BA (Hons) Social Work

The degree aims to provide you with the value, knowledge and skill base for social work practice, and is organised around study units, workshops, lectures/seminar courses, projects and private study. The teaching and learning opportunities centre on the key areas of the social sciences and their application to social work practice, as well developing your intellectual capacity, and the skills necessary to get you ready for practice. There is an expectation that you attend at least 85% of all aspects of the programme.

The structured learning includes specific learning in:

• human growth and development, mental health and disability
• Social work theories and methods; assessment, planning, intervention and review
• communication skills with children, adults and those with particular communication needs
• law, and partnership working across professional disciplines and agencies
• social science research methods, including ethical issues

Practice is central to the degree, and there will be practice placements in two settings and with different service user groups (eg child care and mental health). The learning on the programme builds over the three years and prepares you to apply your knowledge to practice situations. We work closely with a range of practice organisations in the Greater London Area. The placements are allocated by our placement tutor and matched with individual profiles. In some instances you may have to travel long distances to your placement organisation. You will need to cover the cost of travel to your placement. You will be expected to work the core hours of the placement agency.

At Goldsmiths we recognise:

• the unique contribution that all students bring as individuals to the programme in terms of their personal qualities and life experiences
• that professional training builds on the uniqueness of each individual by facilitating the student’s exploration of the values, knowledge base and skills of social work practice
• that it is the student’s responsibility not only to develop a technical acquaintance with the framework of social work practice but also to demonstrate competence through its application in practice
• that social workers are at the interface of society’s attempts to promote welfare

Social workers have a dual responsibility to act within the state’s welfare framework and also to recognise the pervasive influence of oppression and discrimination at an individual and a structural level in most of the situations in which they work. We will prepare you for this professional responsibility.

Year 1 (credit level 4)

In your first year of study, you are introduced to social work as a professional activity and an academic discipline. You consider key concepts such as the nature of need, community, social work services, and the significance of the service user perspective. Major theoretical approaches within the social sciences and their relationship to social work will be investigated, as will studies in professional development for practice, where you will have the opportunity to shadow a qualified social worker.

You will study the following modules:

Module title Credits. Introduction to Social Work Introduction to Social Work 30 credits

This module-unit provides an introduction to the nature of Social Work as a professional activity and an academic discipline. It outlines the historical background to the development of Social Work and introduces key Social Work theories and issues.

This includes an introduction to the theoretical basis for anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive approaches and consideration of the perspectives of the users of Social Work services.

30 credits. Community Needs and Services Community Needs and Services 30 credits

This module-unit considers a range of key concepts such as the nature of need, community, Social Work services and the significance of the service user perspective.

You are expected to develop a basic understanding of the contested nature of the concepts and the difficulties associated with their application in policy and practice through a combination of formal teaching and a small-scale research project.

This module-unit also introduces key methods and debates in research within the social sciences in general and Social Work in particular.

30 credits. Introduction to Social Sciences Introduction to Social Sciences 30 credits

This module-unit introduces you to some major theoretical approaches within the social sciences, to consider its relevance to Social Work.

You are introduced to broad schools of thought in psychology as they apply to human growth and development, different ideological traditions in social policy; and sociological approaches to key concepts such as class, gender, race, sex, the family, socialisation and role theory to enable you to understand human behaviour and the social context of the world service users inhabit.

The module provides some of the underpinning social science knowledge for examining Social Work theory and practice.

30 credits. Professional Development for Practice Professional Development for Practice 30 credits

This module fulfils the requirement that all social work degree students have met the Professional Capabilities Framework requirements for Readiness for Practice before undertaking assessed direct practice with service users.

Students must pass this module before progressing onto year two and starting their first placement. Through this module, students will develop an understanding of the HCPC Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students (HCPC 2016), the HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (HCPC 2016), as well as an understanding of the importance of working towards achieving the Standards of proficiency – Social workers in England (HCPC 2012) and an understanding of the requirements to meet the Professional Capabilities Framework for Readiness for Practice (College of Social Work 2012).

