PRACTICE LEARNING AGREEMENT

SECTION 1 - TO BE COMPLETED AT PRE PLACEMENT MEETING AND REVIEWED BY TUTOR AT PLA MEETING

Course: / BA Yr 2
First placement / BA Yr 3
Final placement / MA Yr 1
First placement / MA Yr 2
Final placement
Duration of the placement: / days
Student:
Address:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Emergency Contact:

Personal Tutor Details

Tutor:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:

Agency Details

Practice Educator:
HCPC Registration Number:
The Practice Educator for final year students must be a Registered Social Worker
Agency Name:
Address of Placement:
If offsite educator please insert contact details
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Practice Supervisor:
If different person than the educator
HCPC Registration Number:
The Practice Supervisor for final year students must be a Registered Social Worker
Agency Name:
Address of Placement:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:

Student Learning Needs

Any identified learning needs from previous placement or from academic work.
Any additional support needs required due to disability.
Details of discussion had regarding any equality or diversity needs of the student.
Other matters discussed relating to placement.

Summary of work of agency/project

Summary:
Work Base:
Placement hours
Agreed start time: Agreed end time:
Students will work in accordance with agency hours which will normally equate to a minimum of seven hours per placement day.
Placement start date: Expected end date:
Irrespective of sickness, or other unforeseen circumstances, the student must complete no less than the required number of days.

NB The student MUST make sure the agency and the university are kept aware of any changes to the proposed start date.

PRACTICE LEARNING AGREEMENT - SECTION 2

TO BE COMPLETED AT THE PLA MEETING WITH TUTOR

Learning opportunities to meet learning outcomes - please refer to the section “Student Learning Needs” in section 1.

The student will be assessed against the following professional frameworks: the PCF at first or final placement level and the HCPC Standards of Conduct and Ethics. Please note that the PCF statements have been mapped to the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for qualifying social workers. We have provided links to these frameworks below. With these in mind please indicate the learning opportunities the student will be engaged in to enable them to develop their social work identity, knowledge, skills and values.
Final Placements only
The final placement (100 days) must prepare students for the statutory aspects of a social worker’s role by offering them opportunities to demonstrate engagement with:
  • Formal assessment processes
  • Application and understanding of legal frameworks relevant for social work practice, organisational policies and decisions and their impact on service delivery to service users
  • The demands of a high pressured environment, where time and competing interests have to be managed effectively
  • Multi-agency working, including planning interventions with other agencies, and analysing and managing tensions
  • Presentation of outcomes of formal assessment processes, including analysis of risk/recommendations in line with organisational policy /procedure at, e.g. panels/meetings/courts
  • Use of formal agency recording for assessment/risk
Please detail the experiences available in the setting to meet the above.

For PCF level descriptors please click on links below

For HCPC standards please click on links below

Reflective Time
Time is to be allocated each day for the student to reflect, evaluate and analyse placement related issues. Approximately 30 minutes per day is recommended. The student is to take evidence of reflection to supervision for discussion. Please indicate your proposed arrangements for supporting the student to engage in regular critical reflection and self-evaluation.
Supervision arrangements T
The student MUST receive a minimum of one hour supervision per week or equivalent. All dates of supervision sessions must be recorded on the Supervision Record and the record submitted in the portfolio. Please discuss your arrangements for supervision. (Supervision contract/ how supervision will be recorded etc.)
Person acting as practice supervisor during any absence of the educator:
Observation of practice
The student MUST be observed in practice on at least 3 occasions during first placement and at least 4 occasions during final placement. One of these should be prior to the midpoint review. The named educator may arrange for another colleague/professional to do no more than one of the observations. One observation may be in a multi-professional meeting or other professional setting: the others must involve direct engagement with service users/ carers. See the Practice Learning Handbook and website for guidance.

Absences from placement should be notified as early as possible on the first day of absence to:

Name of person in the agency:

Please note: Any absences must be recorded on the calendar and submitted with portfolios to the Social Work Office at the end of the placement. Absences of more than 3 days must be reported to the student’s tutor. Absences of more than 5 days must be supported by a sick note. The Practice Learning Handbook has further details about the management of absences.

