Learning to Be a Social Worker in a Non-traditional Placement: Critical Reflections on Social Work, Professional Identity and Social Work Education in England

• Published in: Social work education Vol. 33; no. 8; pp. 998 - 1016
• Main Authors: Scholar, Helen, McLaughlin, Hugh, McCaughan, Su, Coleman, Allison
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge 17.11.2014; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Ability; Biological and medical sciences; Careers; Charity; Child welfare; College Students; Education Work Relationship; Educational evaluation; England; Field instruction; Group identity; Health staff related problems. Vocational training; Learning; Medical sciences; Non-traditional Placements; Placement; Practice based education; Practice Learning; Practice placements; Professional Identity; Professional practice; Professional training; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social development; Social identity; Social interest; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social work; Social Work Education; Social Work Reform; Social Workers; Treatments; England; United Kingdom; Great Britain; Europe; United Kingdom > UK; Human; Social group; Social Work Reform; Professional status; Social belonging; Social Work Education; Treatment; Social work; Practice Learning; Social worker; Professional Identity; Occupational training; Social identity; Non-traditional Placements
• ISSN: 0261-5479; 1470-1227
• DOI: 10.1080/02615479.2014.926320

Drawing upon findings from a national evaluation of student social workers' experiences of 'non-traditional' placements with a national charity, this article considers what such placements can contribute to the development of an individual and collective sense of professional identity for social work. This is explored against the background of current developments in social work education in England, including changes to the requirements for practice placements and the introduction of 'fast-track' routes to qualification, preparing students for social work in statutory children's services. The article suggests that with the establishment of The College of Social Work and the development of the Professional Capabilities Framework, relevant to all social workers throughout their careers, the profession has an opportunity to promote a concept of social work in England beyond that required by statutory sector employers; and that practice learning in non-statutory and non-traditional settings has an important role to play in this.