A Student's Guide to Placements in Health and Social Care Settings

Supporting students on placements in health and social care settings, this accessible guide provides a framework for understanding the theory behind successful practice as well as the critical skills needed to apply it.

A Student's Guide to Placements in Health and Social Care Settings takes theory beyond the classroom and apply it to real settings, enabling students to recognise their own learning journey and develop their own distinct professional identity within a wider interprofessional context.

This is a key resource for placement experience with insights from experts and advice direct from students who have already been on placement. With clear guidelines, and structured so that you can dip into different chapters as needed, it responds to the unique nature of placement opportunities and is the first line resource students should turn to.

Whatever course you’re studying in the caring profession - Social Work, Health and Social Care, Youth Work, Nursing or Counselling – this is essential reading to help understand how theory can support and improve your placement experience, ensuring you get the very most out of it.

Part 1: Pre Placement

1. Being Prepared
2. Reflection
3. Emotional Resilience
4. Anti-Oppressive Practice

Part 2: During Placement

1. Working with in the context of an agency
2. Placements in challenging settings
3. Managing your placement and supervision
4. Technology and digital literacy
5. Resource of self

Part 3: Advanced Skills

1. Inter-professional learning and working
2. Involving others
3. Managing projects
4. Measuring impact

Glossary

Index

Simon Williams has over twenty years’ experience of Youth and Community Work, and six years’ experience in teaching at higher education, during which he has been a placement coordinator, working with both agencies and students to develop the best student experience on placement possible. 

Diana Conroy has wide experience of working in wellbeing, health and social care.  She has worked as a social worker and within the NHS.  She is Senior Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy teaching modules on understanding health and social care systems, creativity and meta-awareness and the unconscious.