University call in days - Call in days count as placement days if the student attends.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Car Insurance Requirements

All students should check with their insurers that they are insured for work purposes. In addition students who may carry service users in their cars MUST ensure that they have appropriate insurance cover before doing so.
I confirm that my car is insured for: Commuting to placement, business travel and carrying service users.
Signature of student:
I have seen the insurance document
Signature of Practice Educator/supervisor/agency representative:

Travel Costs

There is an expectation that the agency will reimburse the student for in-placement travel costs. Travel costs should be kept to a minimum where possible. Please ensure that the student is aware of how to claim their costs back.
I confirm that the process for claiming travel expenses has been explained and understood.
Signature of Student:
Signature of Practice Educator/
supervisor/agency representative:
Induction & Health and Safety Checklist

Please Tick upon completion of each criterion. You may add to this list to comply with agency requirements and procedures.

Induction check list / Tick
Agency Aims and Objectives
Organisational structure and accountability of student
Policy information re: service delivery
Practical information (Who’s who, what’s where, etc.)
Equal Opportunities Policy and details of any support for particular groups of students
How the agency relates to other services
Glossary of terms (especially initials used)
Brief summary of relevant legislation
Health and Safety induction as per agency procedures to be completed within 1 week of placement commencement.
Standards of conduct/staff guidance
Confidentiality and recording
Complaints procedure (Organisation and Practice Learning)
Whistle blowing
Emergency Procedures including appropriate telephone numbers
Safety policy received or location known
Location of First Aid box
First Aid arrangements (including names of first aiders)
Fire procedures and location of fire extinguishers
Accident reporting and location of accident book
Protective clothing arrangements (if appropriate)
Instruction on equipment you will be using (if appropriate)
Lone Working Policy
Other issues:
I the student
1) Have familiarised myself with the agency’s procedures in relation to the Data Protection Act.
2) Will adhere to the agency’s confidentiality policies.
3) Am aware of the Whistle Blowing statement of the agency and the procedures in the Practice Learning Handbook.
Sign & date
I (the educator/supervisor or agency representative)
1) Public/ employee Liability: Agencies should provide the same standard insurance cover as they do for their own staff, both in terms of employer liability for any work undertaken and for accidents to staff in the course of their work. I confirm that the student will be treated as an employee for insurance purposes
2) Criminal Records: The student must produce a current DBS certificate on the first day of placement and keep it available for inspection thereafter. I have inspected the DBS certificate.
3) Whistle Blowing: I am aware of the Whistle Blowing policy of the agency and the procedures in the university Practice Learning Handbook.
Sign & date
Concerns or Disagreements on Placement
If concerns or disagreements arise on placement these should, in the first instance, be addressed directly between the parties concerned. Personal Tutors or the Practice Learning Team will offer additional support wherever necessary. See PL Handbook for details on addressing concerns or difficulties.

COMPLETION OF PORTFOLIO

Mid-Point Review Meeting

Date:…………………………

NB 1 direct observation, 1 CAP and Section 1 of the Mid-point Review Development Plan to be completed by student and PE prior to this meeting

Arrangements for completion of portfolio and final report. Please detail how the PE and student will work together to ensure completion
NB: Portfolio containing Practice Educator Report to be submitted to the Social Work School Office no later than 1 week after placement ends.

Completing the Practice Learning Agreement

Remember that this document cannot be signed off until all sections are completed, and must be reviewed during the placement, particularly at the midpoint review.

Please email a completed copy to this should be an unsigned Word document. The signed copy is to be placed in the portfolio.

Signatures

Studentdate:

Tutordate:

Practice Educator date:

Practice Supervisor date:

If changes are made please ensure all relevant parties have a copy.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all parties have a copy of this document

Data Protection

This document may be shared with relevant parties only. This document is to be stored and destroyed in line with the host agency’s data protection arrangements.

For any placement queries please ring 01772 89 5469 or email .

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UCLan May 2014