Supporting inclusive learning and teaching helps you make your learning and teaching inclusive for all. It was produced as a result of the introduction of the Disability Equality Duty on 4 December 2006 and requires all public authorities to look actively at ways of ensuring that disabled people are treated equally.

The social work degree: preparing to succeed is for prospective and current social work students to help them to be successful on their degree. The advice has been written by students on social work courses, so it offers insider tips! Published June 2007

This powerpoint presentation is used on the consolidation module of the post qualifying social work programme.

a resource for use in teaching the beginnings of human development, together with an accompanying narrative of the journey into making the resource an OER

A list of about twenty acronyms that emerged during the course of teaching a module on mental health on a social work qualifying programme (answers in the notes!). Some of the acronyms link directly to websites that give further information, though these links will only be live as long as the websites themselves exist. Some of the sites are local to Hampshire as this was the location of the course. I would love you to add a few more examples. i used this as a quick quiz at teh end of the module and, although great fun, it also served as a reminder to students of some of the content of previous sessions

The tool has been developed from Personal Construct Psychology and wider constructivist perspectives of teaching and learning. Through a series of activities within structured interviews, learners are enabled to: - draw out their own personal observations and interpretations within their practice - progressively refine and develop these constructs to reflect and highlight their own core values - systematically score these values as learning aims use these learning aims as a basis for an action plan to develop their own professional practice.

Welcome to PIVOT. Within SwapBox you will find a suite of activities that have been designed specifically to help professional learners with the most important aspect of their studies – themselves and the people they work with. These reflexive techniques are derived from the pioneering work in Personal Construct Psychology (Kelly 1991; Fransella 2005). Finding the time to use them will help students to critically reflect upon, identify and explore their developing sense of professional identity through their individual values and personal learning aims. The self-contained activities have full explanatory instructions and there are also accompanying video clips of two people demonstrating their use. The exploratory dialogue between a student and their facilitator (tutor, mentor or assessor) is a key part of the enhanced reflection experience. The tools are designed to build upon each other and so will work best if used in order for the first time.

Capturing and organising self-generated personal constructs Charting awareness of professional values and identity Encouraging learner centred enquiry into practice and learning aims

For use in PIVOT Stage 3 activity

An example of how the learning aims scale can be completed - for use in PIVOT Stage 3 activity

Template for use in PIVOT STage 1 activity

This activity helps you to examine the ways in which you see yourself and others with whom you have worked, particularly in relation to being a social worker. It is the first stage of thinking about professional identity and values (and the first stage of PIVOT).

This activity encourages deeper reflection upon your professional and personal values in your practice. It encourages you to capture what is really important to you now, and to think about aspects of practice to which you aspire. It may bring out ideas and values that you weren’t aware of holding dear to you – a sort of ‘I didn’t know I knew it’ experience.

This activity enables you to generate your own learning aims to work with in your practice setting. These aims will be based on the constructs that you previously identified in the earlier stages of PIVOT. Therefore they will be unique and (most) meaningful only to you. The intention of this activity is to make the constructs more concrete in terms of your own development. You will be prioritising and scaling up to three constructs to develop personal goals and learning objectives and you will be identifying significant steps in reaching these.

For use in PIVOT Stage 2 activity

For use in PIVOT Stage 1 activity

Personalisation: Interpersonal Skills for Practitioners As the ‘personalisation agenda’ in social work gathers pace at the level of policy and service provision, there is an increasing need for individual practitioners to re-acquaint themselves with the skills and values of working with diversity and understanding the perspectives of other people and other lives across all service user groups. This workshop will introduce participants to a range of reflexive enquiry methods that draw upon the seminal ideas from Personal Construct Psychology (PCP). The main aim of PCP methodologies is to enable the practitioner to ‘stand in the shoes’ of their client - to see the world in the same way their client does, using the client’s language and the client’s ‘personal constructs’. Everyone has their own system of personal constructs and these are the ‘goggles’ through which they construe the world in which they live and which govern their behaviour. The value of a PCP perspective for social work is that it helps the practitioner to focus upon ways in which, in order to help people to change their behaviour, we have to help them to become aware of how they see themselves and key aspects of their social worlds. This workshop will offer opportunities for participants to examine their own personal constructs and try out 3 basic techniques that will demonstrate: • how personal constructs are used to differentiate between people, situations and things • how someone’s personal constructs can be explored to understand their personal and professional core values • how personal constructs inform behavioural choices - why, at some level of awareness, a person chooses to behave in the ways that they do, rather than in ways that we might consider to be better for them The workshop will be of practical use to students, practitioners and anyone interested in practice learning. Presenters: Dr Barry Cooper, The Open University, UK Nick Reed, University of Hertfordshire, UK

This activity aims to encourage reflection on professional values and on skills development through exploring some of your own views about yourself as a social worker.

An explanation of Creative Commons using work licensed under Creative Commons licenses. Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry. You can use CC to change your copyright terms from "All Rights Reserved" to "Some Rights Reserved."

A powerpoint presentation which details the incidence of drug and alcohol use by young people in the UK. The presentation looks at issues of consent for treatment and the harm minimisation model.

