Presented is a Storify that chronicles a university based 'Book Group in Social Work Education'. Book Group has evolved into a national project. It is a teaching strategy that can be embedded into modules, study groups and as a single programme teaching and learning event. It has the potential to be developed and implemented in a CPD context; mapped alongside the incremental nature of The College of Social Work 'Professional Capabilities Framework' and the Health Care Professionals Council 'Standards of Proficiency' outline. It provides a platform to develop 'Communities of Learning' and 'Communities of Practice' and is therefore a creative and flexible medium through which learning can be propelled, reviewed and secured.

This film introduces Ian Grant and Sandy Reed, who were both diagnosed with dementia in their 50's. They describe their experiences of receiving such a diagnosis at an early age, and the lack of support that often follows. They are both now supported by the Forget Me Not Centre, which provides counselling and support to younger people with dementia and takes a reablement approach. This means that the support staff work alongside the individuals, help to break difficult tasks down into small steps, and encourage frequent practice until confidence in their abilities grows. The film also emphasises the importance of living life, taking risks and having new experiences, as well as the value of peer support.

This paper examines final-year MA and BA social work students' experiences of using Facebook as part of an enquiry-based blended learning design. A Think Family and Whole Systems module was redesigned using constructivist principles of emergent learning. This redesign enabled students to engage in life-like situations to help them reflect on the implications of using social networking sites as social work practitioners. It is suggested that student confidence in being able to outline the ethical issues, personal privacy concerns for professionals and service users, and the potential positive and negative aspects of using social networking sites for future professional development increased as a result of engaging with the learning design. To cater for the increasing use of social networks in society, a rationale for the learning design is outlined from the perspective of social work education. The paper then outlines the lessons learnt from students' engagement with Facebook as a site for learning.

This guide is intended for social work educators tasked with delivering teaching on mental health, for those teaching other areas to think how issues of mental health and distress intersect, and for course directors. Part of a series, being produced by the College of Social Work - intended as guidance, not prescription!

This short film can be used to provide information about the SWAPBox repository. It tells how this JISC funded project houses social work and social policy learning and teaching materials. Dr. Helen Carmichael talks about her experiences of using SWAPBox to access teaching content and to collaborate and develop learning designs with the SWAPBox community. The SWAPBox Project partners are also listed as the Social Policy and Social Work Subject Centre (SWAP) at Southampton University, The Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Mental Health (CEIMH) at the University of Birmingham, The Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS), The Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) and The Centre for Human Service Technology (CHST). The project has been supported by Electronics and Computer Science, and the Library at the University of Southampton.

The DiBL tools have been created to make it easier for educators to create enquiry-based blended learning designs. This item contains a glossary of learning activity designs. Use this to consider a range of activities that you could employ in your teaching approach.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about the impact of medication to undergraduate nurses. They are scripted from the persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about the impact of medication to undergraduate nurses. They are scripted from the persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from the persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from the persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from teh persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from the persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from teh persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from teh persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from teh persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from teh persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

Donald Forrester, University of Bedfordshire provides a short introduction to some of the tools he has used to research substance use and how those tools translate into teaching social work students

A short information sheet prodcued by Rachel Lart, University of Bristol summarising useful resources for the teaching of drugs and society to social policy students

A short information sheet prodcued by Sarah Galvani, University of Bedforshire offering ideas for teaching domestic violence and substance use in the social work curriculum

A short information sheet prepared by Ian Paylor at Lancaster University. The sheet includes suggestions for ways to discuss blood bourne viruses in social work teaching

Frances Gordon and Hilary Pengelly presented the activities detailed here at a jointly funded SWAP and HSP event. Delegates enjoyed the event and comments incldued: 'I will certainly use de Bonos six thinking hats with my students. I have found the whole session very motivational and have serveral atrategies to take back and use with my students'. Delegates also found the pointers on how to use mateiral from serious case reviews very useful.

