London & South East Practice Learning Documentation

1. London & South East Practice Learning Documentation For use by Degree in Social Work Programmes subscribing to the London & South East England HEI Agreed Common Practice Learning Documents for Social Work

2. Background 1 • Agencies requested at London SWEN that HEIs developed shared documentation for placement learning in order to assist practice educators • Common documentation will mean that practice educators do not have to deal with different requirements of different HEIs • The London HEI group met regularly to develop some standardised products. These have now been finally agreed. • Other sub-regional groups have expressed interest and some have joined

3. Background 2 • The College of Social Work has developed a standardised Final Report format for both placements • The HEA and the College of Social Work have produced Guidance on “Assessing Practice using the Professional Capabilities Framework” • Agencies implementing ASYE programmes and practice educators are becoming familiar with ASYE documentation (particularly reports, direct observations and PDPS) .

4. The Transition Principle • We anticipated that agencies would welcome the development of documentation which also supports students’ transition to ASYE • Practice educators also contribute as supervisors and assessors to ASYE. • We aimed to produce documents for pre-registration practice placement learning and assessment which would harmonise with ASYE

5. Issues Arising from the Process • Progressive holistic assessment against capabilities (PCF) is a new process. • It takes time to leave “Competences” and the NOS behind and adapt to a new way of thinking!

6. Issues Arising from the Process • Change Control: What happens if one HEI changes agreed documents? • We know this has happened (and caused confusion) in other regions previously. • HEIs joining the London and South East England process are asked to “sign up to” the change control process. • Agency and Service user and carer representatives will be asked to join change control panels

7. London and South East Products • Student Placement Profile • Placement Learning Agreement • Mid Way Report • End of Placement Report • Index of Evidence Used for Student Assessment • Observation Template(inc less formal direct observation of day-to-day practice version) • Personal/Professional Development Plan

8. PCF Challenges PCF Challenges • Developing student understanding of, and familiarity with the PCF – they will need to be able to translate their “competence” achievements to date all the way through the placement right from the pre-placement Profile • Practice Educator understanding of, and familiarity with, PCF [and the concept of progressive holistic assessment] again from the “get go”.

9. PCF Challenges • Training needed to ensure clarity of expectations and processes, along with consistency in application and assessment. • Opportunities for joint training? (Practice educators, HEI tutors, students) • Examples/exemplars needed to demonstrate possibilities and expectations (especially Holistic Assessment and Threshold levels). • Support requirements for new processes and managing uncertainty.

10. PCF Potential • London HEIs already piloting the PCF have provided workshops for PEs and students – PCF well received • Having a common framework across pre- and post-registration is already a winner, especially for those PEs who are already working with ASYEs

11. Common placement documentation