This training module aims to support re-orientation and re-skilling of staff directly involved in decision-making using FACS and eligibility criteria, their supervisors and line managers, and those monitoring and reporting on the operations of the system. It sets out to: •be accessible and useful to front-line social workers, care managers and support brokers, as they make key decisions about people’s eligibility for support •assist first-line managers to oversee the decision being made in their organisations •be accessible to the users of services, and their carers and families, as well as advocacy groups and user-led organisations (ULOs), so that the basis on which funding decisions are made is clear to those most affected by them. By the end of this module you should have a better understanding of: •What FACS is •What's new, what's changed and what's remained the same •How FACS will apply to your practice.

We talked to Moraene (Mo) Roberts, who has worked with the charity ATD Fourth World for many years and who has worked with many families in poverty. Her interview provides a very useful overview of the issues facing families living in poverty and some key lessons for practitioners who are in contact with these families. Follow the link below to watch Mo share her experiences of living in poverty and working with families who find themselves in poverty. The interview is unedited and lasts approximately 20 minutes, covering many areas, some of which are highlighted below: •What is Poverty? •The impact of poverty on individuals. •Negative attitudes received from social care workers as a result of living in poverty? •How do you improve practice when dealing with parents living in poverty? •What positive attitudes can social care workers bring to working with families in poverty? •What difference can changing ones approach towards families living in poverty have?

Scan of DVD coverThis case has been designed to familiarise students with the framework, key principles and statutes surrounding social work intervention with vulnerable adults. It consists of a three stage scenario describing the difficulties in the lives of an older couple, and their family, as they become increasingly dependent on community, residential and hospital-based services to protect them from danger and to promote their welfare

The aim of this multimedia learning resource is to provide a broad introduction to the issues affecting minority ethnic carers and service users with an emphasis on achieving cultural competence within individual practice.

The ability to relate one's own work to existing knowledge is an essential skill for students and practitioners alike. This learning resource aims to make it easier to get referencing right.

The aim of this learning object is to introduce learners to some of the principles and processes involved in becoming a reflective practitioner.

Between 1869 and 1939 over 100,000 children were migrated from the United Kingdom to Canada by British philanthropic organisations. Although they were described — in the parlance of the Victorian era — as ‘orphans, waifs and strays’, in fact around two-thirds had at least one surviving parent and most were from families experiencing extreme poverty. Once they arrived in Canada, the younger children were adopted, the older children committed as indentured labourers. The Scottish philanthropist William Quarrier (1829-1903) through his Orphan Homes of Scotland was involved in the migration of 7,000 of these ‘Home Children’. This is their story.

The aim of this learning object is to introduce learners to a structured approach to the assessment and promotion of resilience in vulnerable children.

The objective of this learning object is to understand the concept of ‘resilience’ and the value of ‘protective factors’ in planning to support vulnerable children. This resource contains information on risk, research evidence, protective factors and the ecological model as well as resilient children and protective environments

This multimedia learning object provides an introduction to the "task-centered" model of social work intervention. This model was based on the work of Sigmund Freud and the psychoanalysts. Psychoanalytic social work emphasised relationship-focused intervention with the professional adopting the role of the 'expert'.

The objective of this learning object is to enable students to understand the basic principles of attachment theory and its importance for practice. This resource defines attachment, examines the components of attachment theory, patterns of attachment behaviour as well as attachment, abuse and neglect.

This module covers: a) The different types of dementia and the key characteristics of each. b) The different areas of the brain and how dementia affects these areas. c) Factors that are known to increase or lessen the risk of dementia

Paper presented at JSWEC Conference 2008. Social workers are required to undertake continuing professional development to maintain their registration (GSCC 2006). Employers are also expected to provide opportunities for continuing professional development to their staff (GSCC 2002, no 3.3) and many spend considerable resources providing in-service training courses as one way of fulfilling this. Questions remain whether what courses teach is actually used in practice (i.e. what impact does training have on practice). Increasingly inspectors are making recommendations that organisations develop systems to measure the impact of training and ensure that learning about research and evidence-based outcomes is embedded in practice (e.g. Ofsted 2008, p. 13, 29). This interactive workshop will start with a brief presentation discussing the methodology and preliminary findings from an ongoing research project evaluating the impact of a mandatory internal training programme on practice within a social work service provider. This is an attempt to move beyond ‘on-the-day’ participant feedback forms to research (using both quantitative and qualitative data drawn from approximately 1500 employees) that measures the changes in practice as a result of using skills developed through training. The presentation will be followed by a facilitated discussion about the following key issues: What are the inevitable ‘trade-offs’ of doing this kind of ‘real world’ research? How can cost effective research about internal courses become part of systematic processes in social work so that it is embedded in the organisation? How can internal training become more research minded? How can the transfer of knowledge to practice best be measured?

Effective social work curriculum design needs to open up dialogue between professionals at the earliest stage of their professional development and employ creative and innovative approaches to facilitate this. The ten creative pointers presented here emerged from research into social work practitioners’ views of the implementation of Children’s Integrated Services (within the context of the Every Child Matters agenda and passage of the 2004 Children’s Act).

