BA (Hons) Social Work Studies 2017/18

The BA (Hons) Social Work Studies programme offers two routes for entry to study. First, the programme is for individuals who have successfully completed the Foundation Degree in Social Care Studies. 

Second through the University APL and APEL process which is assessed on an individual basis to ensure you are also ready to undertake a final year of study to become a social worker. A fee may be applied for this. You will also be required to confirm prior to interview/offer decision making that you have the ability to use basic IT facilities, including word processing, internet browsing and use of email.

All successful candidates for entrance to the programme will be subject to current Occupational Health, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Suitability for Social Work clearance. 

The programme is designed to enable you to meet the current Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) developed by the former The College of Social Work (TCSW) (now overseen by the British Association of Social Workers) which built on the Department of Health requirements for social work training. The programme will equip you with the relevant skills, knowledge base and values required to undertake professional assessment and appropriate intervention with a range of service user groups. The aim is for you to practise as a confident, capable, critical and reflective practitioner in a range of different settings using a range of knowledge, a strong commitment to social justice, application of professional values and recognition of the diverse needs of members of society. The programme is also designed to meet the Quality Assurance Agency Benchmark Statements for Social Work and the Chief Social Workers’ Knowledge and Skills Statements for Adults and Children and Families.

The social work team has developed relationships with regional-based practice educators and placement providers in order to offer students a wide range of placement opportunities to promote their capability and confidence in developing and applying knowledge for effective practice. The Practice Educators will be supported in their role by way of regular workshops during your 100-day placement.

Embedded throughout the programme is a focus on the experiences of those who use services, enabling students to gain valuable understanding of the impact of distressing circumstances and professional responses on the lives of service users and their carers. The contribution of service users and qualified practitioners to teaching and assessment forms part of the varied teaching and learning approaches of the programme. Service users and practitioners work with the social work team to provide advice and feedback on skills development. Core module teaching is delivered by academics with substantial practice experience who maintain the currency of their knowledge and expertise through research, writing for publication, consultancy and teaching on post-qualifying courses.

You will study 6 modules at Level 6, including a Preparation for Social Work Practice Module, which will help you make the transition to a professional social work programme. The module will promote understanding of the professional social work role, skills and context and will include shadowing a qualified social worker. To progress on the programme students will be required to pass this module.

The knowledge base of the social work studies degree is organised around several themes: professional social work role, skills and context; social work law and policy, child and adult Safeguarding ,models of good practice with different service user groups and a final placement within a Statutory Social Work setting in which their direct practice and ability to work as a theoretically informed practitioner will be assessed. In line with more independent and self-directed learning students will also undertake a critical literature review on a topic of their choice enabling the demonstration of research mindedness, research skills and the ability to critique the relationship between social work practice, underpinning knowledge and evidence base. Students will also have an opportunity to develop specific social work skills through skill sessions attached to each module.

The modules you will study are:

Preparation for Social Work Practice

The Preparation for Social Work Practice module includes teaching of key aspects of knowledge, skills and values required for social work, an opportunity to shadow an experienced social worker and skills based days.

Legal and Policy Context for Social Work

The Legal and Policy Context of Social Work module provides both a comprehensive yet critical understanding of the relationship of law and policy to welfare practice to enable students make context specific judgements about the relevant application of legislation.

Effective Social Work Interventions

The Effective Interventions module focuses on development of a critical understanding of the key theoretical models and interventions relating to social work with varied service user groups while applying the values, skills and knowledge required for good practice. 

Critical Literature Review

The Critical Literature module focuses on development of the academic skills required for study at level 6 of the programme and uses a range of learning resources including the substantial library facilities and web-based support.

Safeguarding in Social Work Practice

The Safeguarding module includes the knowledge, skills and values required to critically understand and apply the policies and procedures for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in complex situations.

Practice Learning in Statutory Settings 

The Practice Learning in Statutory Settings module provides professionally supervised and assessed experiential, practice-based learning opportunities for students to integrate theory and practice, demonstrate appropriate professional behaviour and relationships, develop professional social work values and gain working knowledge of organisational contexts.

On successful completion of the programme, students will be eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC. There are excellent employment opportunities for registered social workers.