Links to resources and ideas for teaching globalisation and social work

A short summary of the role of demography in social work with an exercise for students using WHO data on ageing

This powerpoint produced by Hellmut Weich includes photographs and exercises designed to familiarise students with the African experience of social work

These powerpoint slides produced by Janet Williams support an undergraduate lecture on migration

The publication includes interviews and case studies with social policy and social work academics across the UK who have successfully embedded internationalisation in the curriculum

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'Although society's attitude toward mental illness has improved, discrimination and misconceptions surrounding those affected are still prevalent. This unit explores a number of issues relating to mental health practice, including the difference between mental health and mental illness, and the discrimination that can arise when people experience some form of mental distress'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'What do we mean by ‘wellbeing’ for young people? How is it shaped by social differences and inequalities, and how can we improve young people's mental and physical health? This unit will examine the range of factors affecting young people’s wellbeing, such as obesity, binge drinking, depression and behavioural problems'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'Take a new and different look at mental health. This unit invites you to think differently about life's dilemmas by taking account of the views of all concerned, especially people experiencing mental distress. It explores ideas and practice in mental health, and will appeal to a wide range of people'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

Mental Health in Higher Education aims to increase networking and the sharing of approaches to learning and teaching about mental health, across the disciplines in UK higher education. It produces a bimonthly ebulletin, organises workshops and events, maintains a national database of mental health educators and provides an information and enquiry service.

This group is open to everyone with an interest in sharing approaches to learning and teaching about mental health, across all disciplines in higher education. It complements the work of the Mental Health in Higher Education project www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk

Links between physical and mental health are often underplayed in teaching (as in service delivery). This checklist is aimed at educators who wish to think about how physical mental health might feature in learning and teaching about mental health. It arose from a conference held in 2008. See here for further details: www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk/letsgetphysical

The purpose of the seminar, held in York on 8/9 April 2002, was to initiate a debate about how learning and teaching in mental health in higher education might be enhanced. The objectives were: to develop a shared understanding of different approaches to learning and teaching, to identify strengths, development needs and other drivers for change, to explore ways of improving teaching and learning within and across different disciplines, to test assumptions and explore perhaps unforeseen problems and consequences, and to consider how to take the work forward and the role the LTSN might play in this. Five or six participants were invited by each of the four LTSNs (Health Sciences and Practice; Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine; Psychology; and Social Policy and Social Work -SWAP), all of whom had a special interest in mental health issues in learning and teaching.

This page was created to support the integration into curricula of knowledge and skills relating to infant and perinatal mental wellbeing and ill-health. It was created following an mhhe workshop on learning and teaching about perinatal mental health at Staffordshire University in January 2009 - Learning and teaching about perinatal mental health: Don't let women fall through the net. You will find here: General Resources, Publications and Reports, Curriculum Frameworks and Training Materials and Details of Modules and Programmes.

This section of the Mental Health in Higher Education project website draws together publications and resources related to the role of social work in the area of mental health. This page was initially developed to support a learning and development event for mental health social workers in Lancashire in the spring of 2009. It may be of use in informing module planning, or act as a resource that students can access directly.

This is a paper included in the proceedings of the Living and Learning, Learning and Teaching: mental health in higher education conference held at Lancaster University in 2010. Influential social and recovery models form key mandates for mental health education today. These models advocate a shift from traditional notions and approaches linked to mental illness, to service users’ active empowerment and control over their lives and symptoms. This short paper questions, however, how far the emphasis of these models on autonomy takes account of service user experiences. May be of use in informing thinking when planning the content and emphasis of teaching about mental health.

Published by the National CAHMS Support Service, this document brings together guidance, best practice examples, case studies, resources and literature to help tackle the stigma associated with children's and young people's mental health.

In this film, Sarah Carr, mental health and social care researcher discusses the experiences and challenges faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people when accessing mental health services. This links to the podcast, but also a full transcript of Sarah's presentation.

This Handbook is designed to provide basic knowledge and awareness of the facts and issues behind self-harm in children and young people, with advice about ways staff in children's services can respond. May be used by learners on their own, and hence supplement classroom based activity.

The purpose of this training resource, produced by Young Minds, is to help schools think about why some children may be more vulnerable than others in facing transition, and to support schools in developing ways of working that will allow all children to find a sense of belonging and engagement in school. The Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) project and others locally are already supporting schools and this resource is intended to add to and complement that work. Will also be of use in raising awareness of transition issues amongst other practitioners.