This PowerPoint presentation was used at a recent SWAP workshop to introduce new users to the SWAPBox repository. It could be used by anyone looking to give a quick overview of the repository. Also included are three sets of exercises for novice users of SWAPBox to start trying different functionalities of the repository - these should be done in conjunction with the relevant 'How to Guides' in the Getting Started Section of SWAPBox. The exercises also include a brief feedback form for users to reflect on the ease of completing the different tasks.

This PowerPoint presentation giving an overview to the SWAPBox repository was delivered at the SWAPBox launch event in November 2010. It includes information on the project partners and project timescale, available features in SWAPBox and an outlook to future developments.

The current study explores the development of the Bulgarian child maltreatment discourses that emerged in the public domain after the fall of Communism in 1989. An argument is made that by examining the way in which child abuse stories are structured and operate in the media and public domain is essential for proper understanding of how social policy and child protection are structured. The author carries out a discourse analysis of the Bulgarian child maltreatment discourses, looks at their historical and cultural roots and draws comparison with the corresponding discourses and child protection policy in the UK. The study suggests a particular model of inquiry that can be replicated in other cultural or practice contexts.

Presentation to 2008 JSWEC Conference. Informed by the work of Holden et al (1999, 2002) and Unrau and Grinnel (2005) research has been undertaken as part of the Evaluating the Outcomes of Social Work Education project funded by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and the Higher Education Academy Social Policy and Social Work subject Centre (SWAP) to look at how undergraduates develop self efficacy in research skills. This 3 year project using undergraduate participants following a second year Using Research for Practice unit of study on a qualifying social work programme in England has explored the development of confidence in research skills. Data was collected from 3 consecutive cohorts of students, at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of the unit of study and a comparison group was recruited from another university. The data was analysed using SPSS software. The project also provides a case study of research capacity building in academic staff with the project researchers being mentored by an experienced researcher experienced in this research methodology. This paper will explore the methodology and findings of the research project and will consider some implications and challenges for the teaching of research skills to qualifying students in order to develop research minded practitioners. References Holden G. Barker K. Meenaghan T. and Rosenberg G. 1999. Research self efficacy: a new possibility for educational outcome assessment. Journal of Social Work Education. Vol 35. Holden G,, Meenaghan T, Anastas J and Mtry G. 2002. Outcomes of social work education: the case for social work self efficacy. Journal of Social Work Education. Vol 38. Unrau Y.A. and Grinnell R.M. 2005. The impact of social work research courses on research self-efficacy for social work students. Social Work Education. Vol 24, no.6.

Presentation to 10th JSWEC conference, Cambridge, 9th July 2008.

A short introduction to knowledge management (slide show).

In this short film two family carers describe symtoms of dementia they have observed.

This resource introduces you to an interactive pathway through the criminal justice system and along the way you will learn about key professionals, their roles and responsibilities and key resources and services available. This resource will further your understanding of: 1.the pathway through the Criminal Justice System encompassing the stages of arrest, court, prison sentence and release 2.the voluntary sector services and resources that are available at each stage of the pathway 3.the roles and responsibilities at each stage of the pathway for: 4.police officers 5.social workers – children’s service 6.behavioural support workers 7.Sure Start children’s centre staff 8.probation officers

It is now increasingly understood that there are different types of knowledge, all of which contribute to the ability of people working in children’s services to do their jobs well. Understanding the types of knowledge that are available, and having access to this knowledge is an important aspect for anybody who is working with families that are living in poverty. The first part of this e-learning resource explores the different types of knowledge that exists to aid you in your day to day work. Having been introduced to the different types of knowledge, a series of questions will enable you to rate how your agency performs in allowing and encouraging you to access and disseminate the different types of knowledge. Once you have reflected on this you will be able to see our suggestions on how you can enhance the performance of your agency in the areas that you felt could be improved.

Despite poverty and social exclusion being common characteristics of families involved in the child protection system, there is evidence to suggest that professionals struggle to truly incorporate an understanding of the impact of poverty in their assessments and interventions. In practice, social workers and other professionals continue to have difficulty in making sense of the complex interplay between poverty, social deprivation, parental capacity and children's development. This e-learning resource will let you explore your own sensitivity to poverty with the help of six separate scenarios, each highlighting a different issue faced by families living in poverty. After you have worked through the six scenarios, you will be able to see your level of sensitivity to poverty and social exclusion. You will then be able to match your responses to our examples of how to deal with the situations in a sensitive manner, reading our ideas behind each approach. The e-learning resource concludes with a short video clip of a family member relating the importance of a sensitive attitude towards poverty.

Practitioners often have to undertake assessments of children and their families who are living in poverty. To help improve the consistency and quality of these assessments the Government introduced the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. This e-learning resource lets you explore the framework and its many dimensions. With the help of Barbara, a social worker, you will use the framework to assess a family, to help you to understand the needs of children and families in your daily role.

We have put together a collection of facts and figures relating to poverty, parenting and social exclusion, which we have turned into a fun and easy to use quiz. We hope you will use these to support your learning and to increase your background understanding of the topic.

