Practice Education Hub

FAQs

• Admissions

  How to Apply

  Students whose fees are to be paid by their employer should follow their employers application procedures prior to applying online. Anyone who is paying their own fees should apply through Wozzad the online booking system.

  How much will it cost?

  Supporting Practice Learning in Social Work (Unit 1): £750

  Supervising and Assessing a Learner in Social Work Practice (Unit 2): £575

  Both units have to be successfully completed to qualify as a Practice Educator in Social Work.

  Is there anything my funding organisation need to organise for me prior to starting?

  Your funding Local Authority/Agency arrange for you to have access to a minimum of 2 social work students for you to work with across both units, as well as a Practice Assessor for unit 2.

  Can I apply independently from my workplace?

  Yes, you can apply independently from your workplace.  It is your responsibility to organise a Practice Assessor and a minimum of 2 students to work with.  If you may struggle to access a Practice Assessor please contact us so we can see if we can assist in some way.

• Eligibility

  What are the eligibility and entry requirements for Trainee Practice Educators?

  All individuals undertaking Practice Educator training must be registered Social Workers. Prior to enrolment, Trainee Practice Educators are expected to demonstrate that they are practising at the Experienced Social Worker level (Level 7) of the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) (BASW, 2018) within their current practitioner role.

  In addition, applicants must have a minimum of two years’ post-qualification practice experience, inclusive of successful completion of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE). This experience should provide sufficient breadth and depth of practice to evidence capability at the PCF Level 7 (Experienced Social Worker) standard.

  These requirements ensure that Trainee Practice Educators possess the necessary professional competence, autonomy, and critical reflection skills to effectively support, supervise, and assess social work students in practice.

• Unit information

  Do I need two units to complete to qualify as a Practice Educator in Social Work?

  In order to proceed to the second unit of the course, Supervising and Assessing a Learner in Social Work Practice, there are some requirements of the course. The Trainee Practice Educator is required to have attended the taught element of Unit 1 and also have worked with a social work learner in practice as a part of the assessed requirements for Unit 1 and submitted the assessment for Unit 1 (if completed the equivalent of this unit in another institution please enquire at Bournemouth University if you need to undertake this unit prior to undertaking Unit 2).

  If the Trainee Practice Educator has a Bournemouth University approved extension which goes beyond the application window for Unit 2, or has failed Unit 1, then please speak with the Social Work Practice Education Team because the Trainee Practice Educator may still be able to apply for Unit 2.

  Please note, in order to qualify as a Practice Educator, both units of the social work Practice Education course need to have been successfully completed and all assessments passed, therefore if continuing onto Unit 2 prior to successfully completing Unit 1, please be aware of the risks to qualifying involved.

  How is the course structured?

  The course consists of two units:

  • Supporting Practice Learning in Social Work (formerly Unit 1 Enabling Work Based Learning); and,
  • Supervising and Assessing a Learner in Social Work Practice (formerly Unit 2 Supervising a Learner in Practice).

  By the end of the first unit, successful candidates will have developed the skills and confidence to contribute to the learning and assessment of a range of work-based learners and take full responsibility for the learning and assessment of a first placement social work student (or equivalent).

  By the end of the second unit, successful candidates will have fully developed the skills, knowledge and confidence to take a leading role in supporting and assessing workplace learning including the assessment of qualifying and / or post-qualified professional learners at all levels and stages of study.

  What are the course expectations?

  Each unit offers live online workshops which provide an opportunity for learners to come together via a virtual classroom to gain information, share ideas and discuss their experiences. They introduce and encourage critical debate about key themes related to enabling work-based learning and supervising a learner in practice and will support you to explore the work that you have carried out independently.

  There is also an expectation to complete self-managed learning. You will be provided with a package of reading and reflective exercises that have been designed to help you critically explore your practice-based experiences and develop a deeper understanding of links between practice and theory. Successful candidates will have free access to the BU library, including its online resources.

  Each unit requires the successful candidate to meet the BASW Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) as well as submit a focused assignment which meets the intended learning outcomes of each unit. This will be discussed within the workshops as well as access to guidance on the expectations and how to complete the assessment.