This website features a series of interviews with members of the different professions working in mental health care. Psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and occupational therapists talk about their roles within the multidisciplinary team, and their perspectives on team working and on their client group. I have found the interviews with Bailey particularly helpful in providing an insight in to the social work role in mental health - his perception of the role is contestable and has acted as a useful trigger for discussion.

Everybody's Business is a set of free e-learning materials about the mental health of children and young people. It is aimed at people who work with children, young people and their families who are not mental health professionals. We recommend that you start with Understanding Mental Health, as this contains the underlying knowledge needed for the modules on Mental Health Promotion and the Peri-Natal & Infant Mental Health. The materials are not formally accredited but participants are able to print a certificate, similar to a 'Certificate of Attendance' on completion of each module. This resource could be extremely useful in supplementing classroom based learning - providing an up to date introduction to CAMHS issues.

At the end of the 1990s a group of interviewers from a range of backgrounds went across England and Wales to record first hand accounts from individuals who had experienced life in old mental health asylums. Their aim was to create a historical resource coming from an often ignored perspective - instead of relying on opinions of those distanced from the situation, it would give those with direct experience the power to speak for themselves. This link provides access to the video interviews that the Testimony Project carried out between 1999 and 2001. Full transcripts and extracts from the interviews are available. This resource provides a helpful insight for students in to how mental health services were provided in the past, and can be used as a trigger for discussion about what has (and has not!) changed.

Animated Minds is a series of short animated documentaries which use real testimony from people who have experienced different forms of mental distress. A single aim underpins all the films: to help dispel myths and misconceptions about ‘mental illness’ by giving a voice to those who experience these various difficulties first hand. I have found these extremely useful in teaching - they provide a short, highly engaging insight into the experience of mental distress and have proved helpful as triggers for discussion.

These digital stories were created by service user members of the Inpatient Care Forum at the CEIMH at the University of Birmingham as part of a project to create resources for teaching about inpatient care for health care workers. They are scripted from the persons lived experience and were made by them with support from myself and colleagues, Liz Chilton and Dee Partridge.

"One of the great untested assumptions of current educational practice is that students learn through discussion." (Laurillard 2003:158) This paper explores student social workers’ perceptions of learning from participation in online discussions and analyses how these can be used most effectively to develop understanding about interpersonal communication. The research context was a communication unit on a social work degree course in which teacher-designed discussion questions followed each teaching session. Student questionnaires were analysed and the results compared with a grounded theory analysis of online postings (Strauss and Corbin 1998). Research shows that despite the potential for online discussions to stimulate deep learning, this remains elusive (Wallace 2003). This paper reviews the literature examining why evidence of complex engagement with ideas is difficult to locate in online discussions, and how meaningful discussion can be encouraged. Findings from this study suggest that participating in online discussions is an emotive experience for students. A model using online discussion to teach communication skills is proposed, building on the work of Gunawardena et al (1998). In the proposed model the links between ‘process knowledge’ (how students communicate with each other online and how they experience this) and ‘content knowledge’ (the curriculum) are used as learning material. It is argued that deeper learning may result from examination of this dynamic. The paper concludes that it may not be useful to search for evidence of deep learning in online discussions alone. Learning about communication should be considered as a cumulative process involving group interaction through online discussions, followed by individual reflection and application in social work practice. Further research to investigate applications of this model in social work education is needed. References Gunawardena, C N, Lowe, C A, Anderson, T. (1998)Transcript analysis of computer mediated conferences as a tool for testing constructivist and social constructivist learning theories, Paper presented at the Annual Conference on Distance Learning and Teaching Madison WI Aug 5-7 Laurillard, D. (2003) Rethinking University Teaching, 2nd Edition London and New York: RoutledgeFalmer Strauss,A and Corbin, J.M (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, Thousand Oaks Calif:Sage Wallace, R M. (2003) Online learning in Higher Education: A review of research on interactions among teachers and students, Education, Communication and Information, 3:2

