3rd Year and Placement Woes

Hello there :) This is my first post! Sadly however it is not under more positive circumstance...

I am in my 3rd year of a BA and should be out on my final placement.. however; I declined what was initially offered to me, which was a voluntary sector support role: which is what I had on my first placement. 

I am fully aware that Uni state they cannot guarantee another placement now if we decline initial offers.. meaning, we would not graduate with the majority of our course colleagues, on schedule. However - this was something I was prepared to accept, should it mean graduating having essential statutory experience as opposed to graduating with inadequate role experience which would put me at a disadvantage when subsequently applying for positions post qual...

My course colleagues have mostly received statutory placements for this PLE2; those who have not, experienced statutory work during PLE1. Some have even received 2 x stat placements!  There are some students who declined initial offers to be given more appropriate placements - one even declined FOUR until she was offered what "she wanted".

Having declined this offer, I have now been threatened with a disciplinary hearing which as you may be able to imagine is a very upsetting and confusing prospect. 

I have spoken to the NUS who will liaise with the department on my behalf but I am concerned and anxious... unsurprisingly

I feel I am being treated very badly and unfairly; what has been taught to us, the students, for nearly three years - working in an anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory way - is not apparently how the department chooses to practice!

I have a lot to offer the profession and to prospective service users! I am prepared to wait until the right opportunity comes along - this obviously does not sit right with my course leaders however, Might this to be to do with results, league tables and statistics ...?!! They say there are no placements left in the pot. Fair enough. I will bide my time, until there is - but this appears to not sit well with what they want, as opposed to what I want, as a fee paying customer. 

Any words of advice or support appreciated at this difficult and distressing time!

Sincerely yours - disgruntled student. :)

Could not leave you ignored!!! ..... This seems a very common problem at the moment and not one easily solved as you have pointed out the Uni's are not under a legal obligation to provide everyone with a statutory placement (despite the fact they should be as it's essential)..... I don't get why from you have posted you are getting the book chucked at you when others have turned down placements with no ill effects .... Did they go about things differently? ..... If I were you I would be looking at trying to find a placement myself ... Hard but not impossible... Also have you written a formal letter explaining why you don't feel able to accept the voluntary sector placement? .... The "well so and so got this etc" argument never works in my view ... Just gets the placement officers back up. ...... I really hope you get this sorted .... Keep calm, positive and persistent!!!

If you were already a student member of BASW ( £1 a week) you would have access to the full advice and representation service, accompanyment at any hearing and access to insurance for legal redress if unfairly adjudicated against by the University.