Social Work with Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)

This module is designed to support you in your transition to studying in a Higher Education environment at Birmingham City University. Through a range of class-based group and individual activities, discussions, debates, personal reflection and wider reading and research, you will have opportunities to consider academic conventions, which include: effective use of literature; sourcing and reviewing information; various forms of academic writing; developing reflective capacity. You will also receive guidance on study skills and strategies, which will enhance previously acquired skills.

This module is designed to help you gain awareness and understanding of current challenges around Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity and how this impacts upon the Health, Education and Social Sciences sector, preparing you for your future education and journey into practice. Introducing the Equality Act 2010 as the overarching legislation that focuses on Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, the module is based on themes that are covered by this Act. The nine protected characteristics, upon which a person can be discriminated, as laid down in the Equality Act, will be discussed throughout and you will be introduced to case studies relevant to your chosen pathways.

This module will focus on enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of the interpersonal skills and behaviours required to work in your chosen area. Through a range of class based and student focused activities you will explore the different concepts of effective interpersonal and professional behaviours essential to your own personal development and progression. By engaging in this module you will reflect on your own and others values, beliefs and behaviours identifying how this can impact on the way in which you will be viewed by others. You will also address the importance of effective communication and how this can lead you to have a more professional approach in your chose area of work.

This module is designed to support you in your transition to studying in a Higher Education environment at Birmingham City University, allowing you the opportunity to negotiate learning of a bespoke subject. Under the guidance of tutors, you will be able to direct your learning and identify relevant learning opportunities that you feel enable you to learning more about a specific field of study. The subject area within this module is student-led, with guidance and facilitation from designated academic and practice support. You will identify an area of study that you would like to review and evaluate, and which relates to your foundation year pathway and indicate programme.

This module will be studied in Semester 1 and provides opportunities for you to develop an understanding of children and society in Birmingham. As the country’s second city, Birmingham offers a rich context for your studies and provides a perfect example of the ways in which children and society inter-relate. You will also be laying foundations for your future studies by gaining knowledge of the environments affecting your chosen degree discipline. No matter where you are from, exploring the ways in which a highly diverse city such as Birmingham provides for the needs of children will provide an invaluable insight.

This module will be studied in Semester 2 and provides opportunities for you to develop an understanding of the politics and policies that impact society, childhood and education. Key aspects of working practice in the disciplines listed above are determined by the policies that come from the government; in the majority of cases, a government department oversees and regulates practice through its policies. This modules will explore the way in which the British constitution works, how policy making takes place and the impact that this has on society, childhood and education. The module will also consider the political spectrum and the way that this impacts policy. Importantly, as someone considering moving into the areas of study outlined above, you will also have the opportunity to consider your own perspectives and the ways in which you have been influenced by policy and politics, and the ways in which you might go on to affect them as a citizen and as a member of a given profession.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module provides you with an understanding of the role of the social worker in different contexts and will provide an experience in social work practice.

It is intended that you will identify the expectations of the regulatory body and the role of the social worker in current practice. There is an acknowledgement that the current practice environment is complex, challenging, multi-dimensional, constantly changing alive with ethical dilemmas and tensions. Social Work is constantly changing as a result of learning from current practice including contemporary issues and is informed by student and service user feedback.

In this module you will be introduced to the core principles associated with key social work legislation, social policies and social work values.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will focus on pursuing excellence in social work practice, and assisting you to become practice-led, employable and have a local, national and global outlook.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will develop social work professionals whose work is informed by theory and evidence, with the goal of "transforming lives", by providing a range of the key knowledge required to facilitate this.

This module aligns with the overall philosophy and aims of the BSc (Hons) Social Work degree programme and the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency by providing an understanding of the impact of human growth and development across the life span in relation to and in preparation for social work practice. The module also contributes to the "Knowledge" requirements of the Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Workers. It promotes an analytic and comparative approach to perspectives on personal development and change, with a focus on the chronological life-course. It explores the relevance of physiological, psychological, sociological and environmental perspectives to understanding personal and social development and functioning.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, and in order to prepare students for the complex and constantly evolving nature of modern social work practice this module enables students to develop their knowledge and understanding of law.

The module aims to:

• Develop a practical awareness of court processes and the roles of social workers in various legal and regulatory contexts
• Develop the skill of reading and evaluating legal and policy documents
• Begin to develop an awareness of the policy and legal frameworks of practice specialisms

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, and central to the delivery of high quality social work is the ability to understand and develop competence in using and applying a range of professional skills in direct practice with service users, carers and other professionals.

