Social Work at Brunel University  BA Social Work  MA Social Work  CPD and PQ degrees

Social Work Division  Rated 1 st in The Guardian League Table, 2012  Highest rated student satisfaction (NSS) of London social work departments  One of the largest social work schools in London recruiting c85 students each year  Social work education ranging from undergraduate to PhD  Leader in social work research with an international reputation

Academic staff research activities  Effect of Family Drug and Alcohol Courts on children (Prof Judith Harwin)  Rights of service users to be involved in decisions affecting their lives (Prof Peter Beresford OBE)  Care experiences of older people with no children (Dr Mary Sullivan)  Experience of international social work practitioners in English social work practice (Dr Sue Hanna)  Four research centres in the Division, and Brunel Institute for Aging Studies, contribute to linking research, theory and practice in teaching

Social Work Programmes  Meet requirements for professional practice as defined by The College of Social Work and HCPC  Teaching underpinned by high quality research, anti- discriminatory and anti-oppressive perspectives, and reflective practice  Generic social work curricula with an opportunity to specialise in a specific pathway in the final year  Service user and social work practitioner involvement in teaching & Interdisciplinary teaching  Small group teaching to support and stimulate learning

Typical Social Work Course Content: academic  Introduction to academic and professional practice  Social work themes, roles & contemporary practice  Human Development  Social Policy & Sociology  Self reflection and Skills Development Hub  Introduction to Law  Working with Service Users & Service Providers  Theories underpinning social work  Contemporary issues and values  Professional pathways (Children & Families OR Adults)  Choice of one Elective

Typical Social Work Course Content: practice  Skills development (campus based: 30 days)  Practice seminars (campus based)  Practice placements (170 days over 2 years)  Long term relationships with well established partner agencies, including memoranda of cooperation  Dedicated team to develop and manage practice learning  Placements run concurrently with teaching

Students have agency placements that include: Statutory Placements  Hillingdon Social Services  Hounslow Social Services  Ealing Social Services  Slough Social Services  Brent Social Services  Harrow Social Services Voluntary Placements  Re-Start  St.Mungos  Crime Reduction Initiative  Community Housing and Therapy

Graduates will be competent to:  Undertake ethical, innovative & effective social work practice in a diverse society;  Undertake critical & professional practice with service users that actively promotes social justice;  Integrate theory, policy, practice, & research evidence to meet service users’ and the profession’s needs;  Have both a generic & detailed understanding of social work knowledge, values and intervention skills, applicable to a variety fields and methods of practice;  Demonstrate research capacity to critically evaluate social work research, & independently undertake and manage a research project.

Additional Information  Allocated an academic tutor  Typical week is 9am-5pm (typically 2 days academic input, 3 days in practice setting)  Student supported in placement by practice educators, practice tutors, and academic tutors on campus  Students will need to get a criminal records check from the Disclosure & Barring service to practice

Fees /Costs  The fees for this course are £9,000 per year for 2013/14 Home/EU students and £15,00 for international students.  The Department of Health is currently consulting to reform the bursary. Consultation is underway  Currently no bursary will be offered in the first year with a cap on the number of bursaries in years 2/3  See Nhs.uk/students/825. aspx for details of the social work bursarywww.nhsbsa

Assessed and Supported Year in Employment  new requirement from 2015/16  It will be a form of CPD with students expected to complete an assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE).  extra support provided during first year in practice.  For more information see The College of Social Work Website 

Our Graduates  Highly sought after as social workers in various locations in the UK with the majority working in London boroughs  Pursue post graduate study and research focused careers  Continue their association with Brunel as Practice Educators  Alumni Group which mentors and supports on course students