The programme is a generic course enabling graduates to work in a full range of settings - social services departments of local authorities, health and social care multi-professional teams and many services in the voluntary and independent sectors providing community, day care and residential services.

This course is delivered in partnership with London South East Colleges (Bromley main site).

For more information, please visit www.lsec.ac.uk

An Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) approach to teaching and learning will be adopted throughout the programme. EBL will ensure students acquire their knowledge by active learning and research to different scenarios, triggers and case studies encouraging self-directed learning, which helps, develop autonomous practitioners. Being self-directed is important in social work, as students need to take responsibility for and have a critical awareness of their own learning. It also means attaining professional autonomy by making independent decisions and actions while taking responsibility for their own action.

Skills of assessment and intervention will be developed and taught throughout the course, both in the classroom and through work-based practice learning during a 100-day statutory or statutory related placement. Placement experience includes work with identified service user groups, e.g. children/young people and their families; people with mental health needs and vulnerable adults. Development of professionalism, the ability to apply critical reflection and analysis and the flexibility to work in changing contexts and organisations are key areas of achievement required for successful completion of the degree.

Classroom teaching normally takes place through whole group lectures, seminars and small group work and is delivered using resources such as power-point, audio-visual material and case studies. There is opportunity for students to participate and reflect on their skills development through video-recorded skills scenarios. There is an expectation that all students complement formal teaching through undertaking of individual study activities, which will help you to learn and develop your understanding and promote self-directedness. Each student is allocated a tutor who will provide individual and group academic tutorial sessions as part of personal tutorial support.

Embedded throughout the programme is a focus on the experiences of those who use services, enabling students to gain valuable understanding of the impact of distressing circumstances and professional responses on the lives of service users and their carers. The contribution of service users and qualified practitioners to teaching and assessment forms part of the varied teaching and learning approaches of the programme. Service users and practitioners work with the social work team to provide advice and feedback on skills development. Core module teaching is delivered by academics with substantial practice experience who maintain the currency of their knowledge and expertise through research, writing for publication, consultancy and teaching on post-qualifying courses.

Assessment includes written assignments, and completion of a practice portfolio. You will be assessed in your practice placement, for example through observation, discussion, reflective writing, written work and feedback from service users and practitioners. The assessments throughout the academic year are designed to help your learning and assessment at university and in practice. Feedback is given in a supportive way to help you develop your knowledge and skills. All assessments are set in accordance with the Undergraduate Academic Framework and protocols.

You will be required to confirm prior to interview/offer decision making that you have the ability to use basic IT facilities, including word processing, internet browsing and use of email.

All successful candidates for entrance to the programme will be subject to current Occupational Health, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Suitability for Social Work clearance.

Applicants will attend a programme specific assessment day which includes :

• an assessed written test on a subject related to contemporary social work practice;
• a group exercise observed and assed by service users;
• an individual interview with a member of the academic team and a registered social work practitioner.  

In accordance with the HCPC standards of proficiency and the College of Social Work Professional Capabilities Framework, the University will need to ensure that all entrants have met the proficiencies and the capabilities by the end of their training and have the skills, knowledge, good character and health to do their job safely and effectively. 

Offers of a place can only be made following successful assessment of the admissions day processes. However, enrolment on the programme is subject to the meeting of academic requirements and satisfactory outcomes for health clearance, suitability for social work requirements and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

The programme uses skills days to develop key interpersonal and practical skills for social work, such as interviewing, working with resistance, stress management and building resilience, active listening, and building emotional intelligence.   

This can involve the use of video, direct observation, discussion and case examples taken from students’ own experience to allow students to identify, build and assess their developing practice skills. Students have the opportunity to consider their own context in relation to different service user groups, and community partners (service users and carers) play a key role in the delivery and assessment of skills work.  

The social work team has links with regional-based practice educators and placement providers in order to offer students a wide range of placement opportunities to promote their capability and confidence in developing and applying knowledge for effective practice.

There are excellent employment opportunities for registered social workers. The programme is a generic course enabling graduates to work in a full range of settings - social services departments of local authorities, health and social care multi-professional teams and many services in the voluntary and independent sectors providing community, day care and residential services.