Helen Scholar

The nature of employer’s involvement in social work education: An international exploration

Email interviews and internet inquiries were used to explore the nature and extent of employer engagement in qualifying social work education programmes across 10 countries: Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, UK and USA. Findings indicate considerable variations in the nature and extent of engagement in admissions processes, programme management and assessment of student competence. Practice learning/field education was the main area for employer engagement. The desirability of employer engagement is discussed.

‘Why is This Not Social Work?’ The Contribution of ‘Non-Traditional’ Placements in Preparing Social Work Students for Practice

This article reports on the findings of two evaluations of a major charitys learning from providing ‘non-traditional’ social work placements with young people at risk of social exclusion. The article challenges the terminology of ‘non-traditional’ and ‘non-social work’ placements and examines the potential of these placements in the current social work curriculum and in the light of the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force and directions from the Social Work Reform Board. In particular, the article highlights the ability of such placements to help prepare students for their ‘statutory placement’ in relation to formal assessment, legal literacy, and risk awareness and safeguarding. Overall, it is argued that the time is ripe to champion the creative use of such placements for HEIs, delivery partners, social work students and, most importantly, for service users.

Around the World in Three Conferences

Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing. (IAASW and IFSW, 2014)

The neglected paraphernalia of practice? Objects and artefacts in social work identity, practice and research:

Artefacts, objects and paraphernalia and their relationship to social work practice and identity have attracted little attention in social work despite their ubiquity in all aspects of our lives. This article introduces some theoretical perspectives on the qualities of artefacts and the nature of relationships between the material and social worlds; and considers the ways in which artefacts have been understood in social work research to date. It concludes by suggesting that noticing when and how social workers engage with artefacts may contribute to the development of our understanding of social work’s relationship with the non-human world and offer new insights into aspects of social work identity and practice.

Best Articles and SWERSA

At our main Editorial Board meeting in March 2015, we selected the Best Conceptual and Empirical articles from the journal from the previous year. The process of selection was undertaken by the members of the Board working in pairs with clear criteria who looked at 2 editions each and identified one article from each category to go to the Main Board for their consideration, debate and decision. There was a healthy debate at the Board and in the ‘Best Conceptual Article,’ we finally agreed it was a tie and have awarded the accolade of ‘Best Conceptual Article’ jointly to:

Advancing Excellence in Social Work Education

This is the first edition of the journal that Helen and I have edited and we thought it was important to share our ideas about for ‘advancing’ excellence in the delivery of social work education. In so doing, we felt we wanted to further develop the work undertaken by Professor Imogen Taylor and DrMichelle Lefevre (2013). In order for the journal to be considered as excellent it needs to be regarded as such by its stakeholders: readers, potential authors, assessors, and boardmembers. Members of these stakeholder groups may overlap but for clarity’s sake each group is considered individually.

Student Learning in Practice, Alcohol and Drugs, Post-Qualification Education and e-Learning: A Cornucopia of Knowledge!

Once again, this edition of Social Work Education: the international journal reflects contributions from social work educators across the world, all committed to developing the quality of social work education to the ultimate benefit of people using social work services. Australia, England, Ireland, Israel, Sweden and the United States are all represented here. One group of articles focuses on pre-qualification social work education, and particularly on aspects of students’ learning in practice—‘field education’ or ‘practice placements’. Regarded by many social workers as the most memorable and significant aspect of their qualifying training, research on what constitutes effective field education is crucial, as Marion Bogo has said ‘ . . . so that the profession can develop knowledge . . . to provide the best learning opportunities for students’ (Bogo, 2010, p. 209). In these times of austerity, sound evidence about the characteristics and outcomes of good quality field education is even more important. In some countries, many of the organisations that provide placement opportunities in the state and independent sectors are struggling for resources, so research that can help inform the development of new and innovative approaches to field education, and represent the needs of the profession to governments, regulators and funders, is all the more necessary. Tham and Lynch’s article reports the findings from the first phase of a longitudinal study following a small group of Swedish social work students from graduation into practice. At the point of qualification, most of this group said they were relatively unprepared for practice, their time in field education had been insufficient, and they expected considerable support from employers post-qualification. The authors argue that the ‘academisation’ of social work education in Sweden has led to the reduction of practice placements which are now only 23 weeks in most qualifying programmes. They contrast this development in the Nordic countries with the direction being taken elsewhere, particularly in Britain (34 weeks). An example of this is explored in the article by Domakin, which reports on a study in England, examining the involvement of practice educators in a new Master’s

Awards, Innovation, Social Justice and University Rankings

In this edition of the journal we would like to congratulate the winners of the best articles published in the journal in 2013 as decided upon at the annual main board meeting. The best conceptual ...