Navigating relationships in practice learning: voices from practice educators

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the nature and quality of relationships between social work students and their practice educators and discusses how practice educators navigate their multifaceted and complex role in the context of practice learning in England. The data was drawn from individual interviews with 13 practice educators and two focus groups with first year MA social work students. The findings indicate that challenges associated with social differences, in engaging students in learning, and in initiating critical dialogue affect the nature and quality of practice learning relationships. Practice educators need to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to manage the complexities and different demands of their role. It is also important for practice educators to invest time to develop and sustain meaningful relationships with students, and to create a safe space for critical dialogue to take place. A trusting relationship is fundamental if students and practice educators are to raise and explore difficult issues.

KEYWORDS:

• Practice learning
• practice educator
• social work
• relationship building
• critical conversations

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the practice educators and social work students for taking part in this study. We are also grateful for the comments from the reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Faculty Research & Enterprise Excellence (FREE), Research Capacity Building Fund 2015-16, Liverpool John Moores University.

Notes on contributors

Echo Yuet Wah Yeung

Echo Yuet Wah Yeung is a senior lecturer teaching on social work programmes at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. Her research interests are in health and social care of minority ethnic communities. She has published articles on the experiences of use of health and social care services of people from Chinese backgrounds. Other research interests include practice education in social work and working with interpreters in health and social care settings. She is currently involved in a project that aims to further develop social work education in China.

Andrea Newman

Andrea Newman has worked in social work education within FE and HEI in the North West of England for over 25 years. She currently works a  senior lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. She has a background in social work and is a registered social worker. Andrea's research interests have focussed on research and evaluation with minority communities and individuals around access, involvement and inclusion and she is interested in participatory action research approach.

Beverley Burke

Beverley Burke is a senior lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. She has practised as a youth and community worker and as a social worker. Beverley has published widely in the areas of anti-oppressive practice, values and ethics. Beverley is a co-editor of the Practice Section of the international peer-reviewed journal Ethics and Social Welfare.