Paper presented at 2009 JSWEC Conference. It’s more like learning together, being on an equal footing, using our collective mind (Comment by service user, 2009) The (abridged) story of service user and carer involvement in professional programmes at a distance learning university is presented here to illustrate the complexity of issues of identity and the context of the power relationships in which they are enacted. This paper will explore issues of identity in service user and carer involvement through reflection on roles, relationships and communication between service users, carers, tutors and academic managers as they have evolved during a five year period of joint work. Early work focused on initial engagement and setting the framework and tone of involvement. The second phase involved a task-centred approach, concentrating on specific tasks in the development and implementation of the honours social work degree, an on-going project. Service user and carer roles across the social work programme are identified and explored. Relationships are described as ‘co-learners’ in a process of development and discovery. A third stage sees the extension of the group to include colleagues from the wider Health and Social Care Faculty and the development of an on-line interactive website - a wiki- in combination with local face to face networks of service users and carers. This is an attempt to reach out to geographically dispersed populations and to make connections with under-represented groups. There will be an analysis of roles, relationships and communication strategies to extend the reach of service user and carer involvement. By illustration there will be a demonstration of the wiki and presentation of ‘job’ descriptions contained therein to identify opportunities for involvement and two-way influence, followed by discussion of issues of identity, inter-professional involvement and the benefits and limitations of on-line communication.

Paper presented at 2010 JSWEC Conference. The present government aims to ensure that people who use social services are given personal/individual budgets with which they can directly purchase the care and support they need. Personal budgets are seen as the means by which services will be ‘personalised’ and designed to fit around the person who uses them, rather than the other way around. Increasingly, this is becoming the ‘default’ model as local authority Performance Indicators encourage councils with social services responsibilities to offer personal budgets to service users, and ‘traditional’ forms of service provision are discouraged. However, the evidence base to support the introduction of personal/individual budgets currently remains weak, with only a handful of published studies, which are of variable quality. Our paper reports on a large, quantitative study, using a quasi-experimental design, of the impact of self-directed support and personal budgets on people who use social services. It was carried out in an English shire county in 2008-09. Amongst other findings, the study found evidence of positive outcomes for people from most care groups, on a range of measures. However, like the Individual Budgets Support Evaluation Network (IBSEN) report (Glendinning et al 2008) the study found no evidence of benefit for older people who were offered budgets. Evidence from both studies raises questions about the appropriateness of personal budgets for some people as a means of achieving personalisation. We then focus attention on the socio-political ‘lineage’ of personal/individual budgets, considering more fully what the drive to personalisation tells us about the nature of citizenship and governance contemporaneously. We argue that personal budgets may offer a false prospectus to many people, not least firstly, by promoting market rights but actually diminishing social rights and, secondly, by proffering participatory forms of governance as a replacement for traditional representative democratic structures.

Paper presented at 2010 JSWEC Conference. Four decades of public inquiries into child deaths and mental health tragedies have had a significant impact on public perceptions of social work. More recently, the death of Baby Peter led to intense media criticism of social workers, leading to the Sun newspaper petition to sack all of the social workers involved, which was signed by 1.2 million people. The Social Work Task Force, formed in response to the negative media coverage, has recommended reforms in social work education and the formation of a Royal College of Social Work that will act as the public face of the profession. This paper will present the findings of a mixed methods research study that investigated the impact of negative media coverage on student social workers. 68 students participated in three focus groups that used interactive software to collect survey-style quantitative data combined with focus group discussions. Over half (54%) of students reported that negative media coverage had a strong or mild negative effect and almost half (47%) had questioned their future career as a result of the media criticism. 86% believed that media criticism increased the likelihood of defensive practice and 83% felt the possibility of negative media coverage would influence their approach to a child protection referral. All of the effects identified increased as students progressed through their studies, with significantly higher rates for final year students. However, many articulated belief systems that provided a defensive function and acted as ‘discourses of resistance’. There was clearly an important topic of students, with 77% supporting this to be included in the social work curriculum. The implications for empowering student social workers will be discussed and the challenges currently facing the social work profession will be explored.

Paper presented at 2009 JSWEC Conference. Klein (2004) has summarised accurately the realities of professional practice by suggesting that the problems practitioners face are marked by unpredictability, ambiguity, turbulence and uncertainty. The tragic case of Baby P, like that of Victoria Climbie, has underlined these demands yet again. Both these cases evidence the need for social work and medical practitioners to work together collaboratively, communicating clearly and understanding each other’s language, perspectives and assessments. In qualifying training the need to prepare social work and medical students for practice in these difficult environments and to enable them to develop collaborative attributes is essential. Moving beyond policy requirements in relation to inter-professional practice and learning, this paper proposes that complexity theory should play a central role in the theorisation of inter-professional learning and practice. Informed, inter alia, by the notions of attractors, simple-rules, self-organisation and emergence, it is argued that more emphasis should be placed upon creating receptive conditions and contexts which will support and facilitate good collaborative working. The paper also reports case studies of learning and teaching where medical and social work students work together early in their training, and together consider the difficult realities of service user/ patient need, whilst exploring key skills for joint working. The importance of incorporating openness to collaborative practice as students develop and negotiate their professional identify is highlighted, as is the part played by teaching staff in modelling collaboration. Reference Klein JT (2004) 'Interdisciplinarity and Complexity: an evolving relationship'. Emergence: Complexity & Organization 6:1-2 pp2-10

This workshop will explore the student experience of a blended learning approach (Macdonald 2006) to the teaching of human development across the lifespan. By showcasing the core components of the module, participants will be encouraged to explore how they could utilise similar techniques within their own learning and teaching strategies. The structure will be a short presentation followed by hands on experience and wider discussion. Human development is taught at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) to undergraduate students in the 2nd year of the course. This is a large student group involving full-time students and part-time students who are employed within social care posts in our partner local authorities. Employing an essentially constructivist approach (Koohang et al 2009), students are introduced to several ‘families’ within the virtual town ‘Clydetown’ where their classroom learning of the theories of human development are tested against the experiences of the people within the case studies. This facilitates the scaffolding of the learning process (Hung 2005) as students can test out through discussion their understanding of the taught materials. This is further augmented by the use of audio materials from the BBC archive which allows this understanding to be tested against the lived reality of individual testimony. This module evaluated consistently well with students who found the blended approach responsive to their varied learning styles, age differences and practice experiences. It also begins the process of understanding how to function within the group learning environments and of reflective understanding (Fook and Gardner 2007) that will be required for their practice placement in the subsequent semester. References. Fook J and Gardner F, (2007) Practising Critical Reflection : A Handbook, Maidenhead, Open University Press Hung D, Chee T.S., Hedberg J.G. and Seng K.T. (2005) ‘A framework for fostering a community of practice: scaffolding learners through an evolving continuum’ , British Journal of Educational Technology, 36 (2) pp.159-176. Koohang A, Riley L and Smith T (2009) ‘E-learning and Constructivism: From Theory to Application, Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects, Volume 5 . Macdonald, J. (2006), Blended Learning and Online Tutoring - A good practice Guide. Gower Publishing

Paper presented at 2010 JSWEC Conference. In the last decade marginalised groups have directly or indirectly utilised a range of creative and visual media to challenge dominant stereotypical and pathologised imagery and representations. Such 'outsider' perspectives have provided an alternative voice in a range of cultural contexts, from art in the street and installation to post modern 'sit down' comedy and contemporary music. In the author's role as a lecturer in undergraduate and postgraduate social work education a range of contemporary creative media have been used in and outside of the university environment to raise students' awareness of the ideological battle that is currently taking place in the 24/7 media that surround them.This has aimed to provide students with greater understanding of issues of power and partnership alongside a critical awareness of how authentic experiences of exclusion are being articulated. In the teaching of a 'Creativity and empowerment' unit,the author and students have worked alongside artists, poets and film makers who are engaged in changing perceptions and 'mainstreaming' perspectives that have previously occupied the position of being 'outside' most institutions. The paper will outline and critically evaluate how such a curriculum has been developed with the involvement of service users and been delivered to student groups over the last two years. A consideration will also be given to the use of creative artefacts to assess students knowledge and their ability to embrace the principles of participation in their consultative work with service users.

Paper presented at 2010 JSWEC Conference. The significance of religion and spirituality for social work practice is now quite often acknowledged in academic writing, although arguably it is not yet so well recognised in routine social work practice. Western academic writing in social work books and journals tend to emphasise an individualised version of spirituality which is reasonably comfortable for secular liberals. This presentation will argue, on the basis of research with Muslim families about the religious nurture of children, that when social work practitioners are interacting with Muslim service users, they need to be aware of the importance of formal religion, rather than spirituality in any individualised Western sense. Although Muslim families are diverse in their belief and practice, the dominant world view tends to be an unwavering monotheism and conformity to religious texts. The presentation will draw on a research project from the AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society programme. This involved secondary analysis of the Home Office Citizenship Survey and multi-method qualitative research with 60 Muslim families across a wide spectrum of ethnicity and social class. The presentation will focus on the implications of the research findings for child and family social work.

Paper presented at 2009 JSWEC Conference. The implementation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 has implications for social researchers as well as health and medical research. The Act, however, is focused on the latter and Ethics Review for social research, where people may lack decision-making capacity to take part, presents complexities that have not yet been fully addressed. This paper reports a study of social work researchers’ involvement in university research ethics committees where the capacity of participants may be an issue. The findings suggest that perceived implications of the Act may inadvertently stifle important research and, if not carefully negotiated, the use of Research Ethics Review may prevent rather than enable people to become involved in research as participants. This may infringe the rights of people to participate in research and, therefore, may detract from the principles of the Act in presuming and enabling capacity where possible. The research was undertaken in two stages. A web-based search and documentary analysis of a sample of university research ethics committees’ policies and procedures determined current practice. The second stage involved semi-structured interviews with social work/social care researchers likely to be involved in areas covered by the Act. These interviews were thematically analysed to explore how ethical issues were considered, whether explicit account was taken of the Mental Capacity Act and in what ways the Act was believed potentially to impact on future research proposals. The study suggests there has been little attention to the implications of the Act so far by social work researchers, but where it has been considered problems have been identified. This paper makes some suggestions for negotiating university research ethics committees and making positive use of the Mental Capacity Act in developing research proposals where capacity may be an issue.

Using the idea of space to understand how the partnership between De Montfort University, local authorities, and service users and carers has been shaped in working together on Post Qualifying Awards. We will examine how the space is identified as a 'growing space' where people have been valued and enabled to grow. Within this space ideas are shared freely by all and crutially everyone has a voice. We intend to examine processes and practices to ascertain how the space became a 'growing space' rather than a restrictive space. We will also examine how this partnership approach has had an impact upon candidates undertaking the programme. Through the use of evaluative processes, lessons learned are to be considered and implications identified in relation to the Social Work Task Force recommendations. The application of lessons learnt are to be considered by participants in relation to their current partnership arrangements and consideration given to how to make these 'growing spaces' for all involved. Our approach to delivering this presentation will be seen to mirror the partnership working that has been established on the PQ Programme. A service user representative, local agency partner and PQ Programme leader at De Montfort University have designed and will deliver this presentation together.

The ability to work interprofessionally is integral to professional education and training in social work. Emphasis is placed on students undertaking specific learning and assessment in partnership working and information sharing across professional disciplines (DH, 2002). This implies that aspects of inter-professional education (IPE) should be included within social work training in order that students acquire skills in effective collaborative practice (QAA, 2008). But how can social work education best address this when much of it is singular in nature and most social work students spend the majority of their undergraduate experience mainly in the company of other social work students? This paper begins by exploring the theoretical principles underpinning inter-professional education. A number of themes will be discussed which are highlighted in the literature relating to the aims and outcomes of IPE. Drawing on doctoral research which evaluated the perspectives of graduates who had undertaken joint training in learning disability nursing and social work, the paper will move on to evaluate the skills and knowledge they acquired through this particular model of IPE. It will consider what can be learned from their experience which may be applied to the development of social work students more generally. The paper will argue that there is much to be learned from this alternative model of professional training, in particular about how interprofessional experiences and reflection on them can support the development of critical perspectives in social work graduates. References Department of Health. 2002. Requirements for Social Work Training. London, DH. Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. 2008. Social Work Subject Benchmark Statement. Gloucester, QAA.