This resource explores: •day-to-day contexts in which you encounter a need to use various sources of knowledge •different sources and features of knowledge that contribute to professional practice •some of the constraints and uncertainties with regard to information and knowledge that you use on a daily basis •making an initial decision about how useful and how reliable different sources of knowledge are •recognising that the usefulness of sources is determined by the context in which you plan to use them.

This resource explores: •the different stages of the knowledge cycle •ways in which knowledge may be organised and accessed •the strengths and weaknesses of different ways in which you might classify and access knowledge •the practical consequences of poor organisation of knowledge •optimal methods for organising common resources used by yourself and your colleagues •the advantages and disadvantages of current approaches to knowledge organisation in your organisation

This resource explores: •the impact of knowledge gaps in social care •how some of the more common gaps are caused by deficiencies in organising, managing and sharing knowledge •the value of the knowledge audit as a process for exploring team and organisation level knowledge needs, deficiencies and perceived knowledge challenges •simple strategies by which knowledge gaps might be addressed

All in a day's work will: •help you to reflect on what approach, or combination of strategies, you adopt to being a social work law practitioner •enable you to undertake an assessment of your social work law knowledge

Court room skills aims to: •identify messages for effective courtroom practice •develop your understanding of the different roles in courtroom settings •help you manage your authority and role more effectively •develop your skills in negotiating out of court and in giving evidence •develop your knowledge, skills and confidence about cross examination

Experts by experience will: •Introduce you to how service users and carers have experienced legal interventions by social workers •Identify how experts by experience identify good and poor practice by social workers •Present what experts by experience suggest are the essential knowledge, skills and values that social workers should have and how they should use them •Present key messages for social workers on what is really important for service users and carers when legal interventions are being used

The body of law will make you aware of: •How law is made •How social issues may be reflected in the legal rules •How the legal rules reflect the society of which they are a part •The relationship between national and international jurisdictions •The role of the judiciary and of case law •The separation of powers

The law practice relationship sets out to make you aware of: •the complexity of the relationship between law and social work in practice •the breadth of legal knowledge necessary for effective practice •the fact that law cannot be seen in isolation from values, and must be subject to critical analysis •how different options for practice balance legal rules, moral rules and individual and collective rights.

Win a million! will help you: •acquire and consolidate knowledge of specific legal rules •develop a critical perspective on those rules •describe the location of specific legal rules

This resource will help you: •Find out how much you already know about personalisation • Understand what personalisation means and where it comes from • Familiarise yourself with legislation, policy and theory influencing the personalisation agenda

This resource will help you: 1.Consider the possible benefits and drawbacks of personalisation 2.Review practitioner’s perceptions of personalisation 3.Reflect on service user experience 4.Develop your skills in supporting an individual through the process 5.Identify future learning/training requirements 6.Reflect on your learning in relation to personalisation

Parents living in poverty face a complex set of issues at individual, family and community levels that make parenting more difficult. In this e-learning resource you will explore a case study of a family, to try to gain an understanding of some of the difficult choices faced by parents in poverty, as well as support services that could help parents cope.

Research on families involved with child protection services in the UK reveals that many share the common experiences of living on a low income, suffering housing difficulties, and social isolation. The children and families experiencing these factors may often feel that they have few choices available to help them. This e-learning resource explores the complex issues that often surround these children and families. Through a case study, you will have the chance to reflect on an assessment of possible neglect and support services that could be of assistance to them. You can then compare your reflections with the findings of the social workers who undertook the assessment and find out more about the possible services available to the family.

This resource explores: •Creating a positive culture of care to lessen the likelihood of care staff needing to use restraint. •Using good communication to help negotiate the many different and often emotive views of everyone involved in a decision to use restraint. •Providing learning and development opportunities that help promote a learning culture and support better decision-making about restraint. •Developing a positive physical care environment to help reduce the need for restraint

This resource presents you with six scenarios that you can use to explore different approaches to practice with children of prisoners. For each you can choose the course of action which you feel is most appropriate and receive feedback on your choices. This resource will further your understanding of: 1.different approaches to working with children of prisoners 2.key resources available to professionals working in this area 3.how you might develop your own practice, as well as that of others with whom you work

This resource provides an introduction to the experience of having a parent in prison through the use of video footage. There is then a quiz to test your knowledge of key facts and figures relating to this area. By the end of this resource you should have a better understanding of: • Who children of prisoners are and what they may have to go through • Why it is important to know about these children • How many children are affected • The social and emotional impact of parental imprisonment on a child • Key facts and figures • Legislation and how it relates to this group

This resource explores: •the diversity of external knowledge channels and sources and start identifying some that will be of practical value as you work •approaches to defining the knowledge you need to deal with specific situations and how to find it •listing useful sources that will help you when you need information and knowledge beyond your colleagues.

This resource explores: •why sharing knowledge and experience makes the whole organisation more effective •recognising the risks organisations take if they ignore the need to share knowledge •identifying the conditions that enable sharing in organisations, especially culture •assessing your organisation and its culture from a knowledge sharing perspective •applying some practical techniques for sharing knowledge at work.

