars
  and Inter-professional working module (Feb)

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Taught modules

• Year One
• Nature of Social Work
• Interpersonal Skills
• Professional information communication skills
• Social Construction of Care Contexts
• Practice 2X20 days in social care settings. Some
  personal care may be involved.

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Taught modules..

• Year Two
• Individual Growth and Development
• Social Work Models and Methods
• Law for Social workers
• Reflective Social Work
• Inter Professional Assessment
• Practice 60 days in an appropriate social
  care/social work setting

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Taught modules..

• Year Three
• Social Work Focus Children Young People
• Social Work Focus Working with Adults
• Social Work Enquiry Based Practice
• Inter Professional Working
• Practice 100days in social work related setting

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Assessment

• A range of assessment strategies covering
  assignments (2000 or 3000 words) group
  assignment group poster presentations poster
  preparation with viva presentation Work book and
  video of interview role-play Unseen Exam Papers
  design of an information leaflet for service user
  group rationale agency report, case analysis,
  record of service user/carer interview and
  Dissertation

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Assessment .

• Range of strategies allows students to
  demonstrate individual skills
• At each level we aim to have one exam-style
  assessment which is completed in the university
• Assessment is both in the university and in
  practice where students need to pass the National
  Occupational Standards

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Practice experience

• In a range of settings and completion of 200 days
• In the northern region and a a variety of
  settings
• Practice assessed by assessor in the agency and
  guidance tutor
• All National Occupational Standards to be met by
  the end of year 3
• In some settings personal care will be involved

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Student support

• Guidance groups/tutors
• Individual guidance tutorials
• Seminar groups
• Student representative meetings
• Elearning platform and discussion board
• Practice teachers/assessor/link workers
• Group supervision
• BME forum/lesbian, gay forum
• Student Services/Student Union
• BASW reps

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The end result accountable, reflective and self
critical

• able to evaluate and practise using current best
  evidence
• able to work in a transparent and responsible
  way, balancing autonomy with accountability
• able to think critically and work in partnership
• able to work professionally and effectively with
  some of the most vulnerable people in our society
• Has transferable theory, knowledge and skills to
  work across a range of service user groups

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But all graduates are different..
Brenda gets a 2.2 after a year out because of
family reasons. She is offered a traineeship in
her third year
Yvonne has high expectations, works hard and
obtains a first. She returns to her agency
Dave has a busy social lifestyle but eventually
gets a third class degree. He plans to travel
Emma had an unsettled first year, but continued
got a 2.1. She is not sure if she wants to
continue in social work
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Application Process
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Requirements for Admission to Social Work
Training ( DH 2002)

• Key Skills in English and Maths
• Written and Spoken English
• All candidates will be interviewed
• Service User and Employer Involvement in
  Selection of Students
• Appropriate Personal and Intellectual Qualities

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Ucas form Entry requirements

• 260 ucas points
• 2 Merits and a Credit at HEFC
• Recognised access programme
• Evidence of recent study
• Maths and English grade C at GCSE or key skills 2
  
• Course Code L502

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Personal statement and reference

• Some understanding of social care and social work
  and why you think this programme is for you
• Any relevant experience and what you have learnt
  from this
• Initially one reference from employer/tutor
• You need to bring second reference to interview

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Interview Day what will it consist of?

• Welcome and introductions
• Listening to service user views
• Group exercise and written task
• Individual interview with agency representative
  and tutor

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Written task

• You will undertake a 40 minute written task where
  you will be asked to read and then answer 4
  questions on a current area of social work
  practice
• Your written piece will be scored independently.
  You need to score a minimum of 10 to pass this
  part of the selection process
• You will be scored on 4 criteria including your
  ability to summarise an article and your standard
  of written English

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Individual Interview

• The interview process consists of the group
  exercise, a written task and an individual
  interview.
• The decision to offer you a place will be based
  on a number of criteria including an
  understanding of contemporary issues as well as
  your potential for social work
• In the individual interview you will be asked a
  number of questions of which six will be scored.
  You must achieve a minimum of 18 out of 30 to
  pass this part of the selection process

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How to prepare

• Read appropriate literature and quality
  newspapers
• Read a current article and then summarise key
  points.
• If possible talk to someone who works in social
  work/ social care arena. What are the key issues?
• Why social work?

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Recommended reading

• Horner Nigel (2006) What is Social Work? Context
  and Perspectives Learning Matters
• Neil Thompson (2005) Understanding Social Work
  Palgrave Macmillan
• Useful websites
• www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAnd
  Learning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/index.htm
• www.gscc.org.uk
• www.ucas.com
• www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport