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PgDip Social Work (Step Up to Social Work)

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This is a highly demanding course. We are looking for committed graduates who are determined to make a difference – both personally and professionally - and can demonstrate maturity, and emotional resilience.

Normal entry requirements for the programme are:

a minimum 2:1 Level 6 degree qualification, for example, a degree with honours or a graduate certificate
a minimum 2:2 honours degree plus a higher degree (level 7 or above), for example, a master’s degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
GCSEs in English or English language and mathematics at grade C or above (or approved equivalent)
experience of voluntary or paid work with children, young people or families
residency in England.

If you are successful, 100% attendance is required at placements, teaching days, and skills sessions as required.

The Department for Education holds central information on the next cohort and application openings.

Check on the DfE website for current updates.


Institution code	H36
School of study	School of Health and Social Work
Course length	Full Time, 1 Years
Location

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Employability

Careers

This challenging course will prepare you for a career in the field of social work. We are proud of our 100% employment rates of our graduates within West London upon completion of the programme.

Professional Accreditations

The programme offers you a 14-month postgraduate diploma, enabling you to register as a qualified social worker upon completion. You’ll also have the opportunity to achieve a master’s degree in social work by undertaking a dissertation module at the end of the programme.

About the course

Step Up to Social Work is a fast-track, nationally recognised and fully funded social work training programme.

Designed to support highly skilled graduates into children’s social care, this 14-month programme will immerse you in the challenging world of social work and lay the foundations for your future career. If you’re interested in a career change, this programme will give you the tools to succeed.

You’ll gain hands-on experience throughout the programme from learning from, real-world experiences while on placement and from expert practitioners and academics in the classroom.

You’ll even have the opportunity to contribute to best practice in social work upon completion of the programme. The programme is one of the only Step Up to Social Work programmes in the country that funds its graduates to complete a research project and gain a Master’s degree, giving you the opportunity to develop your research skills and gain a higher qualification.

Step Up is employer-led, delivered by the West London Social Work Partnership on behalf of the Department for Education together with the University of Hertfordshire.

Find out more about the Step Up to Social Work programme.

Why choose this course?

As part of the Step Up to Social Work programme, you’ll benefit from:

a bursary of approximately £19,000 to train and there are no tuition fees to pay
an immersive 14-month programme which qualifies you as a social worker enabling you to start working in your dream career
practice-led learning completing 170 days on placement in one of eight West London boroughs
real-world experience to ensure you are prepared with the knowledge, skills and experience to equip you for practice
100% employment rates of our graduates within West London upon completion of the programme
the opportunity to complete a dissertation and gain a master’s qualification over the course of your first year in practice – now called ASYE.
2nd in the East of England for Social Work (2023 Complete University Guide).

What will I study?

You’ll be taught in Central London by experienced academics in collaboration with experts by experience and practitioners in the field.

You’ll also complete 170 days on placement in a West London borough – a location which benefits from being at the forefront of improving outcomes for children and families. A number of innovative practice models are embedded across the region, including:

systemic practice approaches
strengths based models
and signs of safety.

This ensures you’ll learn the latest practices being used in the field. The West London boroughs also offer great opportunities for training and development and networking post qualification.

During the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching shifted online with live lectures, weekly journal clubs and pastoral groups.

Upon completion of the programme, you’ll have the opportunity to complete a dissertation and gain a master’s qualification over the course of your first year in practice.

Level 7

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Legislative and Policy Context of Practice	30 Credits	Compulsory
The practice of social work occupies contested ground. Taking as its starting point the history of social work as a profession this module offers students the opportunity to critically assess the context in which social work practitioners operate. During this module students will analyse the drivers of social work practice: developing a systematic understanding of legislation and social policy as well as fundamental sociological concepts which inform practice. Developing a critical response to these concepts students will critically appraise the evidence base on which sound interventions depend. While an understanding of the implications of relating policy to practice is fundamental to all social work an ability to undertake effective work within the legal setting is crucial in Child Protection. Law teaching and testing serves as a necessary preparation for the' live' court report and care plan presentation assessment undertaken in the subsequent module Risk, Reflection and Resilience. The importance of obtaining and using sound legal practice is instilled within the Law teaching together with an understanding of the centrality of legality to decision-making.
Skills for Practice 1	0 Credits	Compulsory
It is vital that children's social workers have a detailed knowledge of child development drawn from theory and research, and can synthesise this knowledge with core skills and practice experience to intervene effectively with families. This module offers students the opportunity to undertake fifteen skills days in a setting with children or young people, applying their theoretical knowledge to practice. Students will develop their skills and confidence in observing and communicating effectively with children. Students will develop their knowledge of the wider network of organisations that work alongside social services to support families, gaining an inter-agency perspective and considering the organisational factors that impact on practice. This module promotes skills in professionalism, problem-solving, curiosity and creativity, team work, self-awareness, critical reflection, working cross-culturally and enquiry-based practice – laying the foundations for students to meet the requirements of the professional regulator.
Vulnerable Adults as Parents	15 Credits	Compulsory
The Step up to Social Work programme is aimed at recruiting and training social workers for front line child protection services. In supporting families and facilitating change social workers must simultaneously work creatively and humanely with vulnerable parents while acting to protect children and observing the paramountcy principle. Social workers manage limited resources which creates contradictions and conflicts of interest. This is a balance which social workers must hold ethically within their work It is an aspect of practice which throws up practice complexity and ethical dilemmas. This module encourages students to engage with that complexity and address the dilemmas
Developing Practice Learning 1	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module combines classroom-based learning with practice learning. Classroom sessions will explore the research and evidence base which informs assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation of effective interventions in adult services. Placement learning will include opportunities designed to enable students to meet the level descriptor for the end of the fist placement: 'By the end of the first placement students should demonstrate effective use of knowledge, skills and commitment to core values in SW in a given setting in predominantly less complex situations, with supervision and support. They will have demonstrated capacity to work with people and in situations where there may not be simple clear-cut solutions.'
Protecting Vulnerable Children and Building Resilience	15 Credits	Compulsory
In this module students will critically analyse the theory, skills and values which inform practice and integrate these into work in front line child protection Using a range of reflective theories, models and methods students will develop their skills as reflective practitioners as a means of critically examining social work and safeguarding practice. The focus on resilience, in both social work professionals and service users, will locate critical reflection, sound professional self-care and the support of resilience in others within the context of risk management and child protection.
Developing Practice Learning 2	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module combines classroom-based learning with practice learning. Classroom sessions will explore the research and evidence base which informs the complexity of practice in frontline children's services. Placement learning will include opportunities designed to enable students to meet the pcf level descriptor for the end of the final placement: 'By the end of last placement/ the completion of qualifying programmes newly qualified social workers should have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and values to work with a range of user groups, and the ability to undertake a range of tasks at a foundation level, the capacity to work with more complex situations; they should be able to work more autonomously, whilst recognising that the final decision will still rest with their supervisor; they will seek appropriate support and supervision.'
Knowledge, Skills and Methods for Professional Practice	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module serves as an introduction and foundation for social work practice and contributes to shaping students' professional identities as social workers. KSM module adopts a blended learning approach that supports and empowers students to become active learners. Therefore, KSM module draws and builds on students' previous personal and professional experiences to introduce relevant theories, methods, approaches and skills that will underpin students' development and practice. Students will learn to apply theories and learning to their 70 and 100 day Practice Placements. KSM, in conjunction with the Legislative and Policy Context of Practice Module, serves as a solid foundation for the development of knowledge and skills expected for the ASYE. Attachment and human growth and development are evaluated. This thinking will be further developed via teaching on specific abuse/neglect related topics in the later modules. The students will have the opportunity to analyse and apply the taught concepts to their workplace and practice. As with all other modules in the programme, social work ethics and values underpin the platform for teaching and learning as the students begin the process of becoming reflective practitioners. The module is linked with the 15 day practice learning experience in a children's service.
Skills for Practice 2	0 Credits	Compulsory
This module is constituted of 15 mandatory skills days, delivered throughout the three phases of the programme. It consolidates students' theoretical learning and develop their skills for practice. A range of practitioners, guest lecturers and experts by experience will facilitate these sessions, supported by academic staff, and students will receive developmental feedback throughout. Teaching and learning activities are designed to promote active, experiential learning in an environment that is risk-free, through the use of role play, case studies, simulations and group work. This module will develop skills in line with the requirements of the professional regulator, the PCF and the KSS, and is designed to complement teaching on the academic and placement modules.

Further course information

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	n/a
Applications open to international and EU students	No

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