Only one-third of newly qualified children's social workers believe their degree courses prepared them fully or largely for their job, according to government research. Read story on this here  Does the degree need an overhaul?

 

Oh  my goodness does it need an overhaul. These poor newly qualified Social Workers are like lambs to the slaughter (apologies to veggies). they have no idea what is happening in the work place and I do feel hearterly sorry for them .The courses are set up to give students an overview of what is happening in Social Work and my opinion is that you dont actually start learning until after you qualify. I have had students who have mixed experinece but have found that those wh oworked for the LA unqualified in SW have a clearer understanding than those who decide to take up the profession without any background. There needs to be a more indepth understanding regarding expectations and the role that we play in todays society then maybe SW's would not feel so isolated and deskilled.   

Hi All

As only 2 years post qualifying myself, I speak from experience.  I view my degree a bit like a 'driving licence' and like driving, you become more compitent and confident as a social worker the longer you practice.  In fact, you never stop learning and developing (plus accomodating policy and law changes) - it just slows down over time. Hence, having to evidence continual professional development to remain registered with the GSCC. 

Take Care

Shellie

I love the way that Shellie described it. I don't believe any professional degree can effectively produce newly qualified people who are expected to know everything from day one, that is unrealistic especially for a profession as wide as social work and the generic nature of the degree.

I am a second year student and have just finished a six month statutory placement from which I learnt a vast amount. It was in a residential family assessment centre and although it was a charitable organisation was classed as a statutory placement due to the nature of the work. I am one of the lucky ones as there is a huge shortage of good quality statutory placements. In fact the criteria for what constitutes a statutory placement has been relaxed due to lack of suitable places meaning that most students won't experience a placement within a local authority.

Placements are a large element of the degree course. Without experienced social work professionals (and managers) who are willing to be part of the education process and offer good quality placements an overhaul of the degree is pointless. Most people learn by doing things, not merely reading about them and if social work professionals are not willing to invest time and effort in students then it is only natural that the knowledge and experience of newly qualified social workers will suffer as a result.

I think it depends on previous experiences as well as the quality of the teaching. For me I have more than 20 years experience in social care work and think I understand the realities of the workplace. But I know that there is still a lot to learn as there is for qualified practitioners too.

One real bugbear in my uni is the dreadful levels of attendance of some students - how can they prepare for anything if they don't go? This is not checked up on sufficiently, and it worries me that these people will be in the workplace soon.

At my university we had to sign a register and non-attendance meant we would have to do extra work to prove we had caught up. This was definitely checked as one of my friends got stung!

I think you are very protected as a student-given easier cases and a lot of supervision. I think I am relatively lucky in my first post (CP long-term work) as I have had supervision every 6 weeks, however when you were used to it every week or every two weeks as I had in my placements (both statutory one CP and one learning disabilities) this seems an age and it is packed into a few hours. Managers are also really busy and I feel I am asking lots of questions(even though Im sure Im not). CP is something I had little direct experience of as I did not hold these as student- I co-worked. The reality of never-ending core groups, CP reviews and stat visits with no one to help me type them up has been a bit of a shock!  

However perhaps I am feeling negative as I have have a lot on this week and feel tired already... I am enjoying the work-I think, but when speaking to my peers who also recently graduated there is a collective sense of 'what have we done' and I felt we were fairly realistic prior to qualifying about how hard it would be. I definitely agree with posts on other topics that we need to expose the realities of Social Work to those who are ignorant of the pressures but feel they are qualified to comment.

I also think a post qualifying year for newly qualified social workers would be welcomed by most as training and the opportunity to shadow colleagues in the induction period seems to have been non-existent for some of my friends who were basically just handed their cases. Not ideal. I think more regular supervision would also be welcomed-perhaps every three/four weeks initially then lengthening so that you have a chance to adjust from student mode. (Not that managers would have time of course!)

It is also definitely easier for you if you choose to work somewhere you were a student. I didnt and have found the change of IT system and ways of working (even the geography) quite an adjustment!

Just a few thoughts..

 

Hello

I understand what Jasmine is saying about the realities of practicing as a newly qualified worker.  I think the policy and procedures around this vary local authority to local authority.  In my LA in Yorkshire, newly qualified workers carry a protected work load and are not aloud to chair cin meetings or core group (still attend and take minutes, write the reports and speak at the meetings etc) and this has proved invaluable.  Initially workers would have supervision fortnighly, then move to monthly supervision.  Monthly is the maximum supervsion given. 

It would be interesting to see what occurs in other authorities?  

Take Care

Shellie

As a part-time student in my final year, I have to say that if the intention of the degree is to disseminate confusion and misinformation, to disillusion students, to bully and intimidate, and to generally introduce students to the concept of 'burnout', then it is more than successful. I am actually very nervous of entering the profession as my confidence has been shattered by my experience at university, and, despite meeting many committed and talented social workers in practice, seeing the bureaucracy and bad practice in the workplace has depressed me utterly. Having spoken to students from different universities and practice teachers supporting a range of students, it has become clear that different establishments have very different standards - some very practice-oriented, some attempting a more academic approach. Shouldn't the process be standardised, and approved?

I qualified last year from the undergraduate degree, but didn't start work until after the summer. When I was a student, I did not do any statutory placements, and as I have not come from a social work background, I had no experience of childcare social work at all.

I have to say, I have had a really positive experience since starting work. In our team, supervision is every 4 weeks (at least), and as a newly qualified worker I also have mentoring with our deputy. Though I have to say I also have lots of 'unofficial' support from team members.

My manager has also kept me on a protected caseload and I dont have any CP only child in need. This is not a reflection of my ability, but more a reflection that my manager beleives that newly qualified workers should be protected for at least the first year.

I know I am really lucky, because I appreciate this is not the norm. I am so glad that I have this time though, as it is giving me the opportunity to fully appreciate the job and all it entails. Hopefully this means I will be better suited to a long career in social work and not be quickly burnt out as I know others have been.

As an overseas educated and trained social worker I find this discussion interesting.  Our degree program is very similar just a year longer.  It is generally a generic degree that covers a wide range of topics that eventually leads to determine which population that we wish to work with once we have graduated.  From there, we can take additional courses or we rely on our employer to train us for the specific tasks that they have hired us for.  It seems to work and no one has asked if our degree is preparing us for practice.

I have 12 years of post graduating experience including two years of CP work here in the UK.  From what I see, it is not the degree or the education....it is the system that we work in.  As a CP worker in Ontario, I was given a three month training program at the beginning of my employment which included 2-3 three days a week in class and a very small protected caseload.  I also had mentor which was a senior worker who had a great deal of experience and knowledge.  To work as a CP worker in Ontario, this course must be completed (certificate provided upon completion) and our employer must pay for the course and make the time available for us to complete it.  This training was invaluable as it gave me an introduction to CP work and it's history in Ontario.  I was also informed on the laws and policies regarding our practice and given practical support such as how to write an affidavit (statement), time manage my caseload and complete my paperwork demands. Once finished this course, we are then offered, on a regular basis, training so that we continue to inform our practice.  We also have legislated case caps which really helps.  The work is still demanding, chaotic and unfortunately children have died but like I said before, no one is asking if our universities are educating social workers fit for practice.

I think that even if the degree was separated and different streams where introduced such as children services vs adult services, then this would take away from learning about other aspects of the work that we do. I believe that it is not the education alone that makes us good practitioners but the support the we receive from our employers that enables us to continue to grow and develop good practice.  Even with all of my own experience and training prior to coming to the UK, I still have found that I become overwhelmed by the work and frustrated by the system of red tape that we have to navigate, never mind the high caseload numbers and extensive paperwork demands.  

I qualified last year on the MA program which is 2 years.  Attendance on my course was by some students was very bad and out of 27 students we regularly had only between 5 and 10 attending in our final year. This was not addressed and how they learnt enough to qualify is a mystery to me. 

 The stuff we learnt on our course was very interesting but as a part time, newly qualified worker in a first response team I feel I have very little time to use some of what I learnt.  I have no case load protection and as a consequence have no space to think and develop my skills. I don't think it is what I was taught (though some of the teaching was appalling), more than it's very difficult to prepare someone for the realities of social work.

I think that a one year scheme for newly qualified social workers such as teachers have, would help with the transition from student to qualified social worker.

First of all - it's practise - the verb. Practice is the noun. A small point but I am so tired of students and colleagues who can't spell! How do we expect to be taken seriously as professionals if degree educated social workers don't know the difference between, for example, aloud and allowed - as per this blog?Got that off my chest!It's only 5 years since the social work qualification WAS overhauled and what a process that was - a load of preconceived ideas masquerading as consultation. It was changed from a 2 year diploma to a 3 year degree; practice learning days increased from 130 days to 200 days (half of the course); intended to be led by practice, rather than academia. Those of who have been around for a bit still refer to it as the 'new' degree.I don’t have an instant solution but the following thoughts have occurred to me:Many social workers appear reluctant to take themselves seriously as members of a professionMany would be social work students, don’t appear to understand the role and seem to have a vague idea about ‘helping’ peopleDoes anyone want to change the world anymore?This government has promoted higher education. If a young person expects to go to university, isn’t it sensible that they would be attracted to a degree that is paid for and that attracts a bursary?The degree is genericMy experience is that academia ‘owns’ the training, with a level of tension between the HEI and the agenciesAcademic teaching does not reflect the increasingly managerial role of statutory social workWhat does the government want from ‘social workers’?What is social work?Not sure that any of the above helps but I am someone who cares about my profession and worries about where it is going  

 

Hello mad old bat

I think we all understand what the original poster meant and it is not useful or productive to get pedantic about peoples incorrect use of grammar or feel justified in dishing out admonishment to folk.

As for my spelling mistake, I realised as soon as I wrote it ......... but hey I have better things to concern myself about ....... like planning for the following day's interventions, meetings and report writing.  Yes I do take more care where it counts!!!! 

There! I have got that of my CHEST!! ;)

Take Care

Shellie