Determined by the Professional Capabilities Framework at ‘Skills and Readiness for Practice Level’, this Level 4 module teaches and assesses foundational skills in professionalism, communication, assessment, reflection, emotional resilience, Anti Discriminatory Practice, relationship building, recording, and initial awareness and understanding of evidence, risk, safeguarding, organisational context and leadership in social work. It includes skills simulation sessions and the opportunity to shadow a qualified social worker. Professionalism includes the ability to separate personal and professional values, draw on a professional knowledge base, use power positively, engage in ethical decision making and maintain professional boundaries with vulnerable people. This module is a ‘professional requirement’ and must be passed before you are considered ready and eligible to safely undertake your First Practice Placement working directly with vulnerable people. Service users, carers and qualified practitioners work alongside academic tutors as part of an interactive and practical approach to delivery and assessment.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will provide you with the opportunity to engage with law and policy, and the knowledge needed to safeguard and protect vulnerable service users as specified by the professional requirements for social work.

You will need to reflect on your legal roles and responsibilities as a social worker with a duty of care so that you can practice professionally and be prepared for employment. The module will examine the court process and structure and prepare you to present evidence in court and to write formal reports. You are required to analyse relevant law and policy with an emphasis on the process of joint working and the individual responsibilities of practitioners working in the areas of children and families, adult care, and mental health.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will prepare you for the complex and constantly evolving nature of modern social work practice, enabling you to develop your knowledge and understanding of theory and methods of intervention.

You are required to not only learn about the theories but to develop skills for using these in practice whilst demonstrating the ability to work in an anti-oppressive/anti-discriminatory manner. The BSc (Hons) Social Work programme is clear in its aim to develop social work professionals whose work is informed by theory and evidence, with the goal of transforming lives.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, the First Placement module will focus upon practice learning. Social work is a practice led profession and this is reflected in practice learning being integral to the social work programme. The First Placement module will support you to link your developing knowledge, skills and values to practice through the provision of a 70 day practice placement that will provide opportunities for you to work directly with service users, carers, colleagues and other professionals. This module also contributes to the programme philosophy and aims by enhancing your interdisciplinarity, for example by developing your ability to work with and learn from other professionals; and employability, for example by giving you opportunities to develop your professionalism and practice excellence in a service delivery setting, and be work ready

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will focus on pursuing excellence in social work practice, and assisting you to become practice-led, employable and have a local, national and global outlook.

This module is designed to provide an introduction to research, research design and research methodology. You will learn the relevance and purpose of research in the context of social work practice, how to carry out research and follow a research process whilst taking into account research paradigms, research approaches, sampling, piloting, data collection, data analysis and data presentation.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will focus on pursuing excellence in social work practice, and assisting you to become practice-led, employable and have a local, national and global outlook.

It is important that you have an opportunity to develop your research knowledge for practice based on a social care issue within the context of a pluralist society. You are required to demonstrate a critical understanding to recognise the ways in which research needs to address differences of equality, race, gender and culture, at local, national and global perspectives.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will provide you with an understanding of the legal system in England and Wales and the knowledge needed to safeguard and protect vulnerable service users as specified by the professional requirements for social work.

You will need to reflect on your legal roles and responsibilities as a social worker with a duty of care so that you can practice professionally and be prepared for employment. The module will examine the court process and structure and prepare you to present evidence in court and to write formal reports. You are required to reflect on the process of joint working and the individual responsibilities of practitioners working in the areas of children and families, adult care, mental health and youth justice

In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme the Last Placement module will focus upon practice learning. This practice-led, knowledge applied module contributes to the programme philosophy and aims by further enhancing your interdisciplinarity for example, your ability to work with and learn from other professionals; and employability for example, giving you opportunities to develop your professionalism and practice excellence in a service delivery setting, and be work ready. The Last Placement module is a professional requirement that builds on the level 5 First Placement module.

Welcome to the Critical Reflective Practice Module, this is the last module of Year 3 of the BSc (Hons) Social Work Degree which is taught in Semester 3 of the programme. This module focuses on providing you with the opportunity to promote a critical reflective approach to practice.

The Critical Reflective Practice module is a core module in preparing you for completion of the BSc (Hons) Social Work Degree and future employability through enhancing your presentation skills and your ability to critically reflect and analyse your work.