Course description
Introduction
The Specialist Award Children and Young People, their Families and Carers, is accredited by the General Social Care Council within the Post Qualifying Framework for Social Work Education and Training and is offered to all qualified social workers who are working in this area.
The course offers students the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge and skills gained in their initial professional training and to develop specialist areas of their practice to enhance the quality of services provided to children, young people, their families and carers, by exploring some key areas of current practice.
The programme consists of a number of core (mandatory) and optional modules which can be combined to enable each student to construct a pathway that reflects their own requirements for continuing professional development, whilst enabling them to meet the requirements of the GSCC for a Specialist Award.
The programme will be delivered on a part time basis, one day per week and it is envisaged that students will take 2 years to complete the programme.
The programme is taught at Level 3 to all students regardless of the level of their social work qualification. Students holding a DipSW or equivalent diploma qualification who undertake the programme will be entitled to a Degree Award.
modules which are relevant to their current employment students will be encouraged to reflect on their own practice and to develop their ability to provide high standards of services within their own agencies.
Structure
The course consists of a number of core (mandatory) and optional modules. All students will be required to undertake the following modules at the start of the programme:
- Consolidation of Specialist Practice
- Planning for Work Based Learning and Assessment
- Critical Approaches to Assessment in Specialist Practice
The following module must be taken at the end of the programme:
- Enabling and Managing Work Based Learning and Assessment
Students undertaking the Honours Degree Programme are also encouraged to take the following module:
- Research Evaluation for Specialist Practice
Options will be made available to students through the programme, each option needs a minimum number of students registered for it before it can run, and so the number that are available at any one time will depend upon demand. It is envisaged that all options will run at least once for each cohort of students, subject to demand.
NB due to the APL arrangements described below there may be a delay between the start of the programme and delivery of some of the above modules to enable candidates to undertake Consolidation and Work Based learning modules, however candidates will be advised of this at the time of enrolment.
APEL Arrangements
In line with the GSCC statement in relation to changes in post qualifying education students are able to gain credit for PQ training already undertaken. Holders of PQ1 and/or the Practice Teachers Award are able to gain credit for these within the Specialist Award, against identified modules.
Students who hold a DipSW or similar diploma level qualification will also be able to gain credit for years 1 and 2 of their degree award.
Liverpool John Moores University is also working collaboratively with Liverpool Community College to provide wider access to PQ education and training. LCC have been validated to provide a Social Work Consolidation Module, which is also a core requirement of the Specialist Award. Students are advised to undertake this module first if they wish to enrol on the Specialist Award, again they will be given full credit for it within the award programme.
Learning and Teaching
The learning and teaching strategies that are used within this programme reflect the need to encourage adult learners to develop independent strategies to manage their own learning in the work place. Modules utilise seminar and small group models alongside presentation, role-play and e-learning to encourage learners to view learning as a broad and diverse experience. The strategies developed are embedded within the School and Faculty teaching and learning strategies that are available from the Faculty Website.
Each module utilises a strategy that is relevant to its own aims and outcomes, as each module is commissioned specifically for a specialist area of practice or staff group. The programme leader and delivery team maintains the programme coherence and an overview of the assessment of all modules and who ensure equity, consistency and fairness within the process. Modules will seek to blend teaching and learning approaches were possible so that they are relevant to learners from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
Assessment
Each module is assessed individually to enable students to demonstrate the links that exist between theory and knowledge and practice. For each module students will be provided with guidance on completing assessments and the expectations for assessments at level 3.
Students are required to achieve a pass in each module in order to achieve the overall award. For those students undertaking the honours degree route their final classification will be determined by their aggregate marks over the programme.
