(Award available for year: Certificate of Higher Educ)
Students are introduced to the foundational knowledge and skills required for social work practice. This year focuses on developing an understanding of the core principles of social work, including professionalism, ethics, communication, and reflective practice. Students will begin to explore the social, legal, and policy frameworks that underpin social work while engaging with introductory skills in evidence appraisal and academic writing. The focus is on building the essential skills and knowledge that will serve as a foundation for the more complex and applied competencies in Levels 2 and 3.
Subject-Specific Learning Outcomes (Knowledge and Understanding required for Social Work):
1. Describe the importance of professional behaviour, boundaries, and ethical principles in practice.
2. Explain ethical principles, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practices, and an understanding of rights, justice, and economic wellbeing.
3. Refer to knowledge from sociology, psychology, social policy, health, and developmental theories, alongside legal and policy frameworks, to inform social work interventions and scenarios.
Skills Learning Outcomes (Skills, Values, and Behaviours for Academic and Non-Academic Contexts):
Academic Domain
1. Develop Diverse Learning and Reflective Skills:
Students are able to participate in group discussions, undertake independent study and reflect on personal values to understand their influence on social work practice.
2. Understand and Apply Evidence in Practice:
Recognise the role of evidence in social work and describe its application to practice situations.
Digital Domain
1. Practise Professional Digital Communication and Record-Keeping:
Use basic digital tools (e.g., email) for professional communication, and understand principles of secure digital record-keeping, including confidentiality in documentation.
Work-Ready Domain
1. Build Empathy and Recognise Safeguarding in Interactions:
Engage respectfully with individuals, demonstrating empathy, and explain basic safeguarding concerns and appropriate reporting procedures.
2. Understand Social Work Organisational Structures:
Indicate how organisational structures within social work impact daily practice.
Technical Domain
1. Apply Basic Needs Assessment and Intervention Frameworks:
With guidance, use simple frameworks for assessing needs and planning interventions in a social work context.
Sustainability and Self-Care Domain
1. Reflect on Emotional Resilience and Self-Care in Practice:
Recognise the importance of emotional resilience and self-care as essential elements of sustainable social work practice, with initial guidance on developing these qualities.
Enterprise and Professional Development Domain
1. Introduction to Professional Leadership and Social Work Values:
Describe the role of professional leadership in social work and its contribution to effective practice.
Approach to assessment
1. Case Studies, assignments and a Readiness to Practice Evaluation: Case studies, students' readiness to practice will be evaluated. This includes assessing their understanding of professional ethics, boundaries, and basic intervention skills.
2. Reflective Practice Journals and Work Experience: Students will write reflective journals during simulated practice sessions and work experience.
3. Role-Playing and Competency Assessment: Role-playing exercises will assess emerging communication skills and problem-solving. The successful demonstration of these skills is essential for determining their readiness to practice.
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team