Practice Education in Social Work

Now fully updated to reflect the changing social work placement landscape and the BASW refreshed (2022) Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS), this best-selling book is an invaluable guide for social workers undertaking learning and assessment to gain and maintain Stage 1 or 2 qualified practice educator status and for those involved in facilitating the mentoring, learning, support, assessment and CPD of practice educators.

It covers all key areas within Practice Educator training and offers guidance on the application of key skills and knowledge in supporting, assessing and teaching social work students and managing the placement. It will particularly assist Practice Educators to: 

• Understand, prepare for and provide appropriate learning opportunities
• Understand and implement effective supervision of social work students, including development of reflection, knowledge, skills and values
• Understand holistic assessment of practice; assessing in line with capability levels expected at the end of first and final placement
• Deal with weaker or failing students
• Prepare the reader for the PEPS qualification process.

1 – Introduction 

2 – Preparation and planning 

3 - Enabling learning

4 – Critical reflection and values

5 - Reflective supervision

6 - Assessment

7 - Dealing with placement challenges

8 – Practice Educator professional standards for social work

Appendices

Paula Beesley is a registered social worker with a background in working within children services, particularly with parents with a learning disability. She is a qualified practice educator and has supported numerous students, both in her role in local authority teams and as an independent Off-Site Practice Educator (OSPE).  She now works at Leeds Beckett University as a Senior Lecturer in Social Work, specialising in skill development and placement preparation and support. She is writing her doctoral thesis on developing knowledge and skills in social work student supervision.

Sue Taplin is a registered Social Worker with 18 years’ experience as a Social Work Researcher and University Lecturer. Prior to embarking on an academic career, Sue practised in the voluntary sector as a Palliative Care Social Worker and Practice Educator. Sue currently works at the University of Gloucestershire, where she brings her passion for practice and interprofessional learning and teaching to the undergraduate and postgraduate social work programmes. Sue is the editor of Innovations in Practice Learning, published by Critical Publishing in 2018.