Students will also be introduced to the Knowledge and Skills for Child and Family Social Work (Dfe 2014) and the Knowledge and Skills Statement for Social Workers in Adult Services (DH 2015). Students will have opportunities to reflect on issues of power as this relates to the development of anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice, and to develop communication and relationship skills, such as active listening, empathy, questioning styles and client self-determination.

30 credits. Year 2 (credit level 5)

In your second year, you address issues of life-span development and are given a grounding in methods of intervention.

Your assessed practice consists of 70 days in a student social work role; this gives you the chance to develop your communication and social work practice skills with service users, and to work in partnership across professional disciplines and agencies. You are also provided with an introduction to assessment in social work and to the links between social work theory and practice.

You'll take the following modules:

Module title Credits. Human Growth and Development Human Growth and Development 30 credits

This module-unit addresses issues of life-span development focusing on child development, adolescence and work with older people. It includes the study of key theories and approaches to human growth and development as well as considering discrimination and oppression.

You observe a child under the age of five in a home or group care setting for one hour a week for six weeks. The observations are accompanied by a weekly seminar in which you and your fellow students take it in turns to present a detailed written narrative of an observation and discuss the issues generated.

30 credits. Assessment in Social Work Assessment in Social Work 30 credits

The Assessment in Social Work module-unit aims to provide you with an introduction to assessment in Social Work and to the links between Social Work theory and practice.

It consists of a study unit in which you work in small groups to carry out guided reading, role-play and exploration of a simulated assessment task, plus a series of case discussion seminars concurrent with the practice placement.

The module-unit aims to equip you with assessment skills to be applied in the initial period of Assessed Practice.

30 credits. Social Work Skills and Methods Social Work Skills and Methods 30 credits

This module-unit provides a grounding in key skills and methods of intervention for professional Social Work. It builds on the Professional Development for Practice module-unit in Year 1 and leads into the Social Work Theory and Practice module-unit in Year 3.

It considers these in relation to the Department of Health requirements for Planning, Intervention and Review. It provides opportunities for you to practice some of the core skills and learn some core methods of intervention prior to your first assessed placement.

30 credits. Social Work Practice Learning Year 1 Social Work Practice Learning Year 1 30 credits

This module-unit aims to enable you to practice as a Social Worker at an intermediate level within a multi-professional context and to meet the professional requirements for Social Work training. It consists of 8 days practice under the guidance of a practice educator.

All practice learning opportunities offer the possibility for you to develop your communication and Social Work practice skills with service users and to work in partnership across professional disciplines and agencies. The placement offers opportunities to apply learning, including reading, from all the module-units in this year.

30 credits. Year 3 (credit level 6)

Your third year gives you an overview of the legal and organisational context of social work and extends your knowledge and skills in one of the two main specialist areas of social work practice: working with children and families, or working with adults in need.

A theory and practice module looks at methods of intervention and theories applied to a particular area of social work, while another assessed practice element enables you to meet the professional requirements for social work training via 100 days of practice under the guidance of a practice educator.

You are expected to demonstrate competence across a range of standards and this is formally assessed. The learning on the degree builds over the three years and prepares you to apply that knowledge to practice situations.

Module title Credits. Law and the Organisational Context of Social Work Law and the Organisational Context of Social Work 30 credits

This module-unit aims to provide you with a critical understanding of the welfare and legal context of Social Work and its nature and scope within your own chosen area of practice, whilst exploring the impact of the law and policy frameworks in Social Work on service users.

You explore the tensions between statute policy and practice in Social Work and investigate the complex relationship between organisational, legal and professional perspectives. The module-unit also provides you with an understanding of the law in relation to discrimination, and the application of the law within the context of anti-discriminatory practice.

30 credits. Skills and Methods in Social Work: Specialist Area of Practice Skills and Methods in Social Work: Specialist Area of Practice 60 credits

This module-unit introduces you to one of the two main specialist areas of Social Work practice, work with children and families or work with adults in need, enabling you to extend your knowledge and skills in one specialist area.

It provides the opportunity to examine aspects of theory and practice in some depth and to explore evidence- based and research-based practice. It enables you to analyse and critically evaluate some methods of intervention or policies and practices in the chosen topic area. It provides a foundation for the application of knowledge, values and skills in the final placement.

