NQSW ----> CPSP
So I am starting my PQ 1, it's now called Consolidation and Preparation for Specialist Practice, I am doing the mental health pathway, there is also a vulnerable adults one and one for childrens services. I am actually looking forward to it as it will give me the time for some deep reflection, unfortunately it does not happen as much as i would like due to time pressures and ever increasing fire fighting, with the ever increasing caseload, with people with complex needs, which are not helped by the decimation by the Con-Dems of some of the great and valuable voluntary services that before would have offered service users and carers valuable support.
On the CPSP course we get to network with other mental health social workers (MHSW) which is really great as sometimes I feel quite isolated professionally. The MHSW's are from four different counties so its interesting to hear how different Local Authorities do things and it's also a little bit sickening, if I am honest to find out the massive differences in pay between different LAs but hey I did not go into social work for the money (good job really!).
The course we are undertaking is well thought out with some very interesting speakers lined up so I am looking forward to that. There is a 5000 word reflective practice analysis which I don't mind doing either as it will reinforce all the social work theories and approaches that I know I use but don't always use consciously, applying theories to practice is the phrase I am looking for. I am not banking on getting my study days though what with work as busy as it is so I will be doing it during the weekends.
The bonus is that as I have completed my Newly Qualified Social Work Framework (NQSW) I don't have to do the other half of the work for the CPSP as some of my colleagues do - this is a1000 essay and a 4000 essay as its stuff that I have covered in that, I am so relieved I bitched and moaned about that NQSW stuff, in fact I wrote a blog post about it but it was so negative I did not publish it! It was the first year that it was rolled out for adult services and no one seemed to know what they were doing, and the goalposts kept changing so it was incredibly anxiety provoking. when out tutor told us that it meant we would cut the CPSP work in half I almost wanted to kiss her but had to remind myself of boundaries!! you see she had asked us how we had found the NQSW process and everyone in the room (only five us ) had wined and blabbed about what a waste of time it was, how it was really a box ticking exercise and we did not really get anything out of it but then, hurrah!, she broke the news it meant cutting the work for CPSP in half.
So I am going to be an even busier bee over the next six months but I have the goal of being able to undertake the Approved Mental Health Professional course (AMHP) next year to keep me focused.
Its one thing, amongst many that attracted me to social work; the continuing professional development as I hope it means my job will never feel stagnant as there is always so much to learn, although on a bad day I do feel like I am jumping through never ending hoops! but look on the bright side if I do get fed up of it I could join the circus as a dog; they jump through hoops don't they?