The issue of partnerships is a core requirement in social work training (Department of Health, 2002). However, mainly as result of a lack of substantive research, a partnership that is central to the delivery, quality and experience of care - the partnership between service users and their carers - receives little attention. This paper will focus on the impact of personalisation on this partnership, and argue that it should not be forgotten within social work education and practice in the move to mainstream operation of personalisation (Department of Health, 2007). It will start with an outline of the nature of the carer-service user relationship, focusing on those qualities that contribute to its partnership status. Specific reference will be made to the mutual interdependence that has been found to characterise caring relationships. An exploration of the ways in which personalisation has the potential to shape aspects of this partnership will follow. For instance, initiatives introduced within this agenda mean that carers can be faced with the situation where their dependants make more of the decisions about their own care, they have to make different contributions to the provision of care which may involve them in new tasks and in some cases, a contractual relationship with the service user. The effects of these sorts of changes could also be compounded by any misalignments with their own needs. Hence personalisation can affect the dynamics of the caring relationship. Given the importance of this interdependent relationship to the successful implementation of initiatives within personalisation, it is crucial that changes in this relationship are recognized and addressed in social work practice as this agenda gathers momentum. Therefore, the final part of this paper will include some ideas about resolving this dilemma and ensuring the implications of personalisation for carer-service user partnerships are both incorporated into social work education and translated into effective practice. References Department of Health (2002). Requirements for Social Work Training. London: HMSO Department of Health (2007). Putting people first: a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care. London: HMSO

Paper presented at 2009 JSWEC Conference. Social work courses recruit a higher proportion of students from different black and minority groups than many other courses. However, national statistics continue to demonstrate that some groups of students do not progress through social work training at the same rate as other students. Students from black and ethnic minority groups and disabled students have a significantly higher rate of referral and deferral than other groups of students and the recruitment, progression and achievement of men is worsening. Representatives from the GSCC multi-agency project group Diversity, Progression and Achievement which includes students, people who use services, carers, programme providers and other stakeholders will share their understanding of the recent findings from the research carried out by the Social Care Workforce Research Unit (Hussein et al 2009) with whom they have been collaborating. Further evidence will be presented from the latest social work degree annual monitoring exercise carried out by the GSCC. This examines what HEIs report they are doing to support vulnerable groups. Initial analysis suggests that problems in progression are more likely to be identified and responded to as individual issues. The paper explores what the implications are for universities, students, stakeholders and the regulatory body and poses How effectively are universities responding to the needs of those groups who are not progressing as they should? How can the GSCC become more effective in regulating and promoting equality requirements? How can HEIs continue to measure, monitor and improve their own progress in this area? Reference: Shereen Hussein, Jo Moriarty, Jill Manthorpe (2009) Variations in the Progression of Social Work Students in England, Social Care Workforce Research Unit, Kings College London/ General Social Care Council Full report - www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B5A5B087-E7B9-471C-BAAF-207DA1FBE1DA/0/Progression_analysis_FT_UG.pdf Executive Summary - www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E4482365-4F9F-46F0-9238-A030302E0ED7/0/Progression_analysis_FT_UG_0305__Executive_Summary.pdf

Paper presented at 2010 JSWEC Conference. This paper contrasts the virtues and vices of the positivist and constructivist paradigms in social work education research and highlights the dearth of studies rooted in a critical paradigm. Questions will be raised in respect of the compatibility of different paradigms with social work values and the possibility of combining approaches in future research into social work education. The main example of research rooted in a positivist paradigm is the study published by the evaluation of the social work degree in England team in 2008. This generated standardised data from students' responses to survey questionnaires and hypothetical vignettes along with statistical profiles of students and their progression rates and statistical correlations between the variables deemed to be influential in teaching and learning. Such robust objective data may nevertheless have a limited use-value for educators and students at the grassroots. The presenter has recently completed a study of social work education which is due to be published as a textbook for students. It was an ethnographic study drawing upon a participatory approach to encourage students to share their experiences in interviews or focus groups and to submit their practice portfolios for a research reading, and it was rooted in a constructivist paradigm. This generated a wealth of real-life case studies of students' experiences of teaching and learning in university and community settings including their use of critical reflection, theory and research and the dilemmas thrown up by working with service users and other professionals. Nevertheless, I was confronted with a number of ethical and political predicaments during the conduct of the research, and the use of real-life case studies may itself prove to be controversial in due course. Evaluation of the Social Work Degree in England Team (2008) Evaluation of the New Social Work Degree Qualification in England Volume 1 Findings and Volume 2 Technical Appenix, available at the SCIE website www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk Humphrey, C. Becoming a Social Worker. A Guide for Students. London: Sage (forthcoming, October 2010