60 credits. Social Work Practice Learning 2 Social Work Practice Learning 2 90 credits

This module-unit aims to enable you to practice as a Social Worker at newly qualified Social Worker level within a multi-professional context, and to meet the professional requirements for Social Work training. It consists of 100 days practice under the guidance of a practice educator.

All practice learning opportunities offer the possibility for you to develop your communication and Social Work practice skills with service users and to work in partnership across professional disciplines and agencies.

The Year 2 practice learning offers opportunities for you to work in a different setting and with a different service user group to the practice learning undertaken in Year 1 . You undertake statutory Social Work tasks involving legal interventions. The placement offers opportunities to apply learning, including reading, from all the module-units in Year 1 , 2 and 3 .

90 credits. Practice placements

You undertake a number of assessed practice placements. You are required to spend 170 days in practice settings.

In Year 1, you are expected to complete 2 days shadowing an experienced Social Worker as well as a period of voluntary work, both of which you arrange.

In Year 2 there is a practice placement lasting 70 days and in Year 3 the practice placement lasts 100 days. These placements are arranged through the allocation system devised by the College. The practice placements will be supported by 30 days for the development of practice skills.

You have an identified Practice Educator for each of the two practice placements. Most of our placements are located in South East London, so if you live elsewhere you will need to travel.

We have partnership agreements with the following organisations for placements in social work:

• Royal Borough of Greenwich (Children and Families, and Adults)
• London Borough of Southwark (Children and Familes, and Adults)
• London Borough of Lewisham (Children and Families, and Adults)
• London Borough of Brent (Children and Families, and Adults)
• London Borough of Croydon (Adults)
• Tri-Borough: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, City of Westminster and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (Adults)
• London Borough of Lambeth (Children and Families)
• London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Children and Families, and Adults)
• City of London NSPCC (London Region)

We also work with about 20-30 voluntary/private social care agencies each year. Here are some that we've worked with recently:

• Equinox Care Mental Health Services
• Body and Soul HIV Service
• Jamma Umoja Family Assessment Services
• Advocacy in Greenwich Learning Disability Service
• The Cassel Centre Mental Health Service
• Lewisham Refugee Network
• Turning Point Mental Health Services
• Carers Lewisham
• International Care Assessment Support Services, Jamaica

You will be expected to work the normal working hours of the agency so should be available between the core hours of 8.30am and 6pm, although occasionally you may be required to work evenings. You will be responsible for the cost of your travel to and from your practice placement.

Depending on where you live in London, you may need to travel up to two hours to your practice placement. If you live outside of London, your travel time may be considerably longer.

Professional standards

Social work is a regulated profession. From 1 August 2012, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) took on the regulation of social workers and the regulation of the performance of social work modules. This means that social work students will need to adhere to the standards set out in the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Guidance on conduct and ethics for students (HCPC 2009), and work towards meeting the HCPC Standards of Proficiency - Social workers in England (HCPC 2012). These are the standards social work students are expected to demonstrate at the end of their last placement/qualifying level.

Teaching style

This programme is mainly taught through scheduled learning - a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. You’ll also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. This includes carrying out required and additional reading, preparing topics for discussion, and producing essays or project work.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

• Year 1 - 19% scheduled learning, 76% independent learning, 5% placement
• Year 2 - 15% scheduled learning, 53% independent learning, 32% placement
• Year 3 - 12% scheduled learning, 48% independent learning, 40% placement
How you’ll be assessed

You’ll be assessed through a combination of presentations, role play, written reflection, portfolio, practice placements, practice placement portfolios, examinations and extended essays.

The following information gives an indication of how you can typically expect to be assessed on each year of this programme*:

• Year 1 - 66% coursework, 25% written exam, 9% practical
• Year 2 - 75% coursework, 25% practical
• Year 3 - 67% coursework, 33% practical

*Please note that these are averages are based on enrolments for 2016/17. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices.

Credits and levels of learning

An undergraduate honours degree is made up of 360 credits – 120 at Level 4, 120 at Level 5 and 120 at Level 6. If you are a full-time student, you will usually take Level 4