SOCI42040: Social Work in Practice

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• This module provides students with an introduction to the areas of knowledge, values and skills that form the foundations of social work in practice: i) the legal and policy frameworks that govern and inform social work practice, ii) skills and methods that underpin social work practices, iii) the experiences of service users and those who provide social work services iv) the nature of violence and abuse that impact the welfare of those supported by social workers v) key policies and practices that characterise social work involvement in safeguarding processes with children, young people, and adults.
• Much of this content will be delivered by those who provide social work services, as well as people with experience of social work services, and leading thinkers across the UK on social work practice and policy.
• Delivered over the first months of the MSW, Social Work in Practice underpins and prepares students for their first practice placement. It is delivered in parallel with and designed to complement:
• a) Social Work in Context which details the history and purpose of social work, and the theoretical basis of the discipline
• b) Professional and Personal Development Module which will provide you with the opportunities to apply learning from both Social Work in Practice and Social Work in Context as you prepare for their first practice placements.
• The module provides students with opportunities for formative as well as summative assessment based on group as well as individual assignments.

• The module will incorporate a number of specific elements reflecting the QAA benchmarks statements for social work, elements of the Professional Capabilities Framework (diversity, rights, justice and economic well-being, knowledge, critical reflection and analysis) and the Social Work England Professional Standards. It will focus on the acquisition of subject specific knowledge, understanding and skills and their integration with other programme components of the Master of Social Work (MSW) Programme;
• The construction of social work;
• The views and experiences of children and adult service users and carers; and the importance of hearing these views in social work practice;
• Processes and experiences of social exclusion;
• The development of evidence based policy and practice;
• Principles of group working;
• Power and the practice of social work;
• Skills of critical thinking;
• Social Work Policy;
• Social Work Law.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• On completion of the module, students will have an awareness of:
• The construction of social problems and processes leading to social exclusion, violence and abuse, experience by individuals, families, groups and communities, and the implications for social work practice (SSK1);
• The legislation, policy and technologies that influence the nature of social work services (SSK2);
• How legislation and policy is applied in key activities to safeguard children, families and adults, and the role of key social work methods in achieving this (SSK3).

Subject-specific Skills:

• Acquisition, critical analysis and evaluation of knowledge and its application in decision making and problem solving activities of social work practice (SSS1);
• Critical reflection to inform the development of social work practice (SSS8).

Key Skills:

• The use of information technology and computer skills to research, analyse and disseminate information relevant to social work and in preparation for social work practice (KS1);
• Effective communication of evidence and argument (KS2) in demonstrating skills of critical thinking, critical analysis, problem solving and decision-making processes (KS3);
• Ethically informed research skills in policy and practice evaluation (KS4).

• The module learning outcomes will be addressed through:
• Direct teaching, self-directed (independent, problem-base, collaborative and cooperative) learning, group work, documentary and community-based research and engagement with a range of service users.
• Knowledge and skills will be assessed through:
• An individual 1,500 word, critical reflection on the development of subject and skills development (Formative assessment)
• Group presentation of desk-based research examining experiences of violence and abuse and social exclusion (assessed by academic staff and service user colleagues) (Summative Assessment);
• 3,500 word individual, scenario based, law and policy written exercise (Simmative Assessment).

Social Exclusion Individual Critical Reflection, 1,500 words, to develop critical thinking and writing skills ahead of the law and policy exercise, including the development of evidenced arguments to explain social issues and social work response.

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