This module covers: a) How dementia affects each individual differently. b) Four common areas of difficulty faced by people with dementia. c) Practical strategies to assist with difficulties. d) Difficulties faced by people with dementia not caused by damage to the brain, but by other factors.

This module covers: a) The process of diagnosis and its impact. b) Help and support available, key professional roles and skills and multidisciplinary support services. c) Anti-dementia drugs and non-pharmacological treatments.

This module covers: a) Helping a person with dementia understand our message. b) Helping a person with dementia make themselves understood. c) Communicating with people experiencing a different reality. d) The importance of non-verbal communication.

This module covers: a) The emotional dimension of dementia. b) The importance of effective strategies to help people experiencing difficult emotions. c) Explore a range of situations where we can have a major impact on a person with dementia through our actions.

In this learning object you are asked to consider issues which are central to understanding the experience of ageing and older age in contemporary society. Ageism, age discrimination and social exclusion diminish the quality of life which older people may enjoy. They also threaten their mental health. In spite of their negative effect on the daily lives of older people, however, ageism and age discrimination are often unrecognised, ignored, or even compounded in health and social care settings. And social exclusion has only recently been officially acknowledged as affecting older people as well as children and families. As you work through this learning object you will be able to read the views of older people talking about their experience of age discrimination. We hope that by the time you complete this learning object you will be sensitised to ageism and its impact on those older people you encounter in your life. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

In this learning object you will have the chance to explore the nature and characteristics of the ageing population in the UK, what being 'old' means, and some of the complexity surrounding the concept of 'mental health'. As this learning object presents basic facts and concepts surrounding mental health and older people, we recommend that you use this object to introduce yourself to this area. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object is about ways in which people's experience of ageing and mental health are shaped by society's attitudes to older people and later life. You will consider the way age-related images and ideas, displayed in the media and in everyday language, shape our perceptions; but also what we know about older people's own attitudes and aspirations. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object introduces you to some of the key facts and statistics about depression, dementia and long standing mental ill health. It explains who might be at risk of developing a mental illness as they grow older and why. It also includes information about people who have experienced serious mental illness such as schizophrenia throughout their lives and the main issues facing them as they age. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object explores mental health in later life. It reviews the meaning of mental health, why it is an important part of overall well being and how it relates to successful ageing. It also offers an overview of the different aspects of an older person's life and situation that impact on their mental health and the role that an individual and their family, the community they live in and wider society can play in promoting, or undermining, mental health. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

In this learning object you will have an opportunity to learn about the principal services available for older people at the primary, mainstream, secondary/specialist and tertiary levels by travelling down a virtual ‘care pathway’. Along the way you will have the chance to test you knowledge of relevant statistics and will examine cross cutting issues and assessment. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

In this learning object you are introduced to the importance of seeing later life as one phase of an entire course of life from birth to death shaped by earlier life stages and experiences. Meaning and identity are important to mental health in later life and require that we can connect past, present and future in our lives. A highly influential theory of the life course which embodies these themes is the psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson, which you will consider in Section 2. A life course approach suggests that in order to understand and work effectively with older people we need to see them in the context of their past lives, taking a life story or biographical approach, or through reminiscence. You will consider these approaches in Section 4. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

The main focus of this learning object is depression amongst older people. The learning object begins by highlighting some of the problems with defining and diagnosing 'depression' and then goes on to discuss the estimated numbers of older people that are thought to suffer from the condition. Next you will consider what makes people more or less vulnerable to developing depression in later life. Finally you will look at effective treatments for depression and explanations for why it so often remains unrecognised in older people. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object focuses primarily on the later stages of dementia and on managing the more significant or prominent challenges - and symptoms - associated with this level of dementia. The material aims to reflect, where possible, the experiences of people with dementia and their family carers. Many of the examples given are located in a care home setting although the issues are also very relevant to supporting a person with dementia in the community. This resource contains both audio and video. The learning object makes use of a video produced by the Alzheimer’s Society entitled Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Providing Quality Dementia Care in order to illustrate some of the issues we raise. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

The main focus of this learning object is the early stages of dementia, including the emotional impact of the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of dementia on the person concerned and those around them. The learning object also considers the importance of community-based support for people with dementia and how social networks can operate in this context. Towards the end of the learning object, you will look at the values and attitudes associated with person-centred care, particularly in relation to caring for and working with people with dementia as their condition progresses. Wherever possible, we focus on dementia from the perspective of people with dementia and their families and we aim to reflect the diversity of experiences among them. This resource contains both audio and video. The learning object makes use of a video produced by the Alzheimer’s Society entitled Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Providing Quality Dementia Care in order to illustrate some of the issues we raise. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This module covers: a) The person with dementia as a unique individual. b) The importance of knowing their background and life history. c) Abilities people with a dementia retain in spite of the difficulties they face. d) How dementia impacts on families, friends and community and the support that is needed

This module covers the following areas: a) Views of dementia in the media. b) Facts and common misconceptions about dementia. c) Common symptoms, clinical terminology and causes of symptoms

