Commons Select Committee Inquiry into Training of Children and Families Social Workers

From: Professor John Carpenter, University of Bristol

Summary

· It will be helpful to review social work education in comparison to other professions, especially medicine.

· Specialisation on degree courses is already taking place

· A fast track for social science graduates is not justified by evidence

· Relevant research on the outcomes of interagency training for social workers and on the Newly Qualified Social Worker Pilot Programme will soon be available.

1. Personal background: I have been Professor of Social Work at Bristol University since 2005, having previously held the inaugural Chair at Durham University (1997-2005). As well as being a Registered Social Worker with the GSCC, I am also a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. I have a particular research interest in the outcomes of education and training for social worker and also for other professionals involved in safeguarding children

2. I welcome the Committee's interest in learning from models adopted by other professions. The comparisons with medicine and psychology should be particularly instructive. Like social work, these professions expect that practitioners have a high level of specialist skills and knowledge for work with children and families. Like social work, this is based on a firm generic, foundation level of education: e.g. medical students have to learn the basics of all branches of medicine. Only later do they specialise. Following substantial further training and closely supervised experience they qualify to practice as a GP or paediatrician.

3. Social work education differs from medical education in many respects. Aspects that doctors would find especially surprising about social work include:

3.1. the fact that the practice leaning may take place in settings which do not employ qualified social workers and that their work is supervised by members of another profession

3.2. the expectation that following the award of a basic level of qualification, practitioners assume full responsibility for children and families who have multiple and complex problems including poverty, mental illness, addiction to drugs and alcohol and violence.

3.3. the lack of clear, compulsory and properly funded post registration specialist education and training leading to career posts

3.4. the fact that senior members of the profession are not expected or required to teach new entrants

3.5. the lack of recognition accorded to those social work practitioners who do teach. There is no longer a qualification in practice education in social work. Many of those who do 'take a student on placement' do so only two or three times and so do not build experience.

3.6. the fact that many university teachers of social work have so little engagement with practice, or research on practice.

I regard all these as deficiencies in our current arrangements.

4. Specialisation. Because of the nature of practice learning on the degree course, most social work students already begin to specialise by the time they take their final ('Level 3') placement. If they plan to find a job in children and families social work, they will do their very best to obtain a placement in such a setting. If the university-based teaching permits them to choose from a range of options, they will naturally chose those concerning children and families instead of health and social work. They will write an analytical case study about their practice in the child and family social work agency. If they have to do an undergraduate or Master's dissertation they will select a pertinent topic. On the MSc in Social Work at Bristol, we are happy for the students to specialise in this way. But we do require them to take core courses in adult mental illness, not just because the GSCC requires it, but because we know that children's social workers will regularly encounter adult mental illness. Conversely, we require those students certain to go into adult social care to takes courses in child and adolescent mental health. In addition we have a series of final year workshops in which students who already see themselves as specialising consider how to work together across the adult social care/children and families service divide. In other words, a degree of specialisation is already happening. I am firmly opposed to a separate degree.

5. Entry routes. I was very pleased that social work became a graduate profession and relieved that the postgraduate route was maintained. I have only taught postgraduates at Durham and Bristol. These programmes undoubtedly recruit very able students and most, but not all, produce very good or excellent work. Applicants are clear that they relish the opportunity to study for a Master's degree and the great majority achieve one. The remainder are able to leave with a postgraduate diploma which is recognised by the GSCC for registration.

6. I carried out detailed research at Durham which showed that the topic of first degree (social science vs. arts and sciences) did not make any statistically significant difference to the students' final outcomes or marks. I do not see a case for 'fast tracking' social science graduates. They all have much to learn, the intellectual demands are high and the two year timetable is very tight indeed - more so now that there are 200 days of practice learning.

7. Following the publicity about the new degree, applications to postgraduate courses increased and Bristol at least has been more choosy, increasing our entry requirements. However, the numbers of students aged over 30 has reduced and few of them are men. Our admissions tutor explains that, although she still receives many enquiries from people over 30 wanting to make a career change, most are put off for financial reasons. The CWDC graduate scheme is a help but most programme are already full by the time it is announced; so while the funding has helped to support excellent students who had a place already, it has not so far been very effective in bringing in new people.

8. Training in child protection. Earlier this year I completed a substantial study of the organisation, outcomes and costs of interagency training for safeguarding children which was funded by DCSF and DH. Such training is of course very important for child and family social workers. The evidence for good outcomes is strong, but the system is vulnerable. The research report has been peer reviewed, but not yet revised in the light of those reviews. I hope that it will be possible to disseminate the findings very soon.

9. Newly Qualified Social Workers. I am part of a team evaluating the NQSW Pilot Programme for CWDC. I and colleagues have recently completed a baseline survey of over 450 NQSWs (response rate 80%), collecting data on their perceived self-confidence, role clarity, job satisfaction and stress. I consider the results encouraging. The baseline report has been reviewed and again I hope that it will be possible to disseminate findings very soon.