January 2024 Newsletter

PG Diploma Advanced Mental Health Practice (AMHP)

You may have heard the very sad news that our friend and colleague Dr Matthew Simpson has passed away.

You can read the online statement: Dr Matthew Simpson

Whilst we are coming to terms with his sudden and unexpected death as a team, we would like to assure all of our AMHP students and practice partners that we are working to ensure that our programme offer continues with the support of our tutors and lecturers.

Teaching update - Preparation for Social Work Practice in the United Kingdom (UK) for non-UK Social Workers.

We want to share with you some exciting developments in our academic offer as we are introducing a new unit to prepare and support social workers recruited from overseas. 

‘We know that working in a new country requires adaptation. We are proposing to offer a course which promotes the development of cultural competence and realigns knowledge, skills, values and experience to social work practice in the UK, whilst acknowledging existing expertise.’

Jenny Bigmore

There has been a mounting problem with the recruitment and retention of social workers in England over the past two decades and currently, Local Authorities are investing heavily in recruiting from overseas. Recent figures published by the regulatory body, Social Work England, show that the numbers of international social workers applying to work in England has risen from 611 in the 2019-20 registration year to 1,684 in 2021-22. This represents a 175.3% rise.

Figures show that applications come mainly from Zimbabwe, India, and South Africa. Zimbabwean social workers represent the second most common nationality on the social work register since 2019-20, behind British. We also know that there is a high attrition rate for this group of social workers and this is due in part to a lack of preparation for social work practice in a new country. 

There has been a gradual recognition of some of the challenges involved in relocating to another country and there is varied support in terms of practical issues like housing, bank accounts etc. However, the social work profession is highly complex and requires a foundation of knowledge which includes legislation, policy, and procedure, but also requires a depth of understanding of the history and context of social work in the UK, as well as insight into the cultural, political, and societal context of the country in which they intend to practice. Social work is an international profession but never-the-less there are significant differences in the social work role across different cultures. “Indeed, how a social worker practises will be influenced by the culture and the specific cultural reference points in a given country context” (Simpson, 2009).  

Jenny feels that this unit of study could also be used to support social workers from overseas, currently practicing in this country and we have already had expressions of interest for this in our region. 

Bournemouth University’s PIER (Public Involvement in Education and Research) partnership

We are also delighted to join forces with Bournemouth University’s PIER partnership on the delivery of the co-designed and co-produced CPD unit called Public Involvement in Research. This 20-credit unit is now recruiting its 5th cohort for an online course in April. In this unit, learners from across social work and health disciplines have the opportunity to explore and evaluate a range of models and approaches to harnessing lived experience expertise in research and service improvement, with members of the BU PIER Partnership. Specific emphasis is placed on strategies for engaging and collaborating with marginalised groups so as not to reinforce social and health inequalities and inequities.

Courses – Public Involvement in Research

For further information on the work of the partnership, you can view their recently published report here Annual Report 2022/23

Public Engagement update

On the 15th December 2023 we held the 3rd Leadership conference through the National Centre for Cross-Disciplinary Social Work. We had fantastic turnout and 95 delegates signed up to hear about our research developments at BU across faculties.

We have had some fantastic feedback from delegates when we asked them what they enjoyed the most: 

The topic on inclusivity and diversity 

The variety of speakers! I liked the subjects of the session and the models shared. 

There were some nice visuals that I will take away

 Lived experience for overseas workers

The depth & quantity of knowledge shared at a relaxed pace

New Director

We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new Director of the National Centre for Cross Disciplinary Social Work, Mel Hughes.

Mel is Professor of Social Work and has been part of the social work team at BU since 2005. Mel champions lived experience expertise through her roles as Academic Lead for the PIER (Public Involvement in Education and Research) partnership and Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Seldom Heard Voices. Mel is looking forward to bringing this expertise to the work of the National Centre. ‘The National Centre is a great example of how excellence in social work education, research and practice can be achieved when you bring together people with practice, academic and lived experience expertise to improve outcomes for all’.

You can read more about Mel’s work here: Professor Mel Hughes

We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to Professor Lee-Ann Fenge who has stepped aside from her role as Director but remains an integral member of the team.

Our units

Here is a list of our units over the next couple of months, we are excited to see you soon! https://www.applycpd.com/bu

Please feel free to contact us via email if you have any questions regarding admissions or how you can build you award with previous academic credits. hsspostregadmissions@bournemouth.ac.uk  

More information about each unit can be found on the links below: 

Leading for Change
Start Date: 29/02/24 / Application Cut of Date: 18/01/24

AMHP (London)
Start Date: 21/03/24  / Application Cut of Date: 22/01/2024

AMHP (Southwest)
Start Date: tbc  / Application Cut of Date: 22/01/2024

Mental Capacity Act 2005 in Practice 
Level 6   Level 7
Start Date: 05/03/24 / Application Cut of Date: 23/01/24

Critical Thinking and Academic Writing Workshop 
Start Date: 08/02/24 / Application Cut of Date: 06/02/24

Developing Professional Specialist Practice 
Start Date: 09/04/24  / Application Cut of Date: 27/02/2024

Risk & decision making in safeguarding adults & children 
Start Date: 09/04/24  / Application Cut of Date: 27/02/2024

Developing professional practice (cpd) 
Start Date: 17/04/24 / Application Cut of Date: 06/03/24

Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice (GCPP ASYE) 
Start Date: 17/04/24 / Application Cut of Date: 06/03/24

Public involvement in research 
Start Date: 19/04/24  / Application Cut of Date: 08/03/24

Evidencing professional learning (with health) 
Level 6   Level 7
Start Date: 26/04/24 / Application Cut of Date: 15/03/24