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Social Work Fieldwork Placements

Social Work Fieldwork Placements

If you are studying Social Work at a university, a placement with the Department ofCommunities can kickstart your career!The Department of Communities ( D e p a r t m e n t ) p rovides a range of community services to Western Australian individuals, children, and their families, from the Kimberley to the Great Southern regions of the state. Placements are professionally challenging but also rich learning environments where students make a signif icant contribution to the Department’s purpose of collaborating to create pathways that enable individual, family and community wellbeing.

What are the benefits of a placement in the Departmentof Communities?We have a strong commitment to being a learning organisation. Our approach for all staff is based on a learning model which builds capacity by integrating structured learning and collaboration with learning opportunities in the workplace.

Students will have opportunities to engage in all these modes of learning while on placement.

All students must attend a Communities Student Orientation Program which provides a detailed overview of the Department of Communities • Overview of the Department of Communities• Introduction to the Frameworks used within Communities• Legislation and Legal Obligations• Understanding Child Abuse• Care Services within Communities• Maintaining the passion for Community Services• Bringing it all together – and getting ready for placement• Overview of the Data Recording Systems used in Communities

As there are students from many universities at the Communities Student Orientation Program, there are opportunities to build networks.

All placements meet the practice standard requirements of both the AASW and the university. Additionally, students also have support from the Coordinator of Social Work Student Placements, at Learning and Development.

What types of placements are available?Most student placements are either in Children in Care Teams, Child Safety Teams or Intensive Family Support Teams. Placements in the country may include a combination of these team roles. Other project placements are sometimes available.

What will I do on a Communities Placement?

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Learn new practice approaches. and build your skills.Apply theory to practice relating to policy, communities, families and children, and individuals. Enhance assessment and intervention skills.Gain an in-depth understanding of organisational and legal requirements, particularly in a statutory context.Be exposed to the wide range of areas within the Department of Communities in both direct practice and/or policy such as responding to child protection concerns, children in care, family support, crisis care, and family and domestic violence.Enhance skills in ethical and self-reflective practice.Develop your own professional identity.

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Future EmploymentMany students who complete a Social Work Fieldwork Placement t h r o u g h t h i s p r o g r a m may secure employment with the Department in the future.

How to ApplyYour University Placements Coordinator will provide the necessary forms to be completed and arrange for the completed forms to be submitted to the Department of Communities. The following table list the forms and the supporting documentation required.

Coordination of Placement RequestsThe Coordinator Social Work Student Placements is not able to respond to individual approaches by students for placement. All placement requests must come through the University Placement Coordinator.

DirectorLearning and DevelopmentDepartment of Communities February 2020

Note: The forms that need to be completed are sourced from the Coordinator of your Student Placements at the university.

in the past 5 years. As these clearances can take time to process we suggest that

Forms Supporting documentation1. Form 211 Student Placement

requestCopies of:

• The student’s current academic record;• Driver’s license (with photo);• Details of employment in a human service industry.

2. Record Check Consent Application System (RCCAS)

Copy of Working with Children (WWC) Card WA or Post Office receipt of WWC application. Authorised copies of documentation (One Commencement document, One Primary document and Two Secondary documents).

3. Identity card form One recent passport photo to be glued to the form.

4. Interpol clearance This is only required if the student has lived overseas for 12 consecutive months

students make application for a clearance at least six months before the PlacementRequest is submitted.