Social Work at the University of Brighton

David WatsonSenior Lecturer

Definition

• Social work as defined by the International Federation of Social Workers (2012):

• The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.

Definition

• Social workers are professionally qualified staff who assess the needs of service users and plan the individual packages of care and support that best helps them.

• Becoming a social worker involves taking an honours degree in social work and registering with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Adult services

Roles include working with people with:

• mental health problems or learning disabilities

• people who are in residential care

• offenders by supervising them in the community and supporting them to find work

• older people at home helping to sort out problems with their health, housing or benefits

• Safeguarding

Children's services

Roles include:

• providing assistance and advice to keep families together;

• working in children's homes;

• managing adoption and fostering processes;

• providing support to younger people leaving care or who are at risk or in trouble with the law;

• helping children who have problems at school or are facing difficulties brought on by illness in the family.

• Safeguarding children and young people

Tasks

• Help people achieve personal change

• Undertake holistic assessments within the context of a legal framework

• Arrange and review high risk cases

• Make judgements on the quality of services being provided

• Help and empower people and their carers

• Provide advice, information, personal support, counselling and therapy

• Work with a range of agencies and multi disciplinary settings

• Promote independence and self determination

• Celebrate diversity, tackle inequality and social exclusion

• Communicate effectively

To be a good social worker you must have:

• excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• the ability to relate to people of all ages and backgrounds and gain their trust

• a practical and flexible approach to work

• tact, patience and empathy

• an understanding of the needs of different client groups

To be a good social worker you must have:

• a non-judgemental attitude

• the ability to work in a team and also use your own initiative

• the ability to assess situations and take appropriate action

• resilience, to cope with difficult situations and challenging clients

• good time management and organisational skills

• computer literacy and administrative skills

The BSc (Hons) Social Work Course at The University of Brighton

• Three year full-time course; Four year part time course

• Approved by HCPC; endorsed by the College of Social Work

• Runs in partnership with local agencies providing social and caring services, with users of services and with carers

• Focus on the integration of applied academic learning to practice

• Focus on the multi-disciplinary context of social work with opportunities for inter-professional learning with students i.e. education, nursing, medicine, and occupational therapy

Entry requirements;

• Typically ABB at ‘A’ level; DDD for BTEC; Access courses Pass (at least 45 credits at Level 3, with 30 at Merit / Distinction)

• Maths and English GCSE C or above

• DBS/Health

• Some experience of providing social or caring services

• Two References (1 academic / 1 character)

**Please see our webpage for further information**

Course structure

• Year 1 will introduce social work practice and begin your professional training. You will also learn about how the social sciences inform social work and about the role of social policy.

• Year 2 will develop your specialist knowledge and practical skills. You will also begin your first work placement as a social worker.

• In year 3, the second placement will enable further development and the consolidation of more complex social work practice. You will also use your research skills to complete a social work project of your choice.

The course structure

• Learning in practice is supported by periods of study at the university, by directed study and by small group practice tutorials facilitated by university staff.

• Across the course there are 30 days Skills for Practice Days

• In Year 2 students spend 70 days engaged in practice learning, and Year 3 they spend 100 days.

• Each student will experience at least two different practice settings, including legal interventions.

Areas of study

The course covers:

• social work theories and methods,

• core social work skills including inter-personal communication, interviewing, assessment and review

• ethics, values and anti-oppressive practice

• legal frameworks for social work, social care and health

Areas the course covers

• applied social science for social work practice (child and lifespan development, applied social policy, psychology and sociology)

• contemporary issues, policy and practice guidance in social work

• research methods and the place of research evidence in social work practice

Readings

• Coulshed V. & Orme J. (2012) Social work practice : an introduction (5th Ed). Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan

• Thompson N (2009) Practicing Social Work (3rd Ed): Basingstoke. Palgrave Macmillan

• Thompson N. (2012) Anti-discriminatory practice (5th Ed). Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan