Have your say

This week’s Have your say focuses on young people who
persistently commit offences. What can be done to stop young people
becoming repeat offenders?

Have your say by e-mailing us at comcare.haveyoursay@rbi.co.uk
before 23 May and your responses will appear here in this
section on 27 May.

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These are the responses we received for the debate on
the shortage of practice placement places. We asked whether the
extra demand for practice placements will be met under the new
degree.

These are the responses we received:

“I am practice learning co-ordinator for
Bradford social services and the prospect of trying to secure
practice placements for 200 days terrifies me!!!

There is an undoubted crisis in placement provision nationally
and I have struggled, and failed, in Bradford for the last three
years to meet our contractual requirements. I have received
placement requests for this coming academic year, and do not feel
confident about the outcome. This is despite senior management
giving a commitment to practice teaching, and the provision of a
bursary for PTs.

Increasing the expectations for placement provision, without
addressing concerns that have existed for some years and without
effective consultation with the agencies, can only be a recipe for
disaster.

I have fears about the concept of virtual learning – how can
this possibly substitute for real work with real
people?“

Lorna Fitzpatrick

“With reference to Natalie Valios’ article ‘A
degree of flexibility?’
Click here to read it. We were surprised to read that practice
learning centres might ‘return’; and that they ‘will become an
important tool in helping to boost recruitment and retention (of
staff)’. Our PLC is alive and well – flourishing, in fact. Each
year we collect systematic evidence that our unit is indeed an
important tool for recruiting new practitioners. It also has a lead
role in recruiting, supporting and training to accreditation level,
as well as providing information and research-based seminars for
practice teachers.“

Katy Cigno

Elaine Ward

Practice learning centre

Wakefield housing and social care