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