Social Work at Brunel University School of Health Sciences and Social Care

1. Social Work at Brunel University School of Health Sciences and Social Care

2. Social Work at Brunel University • BA Social Work • MA Social Work • CPD and PQ degrees

3. Social Work Division • Rated 1st in The Guardian League Table, 2012 • Highest rated student satisfaction (NSS) of London social work departments • One of the largest social work schools in London recruiting c85 students each year • Social work education ranging from undergraduate to PhD • Leader in social work research with an international reputation

4. Academic staff research activities • Effect of Family Drug and Alcohol Courts on children (Prof Judith Harwin) • Rights of service users to be involved in decisions affecting their lives (Prof Peter Beresford OBE) • Care experiences of older people with no children (Dr Mary Sullivan) • Experience of international social work practitioners in English social work practice (Dr Sue Hanna) • Four research centres in the Division, and Brunel Institute for Aging Studies, contribute to linking research, theory and practice in teaching

5. Social Work Programmes • Meet requirements for professional practice as defined by The College of Social Work and HCPC • Teaching underpinned by high quality research, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive perspectives, and reflective practice • Generic social work curricula with an opportunity to specialise in a specific pathway in the final year • Service user and social work practitioner involvement in teaching & Interdisciplinary teaching • Small group teaching to support and stimulate learning

6. Typical Social Work Course Content: academic • Introduction to academic and professional practice • Social work themes, roles & contemporary practice • Human Development • Social Policy & Sociology • Self reflection and Skills Development Hub • Introduction to Law • Working with Service Users & Service Providers • Theories underpinning social work • Contemporary issues and values • Professional pathways (Children & Families OR Adults) • Choice of one Elective

7. Typical Social Work Course Content: practice • Skills development (campus based: 30 days) • Practice seminars (campus based) • Practice placements (170 days over 2 years) • Long term relationships with well established partner agencies, including memoranda of cooperation • Dedicated team to develop and manage practice learning • Placements run concurrently with teaching

8. Voluntary Placements Students have agency placements that include: • Re-Start • St.Mungos • Crime Reduction Initiative • Community Housing and Therapy Statutory Placements Hillingdon Social Services Hounslow Social Services Ealing Social Services Slough Social Services Brent Social Services Harrow Social Services

9. Graduates will be competent to: • Undertake ethical, innovative & effective social work practice in a diverse society; • Undertake critical & professional practice with service users that actively promotes social justice; • Integrate theory, policy, practice, & research evidence to meet service users’ and the profession’s needs; • Have both a generic & detailed understanding of social work knowledge, values and intervention skills, applicable to a variety fields and methods of practice; • Demonstrate research capacity to critically evaluate social work research, & independently undertake and manage a research project.

10. Additional Information • Allocated an academic tutor • Typical week is 9am-5pm (typically 2 days academic input, 3 days in practice setting) • Student supported in placement by practice educators, practice tutors, and academic tutors on campus • Students will need to get a criminal records check from the Disclosure & Barring service to practice

11. Fees /Costs • The fees for this course are £9,000 per year for 2013/14 Home/EU students and £15,00 for international students. • The Department of Health is currently consulting to reform the bursary. Consultation is underway • Currently no bursary will be offered in the first year with a cap on the number of bursaries in years 2/3 • See www.nhsbsa. Nhs.uk/students/825. aspx for details of the social work bursary

12. Assessed and Supported Year in Employment • new requirement from 2015/16 • It will be a form of CPD with students expected to complete an assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE). • extra support provided during first year in practice. • For more information see The College of Social Work Website • www.collegeofsocialwork.org

13. Our Graduates • Highly sought after as social workers in various locations in the UK with the majority working in London boroughs • Pursue post graduate study and research focused careers • Continue their association with Brunel as Practice Educators • Alumni Group which mentors and supports on course students