Introduction to Social Work

SOWK60661 Introduction to Social Work 15 Semester 1 Postgraduate Taught Level 7 Gary Norton Unit coordinator Social Work 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 7.5 <div>This course unit enables students to develop skills in critically analysing and reflecting on social work practice. The unit explores the origins of social work practice, differences and connections between social work practice in different contexts internationally, questions of ethics and values in social work practice, the role of knowledge and theory in social work and current debates about social work methods.  The unit introduces critical reflection and enables students to consider how they might use critical reflection in their own practice. The unit introduces and enables students to critically engage with key frameworks for understanding social work in the UK and internationally, including the British Association of Social Workers' (2018) Professional Capabilities Framework, Social Work England's Professional Standards, and the International Federation of Social Workers' (2014) Global Definition of Social Work.</div> <ul> <li>Definitions of social work including its key roles and purpose </li> <li>Assumptions, values, assessment and social work methods </li> <li>Critical approaches to social work, including anti-oppressive practice, and critical and radical social work</li> <li>Critical comparison of methods, theories and forms of practice </li> <li>Frameworks for understanding ethics in social work practice</li> <li>Core social work skills including assessment, critical reflection and group work.</li></ul> <ul> <li> Enable students to engage in critical debate and gain a wider understanding of the use of normative, interpretive and critical epistemological frameworks and models of social work practice</li> <li> Provide students with the capacity to understand and apply explicit social work skills such as interviewing, observation, assessment and group work, including within health and social care settings</li> <li> Facilitate a critical analysis of the different ways in which professional ethics and service user and carer participation can be used to guide and inform practice within health and social care</li></ul> <ul> <li> Develop a critical understanding of different social work theories and the ways each can be applied in institutional and community-based practice settings</li> <li> Critically understand how theory links to and can influence and improve core social work skills such as interviewing, the assessment, observation and intervention</li> <li> Express a critical understanding of the importance of ‘reflection’ in social work practice.</li> <li> Appreciate and reflect how service users and carers can play a central and positive role in the development and planning of social work service provision</li></ul> <ul> <li> Appraise relevant literature to develop a coherent and informed critical understanding of relevant theories, concepts and practice related skills</li> <li> Develop a better understanding of the context, use and application of practical social work skills such as interviewing, communication and group work</li> <li> Develop analytical skills including the capacity to interpret, understand and, if necessary, question practice based norms, policy and processes, including those that may not be in the best interest of service users and carers</li> <li> Theoretically and practically understand the important role played by ethics and participation within social work practice</li></ul> <ul> <li> Demonstrate an ability to take responsibility for one’s own learning</li> <li> Develop an ability to work collegially in small group tasks either on-line or face-to-face</li> <li> Be able to critically appraise theories and concepts that link to social work practice and procedures</li> <li> Hone generic social work skills such as advocacy, communication and group work</li></ul> <ul> <li> Ability to write coherently and cogently</li> <li> Ability to develop critical thinking and analysis</li> <li> Ability to participate in small group or seminar settings</li></ul> This course unit will include a mixture of direct teaching, seminars, e-learning activities and a case study 2 Written assignment (inc essay) 100% Students will normally have the opportunity to receive feedback on formative work submitted prior to the summative assessment. Other feedback opportunities will also be available in class and online discussion boards. Online feedback is provided in Grademark. Provisional feedback based on internal marking will be made available prior to the Exam Board on the basis that these marks are yet to be ratified at the Exam Board and therefore may be subject to change. A standard feedback mechanism in Grademark is utilised across all postgraduate programmes within the School which provides detailed and constructive feedback on each component and aspect of assessment and identifies areas of strength and those aspects which could be enhanced.Student feedback is obtained through open discussion forums on blackboard, in class discussions, via formal University unit evaluation forms and also qualitative, in house evaluations at the end of the unit.  MA Social Work MA Social Work PGDT Taught Component Mandatory PG Dip Social Work (DipSW) PG Dip Social Work (DipSW) PGDT Taught Component Mandatory PG Dip Applied Health & Soc St PG Dip Applied Health & Soc St PGDT Taught Component Mandatory N <a href="http://www.readinglists.manchester.ac.uk/lists/8D359881-3E0D-D153-C1D7-E6585B9691D6.html">http://www.readinglists.manchester.ac.uk/lists/8D359881-3E0D-D153-C1D7-E6585B9691D6.html</a> Lectures 36 0 114