Each educational institution will set up a Practice Assessment Panel, consisting of experienced practice teachers and tutors. The Practice Assessment Panel should reflect a commitment to equal opportunities in its membership and conduct.
Some educational institutions because of the size of the student cohort and the subsequent workload, may choose to form a Practice Assessment Panel from which is selected a sub-group who will meet with the practice teacher/s, the student's tutor and the student where there are concerns in the placement. A Chair and Vice Chair of the Practice Assessment Panel, should normally chair any Practice Assessment Panel in order to provide continuity and consistency in practice.
Where within educational institutions, the size of the student cohort does not warrant an increased membership, the Practice Assessment Panel will normally meet with the practice teacher/s, the student's tutor and student where there are concerns in the placement.
For the purpose of such a meeting, the Practice Assessment Panel will consist of:
A route tutor will be responsible for co-ordinating the work of the Practice Assessment Panel, and will minute its meetings. It will be for individual routes to decide whether this co-ordinator will also act as the representative of the host route on the Panel, or alternatively whether these two roles are undertaken by different individuals.
None of the above participants will have had previous involvement in assessing the practice of the student under consideration, other than as a member of an earlier PAP.
In exceptional circumstances, where it is not possible for the Chair to attend a Practice Assessment Panel, another experienced practice teacher can be nominated. In this event, it will be necessary to co-opt on to the Practice Assessment Panel another experienced practice teacher.
The Practice Assessment Panel should be seen as independent of the route in which it operates.
Conduct of Practice Assessment Panels
This will be the responsibility of the route Practice Assessment Panel, but it is required that the assessment procedures should allow the student due process, including the right to challenge evidence against them, and the right to be accompanied or to be represented at any hearing.
Assessment Procedures involving the Practice Assessment Panels
These are detailed in the procedures at any stage in the programme document
©West of Scotland Consortium for Education and Training in Social Work 2001.