Enhancing child protection practice through experience-based simulation learning: the social work big day in

ABSTRACT

Adequately preparing social work students for the realities of child wellbeing and protection practice is an important and often challenging task for educators. This paper provides a description of an experience-based simulation experience, The Social Work Big Day In (BDI), which has been undertaken by social work students at the University of Newcastle since 2012. This is followed by findings from a qualitative analysis of student reports (n = 54), which offer rich insights into the benefits and challenges of the BDI experience across theoretical, interpersonal, ethical and interdisciplinary domains. Four core themes emerged: (i) Child protection knowledge and power, (ii) Authentic engagement or game playing? (iii) Interpersonal skills are important (in direct practice), and (iv) Reflection consolidates learning. These are discussed in relation to simulation in social work education and the BDI more specifically.

KEYWORDS:

• Child welfare
• child protection
• social work education
• simulation learning
• experience based learning
• interdisciplinary education

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the social work students who supported this research through the release of their BDI report assignments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Percentages do not add to 100.

2. Family and Community Services was the primary child protection agency in NSW in 2018.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kylie Agllias

Kylie Agllias (PhD) is a social work academic, practitioner and research consultant. Her core research and practice interests include social work pedagogy and working with family estrangement.

Phillip Pallas

Phillip Pallas is a lecturer in social work and Deputy Program Convenor of the BSW(Hons) program at the University of Newcastle. Passionate about social justice, his practice and research is centred on reorienting non-local workers' practice in remote Aboriginal communities.

Tamara Blakemore

Tamara Blakemore (PhD) is a senior lecturer in the school of humanities and social science at the University of Newcastle. She remains active in social work practice and is passionate about multi-system, connection-based practice across the fields of trauma, mental health, justice and law.

Lou Johnston

Lou Johnston is a social worker and consultant for human services and a former social work educator at the University of Newcastle. She values experiential learning for students and practitioners  which is part of her commitment in supervision practice and research.