Accountability and intervention sets out to explore the impact of law on how social workers work, in particular: •how legal rules influence the process of decision-making (rather than content) •how social work values influence our approach

Courtroom scenario will enable you to: •perform confidently in relation to court processes and systems •appreciate good practice when giving evidence in chief •develop your understanding of, and skills in responding to cross-examination •identify your involvement in the court room as a positive element of practice

Introduction to Law sets out to make users aware of: •the importance and relevance of Law •how interesting Law can be •the many ways that Law impacts upon our lives and work •the importance of Law to social work practice •the connections between Law and social work values

Social Work intervention will raise awareness of: •the legal rules that create the framework for social work intervention •the different points of intervention - initial referral and screening, assessment and care planning and review and assessment

This resource explores: •the characteristics of effective teams and the risks faced by ineffective teams •the different knowledge, skills and experience within your team •common knowledge sharing processes in teams •strategies that may make team meetings more effective and maximise the transfer of knowledge, skills and experience across your team.

This resource explores: •the term web 2.0 and its associated technologies •the evidence that web 2.0 tools can support user centred care •how web 2.0 tools can be used to support your practice •how web 2.0 tools can be used to improve the health and experience of the care of people who use services.

This resource explores: •a range of technologies that can support improved knowledge-sharing across your team •appropriate technology to support everyday tasks and activities •making the technology work for you and not the other way around

This resource will assist you to: •think of the organisation/agency in which you work as part of a network of organisations/agencies, professions and services •appreciate that each organisation, including your own, shapes the roles of its staff, supplies resources and sets the boundaries of services •understand the interdependence of agencies and their practitioners in achieving the range of support that people who use care services may require •recognise that inter-agency collaboration ranges along a continuum, from cooperation based on mutual objectives to collaboration structured by regulated procedures •appreciate that procedures provide a framework for practice but they rely on people to make them work by applying expertise and values and negotiating outcomes.

This resource explores: •How staff, residents and relatives view of risk and risk-taking will influence decisions about restraint. •How making good decisions about restraint is more likely if care staff are positive, show teamwork, keep good records, are aware of the alternatives to restraint and have some basic knowledge of the law on restraint. •How a careful five-step process can help when making difficult decisions about restraint: observe, do some detective work, come to a collective decision, implement and review the plan

This resource explores the ideas that: •Restraint can be a difficult issue in care homes, and the word means different things to different people. •There are many different types of restraint, ranging from active physical interventions to failing to assist a person. •Minimising the use of restraint is important, but sometimes it will be the right thing to do. •Knowing the individual, valuing the views of relatives and working as a team will help reduce the need for restraint.

In this resource you will have the opportunity to explore how children communicate through their behaviour and learn some techniques for managing challenging behaviour. You will also explore the importance of reflecting and learning from interventions. This resource aims to increase your understanding of: •the notion of behaviour as communication. •how you can manage challenging behaviour in a planned way. •key issues with regards conflict resolution, diverting and de-escalating challenging situations and restraint. •tools and techniques for conflict resolution, diverting and de-escalating challenging situations and restraint. •the key stage of debriefing

This resource invites you to explore the needs children in residential child care may have and then offers you a range of practical activities you can use with a child you know well. This resource aims to increase your understanding of: 1. the concerns that young people often have when entering residential child care 2. how you can help young people achieve positive outcomes 3. how you can ensure young people: 1.stay safe and secure 2.stay healthy 3.are able to stay in touch with those who are important to them 4.enjoy and achieve 5.have a say, get involved and make a positive contribution

This resource provides an interactive pathway through key introductory aspects of residential child care. By the end of this resource you should have a better understanding of: •the number of children in residential child care in the UK •different types of care environments in the UK and the broad needs they may address •positive and negative views of residential child care •children’s legislation and rights •attitudes and beliefs towards children’s rights

This e-learning resource introduces the breadth and complexity of communication skills in social work. This resource will further your understanding of: •the principles of effective communication as a two or more way process (underpinned by values such as participation and inclusion) •how context shapes communication and can facilitate or impede effective communication •communication within the social work role and task

This resource uses a case study to help you explore the challenges that social workers experience during interviews and what decisions can be made to overcome some of these. It highlights that discovering the other person’s perspective and establishing a shared agenda for the interview are priority tasks, as well as the need to explain bureaucratic procedures and to provide as well as gather information. This resource will help you understand that effective and empowering communication in social work requires: •planning and preparation so that you are clear about what you are doing, why and how. •sensitivity towards the other person’s expectations and concerns so that you can negotiate a shared agenda for the task in hand. •accurate identification of the other person’s information needs •a way of explaining that helps the person to understand the information they need.

