Social work students’ perceptions of their readiness for practice and to practise

ABSTRACT

This study explores how social work students perceive they become ready for the workplace during their three-year undergraduate course at two Higher Education Institutions sites in England. The work provides a unique contribution in that to date little is known from the perspective of students themselves, about how they perceive they become ready for the workplace. This study used an integrated mixed methods methodology. Data were gathered from a combination of pre- and post-test questionnaires (N = 74 participants) and eight semi-structured interviews including the use of pictorial images and drawings. Five themes were generated from the semi-structured interviews are: (i) becoming ready and resilient; (ii) feeling shut out; (iii) navigating my placement; (iv) trying to fit things together and (v) having what it takes. Participants described their becoming ready for practice as a developmental journey in which they become more resilient, confident and reflective. The findings suggest satisfaction with the social work course although for some they perceived themselves less prepared for most statutory social work positions. The findings from this study can be used to inform and enhance a creative curriculum to support student confidence and competence by facilitating a supported learning environment offered by practice educators pre registration.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work education
• readiness for practice
• practice learning
• student perspective
• transition

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marelize Joubert

Marelize Joubert Dprof, MBA, MSW, BA (Hons)SW, PgDip, FHEA. Marelize Joubert is a  registered and qualified Social Worker with over 10 years of practice experience primarily within Child Protection and Substance Misuse settings both as a senior practitioner and  service manager within the NHS.   managing an interprofessional team working with vulnerable families' involved with substance Marelize qualified as a social worker in 1997 in South Africa.  She is currently a principal lecturer in the Social Work Department at Sheffield Hallam University with 14 years' experience of teaching on the BA Social Work, Masters Social Work programmes, BSc Nursing (Learning Disabilities) and Social Work and post graduate courses such as the Approved Mental Health Practitioner programmes. She commenced her  employment at Sheffield Hallam University in September 2007 until present. Marelize's interests span across readiness for the workplace, practice education, group work and skills development within social work.  She has a passion for interprofessional education and a research interest into substance misuse and mental health within children and young peoples services.