  How do I access the learning materials?

  You will be given access to Brightspace – Bournemouth University’s Learning Portal – where there is an array of resources and tools to support you on your learning journey.

  How do I access the online workshops?

  You will access your online teaching days via Brightspace – Bournemouth University’s Learning Portal.

  What support will I be offered?

  You will be offered tutorials as a group. Individual tutorials are also available on request.

  Will I be given a student card and have access to the library?

  Once you have been enrolled on the course, you will be issued with a Student ID card which will gain you access to the Library and the Bournemouth Gateway Building.

  How long will I be studying for?

  The course will take approximately 18 months from the start of Unit 1 to completion of Unit 2.

• Assessment Criteria

  How will I be assessed?

  You will be supporting, mentoring and assessing a minimum of 2 social work students across the 2 units.

  A minimum of 3 observations of you supervising the qualifying social workers across the 2 placements will be assessed. You will be assessed by a qualified Practice Educator and/or Assessor.

  The Practice Record of Requirement, to be met across both units, are assessed against the BASW PEPS domains

  You will also be required to submit an academic assignment for both units.

  Are there any restrictions on who I can supervise/mentor/assess on placement?

  For individuals undertaking training to become a Practice Educator with Bournemouth University, it is essential that the Trainee Practice Educator supervises/mentors/assesses two different social work learners in practice. A social work learner in practice is a social work student who is formally on an assessed social work placement or, in exceptional circumstances, a newly qualified social worker (please speak with the Bournemouth University course lead if the option of supervising an ASYE is required). This requirement ensures that the Trainee Practice Educator is supporting and assessing practice in line with recognised social work education standards. Individuals such as apprentices who are employed within a social work team but are not undertaking a formal placement do not meet the criteria for this role within the Practice Educator training context.

  For Unit 1, the Trainee Practice Educator may undertake the role of Practice Supervisor, Practice Educator, or a dual role (Practice Educator and Supervisor at the same time), provided there is appropriate oversight and support from the employing organisation or agency responsible for facilitating their progression on the course.

  For Unit 2, the expectations are more advanced. The Trainee Practice Educator must undertake the role of sole Practice Educator or a sole dual Practice Educator/Practice Supervisor role, with robust oversight and endorsement from the relevant employing organisation or agency responsible for supporting their development and course completion.

  These requirements ensure that Trainee Practice Educators gain appropriate, high-quality experience in supporting and assessing social work students within a structured and accountable framework.

  What are the requirements for oversight and support, and Practice Educator Assessors?

  Trainee Practice Educators must be supported through their programme of study by appropriate oversight and structured organisational support from the employing agency or organisation responsible for facilitating their progression on the course. This support must include the allocation of both a Practice Educator Assessor who holds a PEPS 2 qualification (or equivalent).

  Practice Educator Assessors must demonstrate a suitable level of experience and professional capability to effectively support Trainee Practice Educators, particularly in relation to complex decision-making within practice education. It is expected that individuals undertaking these roles will have substantial prior experience of supervising learners in practice contexts.

  Specifically, Practice Educators should have supported approximately five learners (pre- and/or post-qualifying) within a practice learning environment prior to undertaking the role of Assessor or Mentor. This experience should include sustained involvement in supervision, rather than isolated or one-off sessions, and should demonstrate exposure to and management of complexities within practice education. The indicative number of five learners may include those supervised during the Practice Educator’s own PEPS 1 and PEPS 2 training.

  In addition, the employing organisation must ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to provide a suitable social work student on placement, enabling the Trainee Practice Educator to meet the assessment requirements of the programme.

  How do I keep my PE qualification current?

  BASW England has developed refreshed standards to promote the development, and awareness, of Professional Standards in Social Work Education within the social work profession and with people with lived experience of social work.

  It is hoped that this document will be used to promote the Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) and lead to a wider understanding of the role of the practice educator (PE) by students, employers and anyone involved in practice education.

  The BASW PEPS expectations are available on the BASW website