Through a scenario this resource enables you to explore the potential barriers to communication that can exist in your everyday work. This resource will further your understanding of how the following factors can inhibit, interrupt or confuse the communication between social workers and service users, carers and others: •time available •territory (environment and context) •role and task •professional identity and use of self •emotional, psychological and interpersonal dynamics •power and difference (real or assumed) •special communication needs

This resource looks at what we mean by the term ‘challenging situations’ and explores in particular the communication difficulties that can be encountered when people feel guarded and defensive, perhaps because they feel threatened in some way. Using a case study you will work through some of the more advanced communication skills needed in these situations. This resource will further your understanding the communication skills needed where people are: •silent •mistrustful and difficult to engage •unable and/or unwilling to accept responsibility for their actions •hostile •aggressive and threatening •violent

The well-known phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’ reminds us of the importance of practical forms of help. However, for this help to be effective, it has to be informed by a sound knowledge and skills base and the ability to articulate why practical forms of support are essential in order to move events forward. This learning object will help you to understand what is communicated through action and other forms of communication, such as: •offering practical support (advocacy, mediation, networking) •communicating at a distance (letter writing, emails, telephone, mobile phones and text messaging) •professional record keeping systems (case notes, report writing, form filling, taking minutes of meetings) •presentation skills (giving a talk, chairing a meeting, coordinating case conferences/ reviews and presenting evidence in court)

Culture, identity and personal beliefs have a profound impact on the content and process of communication. When people from different cultures, backgrounds or belief systems communicate, it is easy for misunderstandings to arise. This resource uses five case scenarios to provide examples of the kinds of challenges and dilemmas social workers experience as they communicate across social and cultural divides. This resource will further your understanding of: •the impact of identity, beliefs and culture on the process of communication •the importance of sensitivity to issues of culture, identity and belief in communication •the kinds of dilemmas that arise in communication across cultural and social divides.

This resource looks at the benefits that are gained from the relationships that are built within social work. Using the voices of service users, carers and workers you will hear accounts of how the relationships that were created helped them to deal with the difficulties they faced. This resource will further your understanding of: •the importance of relationships in social work and what we communicate through relationships we work to build •the personal attributes needed to form and maintain positive working relationships •the professional attributes that are required and boundaries within which positive working relationships operate •how integrating of personal qualities and professional attributes link to the concept of the ‘professional use of self’

This e-learning resource uses a video scenario to help you develop your observation, listening and interviewing skills and to become more aware of your own subjectivity. Different ways of asking questions will be considered in more depth and you will have the opportunity to try out some creative approaches to gathering information using diagrams or art-based tools. This resource will enhance your understanding of: •observation skills •listening skills •the ability to identify underlying messages and interpret non-verbal communication •asking questions (interviewing skills) •more creative ways of gathering information

This resource starts with a quiz and a short case study to help you understand the complexities of defining and identifying impairment as well as the difficulties faced by people who have these impairments. You will then be able to explore four different scenarios which present tips on working with particular communication needs of service users. This resource will further your understanding of: •people with particular communication needs are a large, diverse and ill-defined group •how the social model of disability highlights the barriers faced by people with particular communication needs and ways in which these might be addressed •different ways to enhance communication with various groups.

Children and young people communicate in ways which are different from or additional to those used by adults This resource begins by exploring some of the reasons why children and young people communicate in these additional and alternative ways. It then goes on to describe ways of using stories, art work, creative writing and music as forms of communication. This resource will further you understanding of •why play-based, creative and activity-based methods can help children and young people to communicate, including: 1.the limitations of direct methods of communication 2.the importance of symbolism and metaphor 3.the dangers of interpretation. •what kind of underpinning knowledge and theoretical frameworks are helpful when using play and creative activities •how to select the best mode and method of communication for particular contexts, purposes and children (e.g. artwork, stories, puppets)

When using services, parents have reported that they encounter discriminatory attitudes from some professionals on the basis that they are poor. This e-learning resource seeks to help you understand the positive steps that can be taken to building good relationships with parents in poverty. Having first thought about what families value in professional relationships, you will then watch different family members, who have experienced or are experiencing poverty, discuss issues which they value as good practice from the point of view of people who use services. You will then be asked to look at some of the steps that families feel practitioners can take to make a positive difference in their work with a family that is living in poverty. This is followed by a conclusion and a final video message.

All of us who work with families carry into our work a whole set of beliefs and values about family life and how children should be cared for. This learning object is designed to make you aware of these personal values and how they might impact on your practice. This learning object explores the way that personal values can effect the way you deal with families and seeks to help make practitioners aware of the impact and implications that this can have. You will be asked to capture your initial thoughts relating to 3 case study images depicting different aspects of family life. Afterwards you will hear three child care professionals discussing their thoughts on each case study and the care that they would provide. After listening to these extracts you will be asked to reflect upon whether these individuals allowed their personal values and beliefs to affect the way that they responded to each case study. This is followed by a conclusion highlighting the codes of practice for child care professionals.

Poverty affects children from very different backgrounds. Discrimination on the bases of disability, race or immigration status mean that some sections of the population are significantly over represented among poor families. However, many families living in poverty also report facing discrimination on the basis of being poor. This is compounded when involved with child welfare services. This e-learning resource explores the way this discrimination works and seeks to help make practitioners aware of some of the implications. You will examine ways socially excluded individuals may be discriminated against for being poor (or ‘povertyism’). You will then watch some family members present some ways in which they feel povertyism is being perpetuated by professionals and agencies. This is followed by a conclusion and a final video message.