Paper presented at 2010 JSWEC Conference. The concept of emotional intelligence places emphasis on the ability of an individual to identify, understand and manage the emotional content of their interactions and experiences (Salovey and Mayer 1990). This paper will establish links between the concept of emotional intelligence and a potential role within social work practice. It will be argued that awareness of the emotional content of social work practice is congruent with 21st century social work principles such as the promotion of service user involvement in the services they receive. The potentially uneasy relationship between emotions and effective decision making will be explored. The familiar paradigm that emotions cloud judgements will be challenged and a case will be made to suggest that emotions are inextricably linked to thought processes and in turn we can begin to develop a view that the construct of emotional intelligence has a resonance in practice. There are many interesting parallels between emotional intelligence and the concept of the reflective practitioner. These will be explored and supervision will be highlighted as a key forum to develop the expression of emotions in practice. Reference Salovey, P. & Mayer, J.D. (1990). 'Emotional intelligence. Imagination', Cognition, and Personality (9) 185-211

The study upon which this paper is based aimed to explore the experiences of students enrolled on „Access to Social Work‟ courses striving to navigate their way from further education (FE) to higher education (HE) social work programmes. The study was set within the context of widening participation policy and more stringent Department of Health (DH) entry requirements for social work education introduced in 2003. These requirements stipulate that all applicants to social work education must demonstrate key skills in literacy and numeracy equivalent to grade C GCSE, and personal suitability for social work (DH, 2002).

Paper presented at 2009 JSWEC Conference. There are increasing signs of a deepened and broadened interest in how the integration of learning can be enhanced. Our exploration of the integration of learning began five years ago and has previously published on how academic contact with social work students during placements can bridge the gap between theory and practice. We have continued our work on the place and role of academics in the enhancement of student learning (e.g. the tutor - student relationship) and have now gone on to seek the views of finishing students as to the most helpful people, moments and processes in the enhancement of their learning. We will present preliminary results and observations from a two-year study during which the views of two similar cohorts of students were sought. The first results provide something of a wake-up call for academics with the message being that: If social work ‘can’t go on doing more of the same’ (Changing Lives, 21st Century Review of Social Work 2006) then social work educationalists also can’t continue to act as though it were the 19th century. The belief that transmission of information equals student learning needs to go the same way as Gowns and Latin. The findings from our research will be interesting for training officers, trainers and practice teachers and constitute something of urgency for lecturers and tutors.

Paper presented at JSWEC 2009 Conference. It seems that students' capacity to benefit from the learning experience is influenced by their previous level of study, previous successes, the length of time since they last studied, their perception of the relevance of the study to their professional development and by the support they receive from their employer. This paper will describe our preliminary findings from a project looking at the satisfaction of students undertaking Post-Qualifying (PQ) Awards in Social Work with Children, Young People their Families and Carers. These students are qualified social workers who are currently in practice. Their qualification may be either a Diploma in Social Work (BA Levels 1 and 2) or a Bachelors Degree in Social Work (BA Levels 1,2 and 3). We have observed dissatisfaction with the entry modules to the programme from some students who feel that they are not receiving enough ‘teaching’. These students appear to be those with Diploma qualifications who have not previously studied at BA, level 3 and specifically have not undertaken an undergraduate dissertation which can be argued develops autonomous learners. Students undertaking any continuous professional development are under the scrutiny of their employers and if they are finding these studies difficult are likely to blame this on the course provider rather than expose their own capacity. This is therefore an important area to investigate as these students need the PQ qualifications and this may be best achieved by pre-course preparation programmes, to develop capacity, for some candidates. If our hypothesis is correct this will also lead to improvement in student satisfaction and completion rates.

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

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

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 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

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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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: •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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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)

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)

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

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.

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 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 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.

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 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 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.

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'.

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 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 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: •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 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: •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 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 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

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 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 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.

A short introduction to knowledge management (slide show).

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 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 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

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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) 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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

The aim of this multimedia learning object is to familiarise students with the framework, key principles and statutes surrounding social work intervention with families and adult offenders

Vanessa Cookson talks about her experience of good social policy lectures as an undergraduate student, while Zoe Irving offers ideas for engaging lecturers perspective.