Exploring flexible options forPractice Educators in Social Work and Social Care
Alison Paris, University of Birmingham – 02. 06. 10
Developing an Integrated Practice Education Programme
A ‘Welcoming’ Activity
The emerging Practice Educator……5WH
Who :What :Where :When ? – Please add your comments to the sheets on the wall..
For Why and How?... Welcome to this Workshop!
This workshop aims to offer…
An overview of the background to , and purpose of, the development of a Practice Educator Framework
An account of the initial development of the continuing development process supported by the Practice Educator Framework
An approach to the development of a Practice Educator ‘Pathway’ and Programme.
Space for exploration and discussion
Developing a new Practice Educator framework- some possible starting points; (Adding the ‘Why’?)
Post Practice Teacher Award/New PQ Framework Issues for Enabling Others Practice Learning Opportunities – Challenges and needs Social Work Task Force( Building A Safer Future, December
2009) priorities – Continuing Professional Development; Statutory experience; The Practice Educator Role; the Advanced Workplace;
Proliferating roles and tasks– Mentoring, Supervising and Assessing ; Pre-Qualifying Social Workers; Newly Qualified Social Workers; Early Professional Development ; Specialist and Higher Specialist PQ; AMHP; Leadership and Management
Responding and translating the framework into a development process – starting to focus on the ‘How?’ A Continuing Professional Development
pathway for Practice Educators reflecting the differing stages of the framework
a series of academically accredited steps with options for MA level
A professionally accredited award escalator
So the framework supports…
A process of learning A process for extending and endorsing the
journey from capability to expertise A scaffolding for accountability and quality
assurance Bringing the Practice Educator Role
Centre-stage!
Approaching a learning pathway with integration and flexibility in mind .
Sectors - Statutory , Private and Voluntary – the importance of Social Care
Settings – Adults ,Children and Families, Mental Health and other linked specialist settings
Interdisciplinary, Multi-professional and Partnership contexts
Roles - Varied within and across agencies Knowledge – Underpinning Principles, Evidence- led
Practice Skills – Core and transferable
Beginning to develop the Framework in Practice – The SkillsforCare Pilot Projects
Developing a ’Stage 2 Practice Educator Award’ –the experienced Practice Educator
Integrating the proposed new Domains( GSCC Guidance for Assessment in the Workplace)
Linking levels Building on a ‘Stage 1’ Award - Enabling Others Moving forward with an developmental Programme
for Practice Educators
The University of Birmingham Project – starting the process
Linking a 5 day module to an assessed portfolio Naturally occurring material; supported by
academically accredited Reflective Accounts – 20 credits at each level
Linking the Portfolio to Beginnings ,Middle and Ending for the pre-qualified social worker Practice Learning Opportunity (PLO)
Linking the module and Practice education standards to the Portfolio and the PLO!
Working with partners
Establishing a Consultative Group of Employers and Practice Educators- building on Enabling Others, Leadership and Management and other PQ Programme links
Offering an initial framework for discussion and amendment - to meet organisation, practice educator, and learner (‘service user’) needs
Agreeing a process for regional evaluation – beginning middle and end of both learning and assessment processes – using steering groups and Focus Groups
Connecting with the National Evaluation of the projects
Making connections -the building blocks
The new Domain D – the underpinning element, which featured in all of the module days and underpins the process of assessment
Emphasising the new criteria with Domains A, B and C
Building bridges – the new criteria, ‘Stage 1’ and ‘Stage 2’
Applying the new criteria in the context of the existing criteria
Making connections - the bigger picture
The PQ framework – identifying links and progressions
The new NQSW Framework A new kind of Practice Educator? Taking the best
from the Practice Teacher Award and applying in the changed context
Joining up the dots- Day 1
Reflection and Critical Reflection –reflected in the title of the module
The twin – track effect – the learner’s development and the practice educator’s development….interlinked.
Evaluation and Audit –
- a skills audit for ourselves
- learning about QAPL. Research – minded practice… educating learners
on the basis of evidenced knowledge.
Joining up the dots continued:Days 2 - 5
InductionLearning and Teaching ProgrammesModels and methods of supervisionDiverse approaches to assessment against the Nation
Occupational StandardsThe Codes of Practice and Values - impact of power in
practice educationMaking difficult decisions about learner competence –
using evidenceCharting your personal developmentTransferring your skills to other roles
Colouring in the background– ‘Building a Safer Future’(2009)
The Advanced Workplace and the Learning Organisation (Days 1 and 2)
Teaching about Safeguarding in all sectors (All Days)
Teaching about the Law in Social Work practice in all sectors (Days 1 and 2)
Educating for Continuing professional development
Integrating Practice Education into the organisation and profession
Skills for the Job
Developing Key Skills sets – Coaching Mentoring and Supervising and Assessing
Developing Core Skills and values for many settings – Pro-Social Modelling; Emotional Intelligence; Motivational Interviewing; Problem Solution; Active Listening and Person Centred Values (Days 2, 3 and 4)
The Completed Picture – the Pilot
5 Days –specifically connected to the Portfolio but also interlinked
Day 1 setting the scene – reflection, research, audit, the learning organisation (Domain D and key Stage 2 criteria)
Day 2 – The beginning of the PLO –emphasis on Induction (Domains A and D)
Day 3 – The middle period - emphasis on supervision and teaching (Domains B and D)
The Completed Picture
Day 4 – Formative and summative assessment - HEI and practice criteria
(Domains C and D) Day 5 – revisiting the themes – transferring
skills and knowledge to other roles and your own development (All Domains)
Running the module – the pilot delivery of the taught programme
So far…..
Did the candidates enjoy the experience?
What did they learn from the experience?
The Candidates Experienced Practice Educators and , for the
purposes of the Pilot, all specifically social work qualified.
