As part of the Diploma in Social Work programme students are required, by SSSC , to complete 2 practice placements. In the West of Scotland these are known as Direct Practice modules and, in short hand, are referred to as DP1 (Direct Practice 1) and DP2 (Direct Practice 2).
DP1, in the West of Scotland Consortium, lasts for 65 days and DP2 for 80 days. DP1 can be in a wide range of settings across the spectrum of social work provision and is designed to allow students to develop and demonstrate their ability of making assessments in a variety of situations.
The work in DP2 will build on a student's developing skills and ability in assessment and will involve them in making decisions about methods of intervention, and in carrying out more complex pieces of work than is required in DP1.
Placements can be either block or concurrent. In a block placement students are located in the placement agency on a full time basis for the duration of the placement. In a concurrent placement students spend part of the time at placement and part of the time in university. Students are required to produce a report at the end of each placement in which they must provide evidence of having met the competence and practice requirements laid down by SSSC.
Throughout their placement students are supervised by a Practice Teacher, who will support, teach and assess them. The Practice Teacher is often based in the same location as the student. Where this is not the case a 'link supervisor' provides day to day support and liases regularly with the Practice Teacher.
The Consortium is not able to meet individual requests for placements but it does ensure that all placements provide the necessary learning opportunities to allow students to provide evidence of the required practice requirements and competences.
Further detailed information on placements can be obtained by clicking the links below: