Professional Practice and Identity module (SW32012)

This core module is for the Social Work BA (Hons). It takes place after your first assessed practice placement.

You will be encouraged to use what you have learned on campus and in practice. You will use this knowledge to develop your critical understanding of social work. This includes its role, values, and identity. This will help you prepare for your final assessed practice placement. It will also help you for the challenges of qualified social work practice.

What you will learn

In this module you will:

• compare the approaches to risk and decision-making in the three main areas of social work: child care, adult support, and community justice
• explore the ethical issues that arise when we assess and manage risk and need
• explore the professional identity of social workers. This will be in the context of integrated public services and interprofessional practice
• reflect on the social, political, economic and organisational context in which social work takes place
• be supported to develop strategies to help you to practice with courage and resilience

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• understand how to handle risk and make decisions in social work. You must also grasp the potential for oppressive practice
• reflect on the ways in which your own professional identity is emerging
• understand the interprofessional context of social work practice
• demonstrate social work practice skills in assessment, decision-making and report-writing
• develop strategies to handle the challenges of the complex social, political, economic, and organisational context of social work practice

Assignments / assessment

• a social work report 1500 words (50%)
• 1500 words essay (50%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

On this module you will learn through:

• face to face classes on campus including lecture inputs, small groupwork, whole class discussions and presentations
• working on a case study in a group with other students
• engaging with social work practitioners and experts by experience
• class sessions delivered by experienced practitioners.

Our aim is to make class time as interactive as possible and lively discussion, questions and different viewpoints are actively encouraged.