This resource explores: •the cycle that knowledge typically goes through •considering the factors that you need to bear in mind when considering what knowledge sources to use and when •using the SCIE Five types of knowledge framework in your work •making a meaningful link between different sources of knowledge and the types of knowledge that they contain •evaluating each of the types of knowledge for problems you are likely to face.

This resource will help you to develop and review your understanding of: •what is meant by ‘interprofessional and inter-agency collaboration’ (IPIAC) •why collaboration has grown in importance •the kinds of evidence that informs collaboration •key policy and legislation and their timeline

This resource offers you an interactive timeline, helping you to find collaboration-related examples of policy, commissioned reports and legislation in England and Wales. The resource will provide you with: •a chronology of collaboration-related policy and legislation from 1968 to 2008 •a variety of examples covering developments in collaboration policy, organisation and practice •selected examples of policy and legislation relating to people who use care services and to carers. •overall, illustration of the expanding range of policy and legislation in which attention to collaboration is a feature

This resource will enable you to: •Identify different types of teams •Consider how different types of teams impact on interprofessional working •Identify the different roles necessary for successful teamworking •Identify your own role within the interprofessional team •Think about how you can develop your team working skills.

This resource will assist you to: •reflect on the nature and complexity of social work and social care practice by considering the different people who may be involved •think of ‘direct work’ with people who use care services and their supporters and carers as being at the centre of your practice •recognise that ‘direct work’ does not take place in isolation but is affected by a range of other important relationships and interactions •manage the complexity of these multiple relationships by using a ‘model’ that groups them into ‘spheres’ of practice and interaction •view these spheres as the context or medium in which collaboration is achieved by you and others •think about how the model applies to practice

This resource will help you to: •consider the importance of constructive relationships in the context of collaborative working •identify and discuss the interpersonal skills and attributes that contribute to collaborative working •consider the factors that impinge on collaborative working relationships •evaluate and develop your own interpersonal skills in collaborative working

This resource will help you to: •understand the concept of professional identity and its importance in the relationship between professionals •consider similarity and difference between professionals •explore ‘models of practice’ as particular illustrations of similarity and difference •think about the benefits and challenges for interprofessional and inter-agency collaboration (IPIAC), that can result from professional difference •reflect on how some of the challenges to models of practice and professional identity, may be met constructively.

This resource will: •introduce you to the process of interprofessional assessment of needs, strengths and risks •provide the opportunity to consider the contribution that different professionals can make to the process of assessment •enable you to develop your understanding of assessment using a family case study which draws on the views of a range of professionals and those of family members.

Approaches to assessment - Inside this issue: 'Changing an assessment method', 'In conversation with Nick Ellison' (Social Policy Association, Learning and Teaching sub-committee) and 'Introducing a formative assessment tool'. Published November 2008

Inside this issue: 'What has sustainability got to do with social work?', 'In conversation with Amanda Torr (Director of Strategy and Planning, Wellington Institute of Technology, New Zealand)', and 'Environmental justice as a social work issue'. Published September 2010

This is the project report of a collaborative project that conducted comparative analysis of current practices in assessment feedback within the SWAP constituency, and explored related NSS data from a range of HEIs. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, it built upon existing research on this topic carried out at the University of Lincoln and across the sector. The project had an extensive dissemination strategy, including the production of staff and student guides to effective practice and a national conference. In this way the project increased and disseminated knowledge about effective feedback practice.

Paper about Employers, Service Users, Carers and a University Developing the PQ Higher Specialist Level Mental Health Programme. Presented at the 2008 JSWEC Conference

Understanding the various definitions of poverty is a very complicated task, but this e-learning resource is designed to help you see beyond technical definitions and to understand how poverty changes people’s lives. After looking at formal definitions in the introduction, you will then be asked to complete the phrase - 'Poverty is...' in a number of ways. You will then watch a group of family members who have experienced or are experiencing poverty complete the phrase. You will be asked to compare your answers and reflect upon: a) the different aspects and implications of poverty and social exclusion on the day-to-day lives of families and b) how social workers may make judgements about people’s circumstances and behaviour. Note: This resource contains audio.

PDF file containing text, screenshots & video. Designed as a standalone introduction to Twitter and how it might be used by students to aid their studies.

This is a Wikipedia "book" created using the Wikipedia PDF generator, which is licensed under a Creative Commons licence.

Lecture ppt designed to introduce students to some key Web 2.0 services. Includes some information, links & useful questions. Really a test upload as this resource needs setting in context to be useful.

Ensuring students are adequately prepared to undertake practice is a topic of national and international interest in social work education. This project seeks to further develop knowledge in this area by undertaking empirical research into student perceptions of the effectiveness of teaching and assessment approaches to preparation for practice. The study develops previous research already undertaken with students during their first practice learning opportunity by tracking the same cohort into their final practice experience before they qualify as social workers (Wilson & Kelly, 2008). The main aim of the research is to identify ways in which teaching, learning and support might be improved in order to enhance the student learning experience throughout the social work education programme. Key messages from the research will be disseminated through a learning and teaching guide and workshops with social work educators and other stakeholders across the UK.