Undertaken Enabling Others Stage 1 or equivalent From Adults, Children, Mental Health sectors and 4
from Voluntary Organisations (children) Practitioners, senior practitioners and managers; one
senior manager Admissions Panel held with employers to ensure
equity
The Action!
5 days face to face delivery Taught by University staff team including one
independent trainer/practising manager – all Registered Social Workers
Inputs, discussion, role plays, use of DVD, supporting learning materials for use on the module and afterwards with learners
Before and after Skills and Knowledge Audit and Module Evaluations
Mentoring and Tutoring
Designated University tutor – candidate generated contact
Roll – in monthly support sessions, shared with Enabling Others Stage 1 candidates
A half day designated support session Varying organisation mentoring
arrangements – University links
Current sources of evaluation
Skills Audits
Evaluations of the module – key themes and ratings
Partner organisation evaluations Initial National Evaluation
Did the candidates enjoy it?
100 % said they had enjoyed the module 100 % said that all material was valuable and
necessary but 90% said the module needed to be longer – 6 days
100 % mentioned usefulness of materials but 2 people asked that it be streamlined for ease of access
Did the candidates enjoy it ?
All mentioned valuing and enjoying shared experience and knowledge – consolidation and knowledge and sharing ideas for change
Ratings 4/5 (very good and excellent) for enjoyment and value in all cases. Two ratings at 3 (Average to Good) for presentation
What did the candidates learn?
Skills Audits – showed increase in knowledge and confidence for –
Understanding Audit (QAPL) Setting up the PLO, Induction and Supervision
and Reflection Delivering Learning for Safeguarding and
legislation Making decisions about competence in marginal
situations Understanding relevant standards
What did the candidates learn?
Module Evaluations – Confidence and awareness of QAPL and
differences between reflection, evaluation and audit – and why it matters
Links with Research Understanding key skills sets and core skills
underpinning these – wanted more time to explore and develop these – particularly Motivational Interviewing and Emotional Intelligence
What did the candidates learn?
Looking beneath the surface of routine processes – Induction, finding work opportunities, supervision, assessment, evaluation
Exploring the impact of levels (Personal, Cultural and Structural) of power, and types of power, on the learning and PLO Process
Reviewing their knowledge from the module and linking this to personal development
Evaluating beyond the programme
In-Organisation evaluations – corroborated the initial findings; greater emphasis on candidate enjoyment and sense of value reflected
National Evaluation so far – echoed local evaluations. Greater emphasis on variable candidate satisfaction with mentoring arrangements
What we know we will do differently next time
Hone information, with emphasis on key knowledge, underpinning principles and core skills, as identified by evaluations
Increase emphasis on mentoring skills - mentoring other Practice Educators, NQSWs, PQ
Build in a midway Reflection Day for candidates to consolidate knowledge
Work with partners to strengthen mentoring arrangements in- house ,and linked with University
Further evaluation contributing to views in retrospect
Focus Group – following submission of the Portfolio and Reflective Accounts (September 2010) – will give information about how useful , effective and ‘do-able’ the assessment task and process was .
Final National Evaluation – the whole picture nationally.
Developing the Pathway
Looking ahead to a new Practice Education Pathway linking the journey from initial Practice Education responsibility to the leading and management of learning in organisations and sectors
Incorporating the best of the Practice Teacher Award but also different from the Award
Practice Education for Social Work and Social Care for the needs of today, and for the future.
Integration and Flexibility
A sense of direction – Novice, Advanced Beginner, Proficient and Expert
Accounting for changing and interchangeable roles in organisations Offering choice and ease of movement : hence, cost –saving. Inter-professional Harnessing the Core Principles, Knowledge, Skills discoveries
emerged about particular significances Connecting a Practice Educator Award escalator with the Leadership
and Management Programmes
Forming a programme - A Certificate/Diploma in Practice Education for( Interdisciplinary)Social
Work / Social Care
Certificate Level – offered at Graduate and Postgraduate levels
Enabling Others – Initial Practice Education skills Enabling Reflective Practice in the Workplace –
experienced Practice Educators, mentoring others Leading for Learning( module from the Leadership
and management award) –leading the practice education process in the organisation - varied aspects, different skills
A Certificate /Diploma ctd
Diploma Level – offered at Graduate and Postgraduate levels Modules from the Leadership and Management( L and M –
Postgraduate level)) and Reflective Management Practice Programmes(RMP – Graduate level)
(SkillsforCare Funded modules plus one other); Choice of 4 from 5 at PG level.
Leading for Quality Assurance – Supervision and Performance Management across the organisation( G and PG)
Developing Organisations and Organisational Change – developing the organisation through your pivotal role (G and PG)
Certificate/Diploma ctd
Coaching and Mentoring for Managers – focus on skills for enhancing and developing performance(G and PG)
Researching Professional Practice – developing knowledge in your organisation( PG Only)
Choice to enter at top –up MA of the same title PQ ( Higher Specialist Award) for PG Candidates
Ease of movement between Leadership and Management and Practice Education Awards
Recognising the Practice Teacher Award – Accrediting this within both the Practice Education and Leadership and Management pathways
Ease of Accreditation of Prior Learning from Practice Education to L and M/RMP Diploma; candidates with the Practice Education route may need to do only 1 further module and part of workbased assessment to achieve L and M Diploma and PQ( HS) Award
Candidates with L and M Diploma may need to do only 1 further module and part of workbased assessment to achieve the Practice Education Diploma and envisaged PQ (HS) Award
In this workshop we have…………..
Explored the background to and process of building a Practice Education Pathway fro a new Practice Educator Framework
Considered an approach to this which seeks to offer integration and flexibility
Your thoughts……………
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
Thank you!
For coming For your participation For your views and ideas
Alison Paris – University of Birmingham – June 2010