Abstract
Placements are a fundamental part of any social work training, but they can be the source of much anxiety for students. In this book, lecturer and practice teacher Beesley covers all aspects of a student’s placement experience in 10 chapters, from the first that asks the student to consider their learning style through to chapter nine, helping students to write up their placement experience, while chapter 10 is a conclusion.
The logical approach of the book, following the progression through the placement process, will make it easy for students to dip in and out the book, as they make their way through their placement. After considering their learning style, the next chapter offers advice in completing placement application forms and preparing for the start of the placement, as well as the meetings a student can expect during the experience. All of this enables the student to be fully prepared and to arrive at their placement ready to focus on the learning opportunities available to them.
The next two chapters address building relationships, firstly with the student’s practice educator, and then with service users. Addressing knowledge, skills and values on placement is considered, before moving on to a chapter that will be beneficial to all students – ‘Enhancing your ability to critically reflect’. This chapter encourages students to think about how they might approach reflection, both as a skill in itself and more specifically in supervision. Beesley has also provided ‘seven strategies to strengthen your reflective writing style’ (p. 86) that students will find themselves referring back to again and again as they come to complete their written assignments evidencing their placement learning. Responding to feedback and evidencing capabilities are addressed, before the book offers guidance in writing up placement assignments. Woven into the chapters are ‘placement perspectives’, and these are offered by a range of real-life contributors, including students, NQSWs, a service user and practice educators. These add another perspective and students will benefit from these viewpoints.
Throughout the book, Beesley has highlighted reflective tasks for students to work upon and consolidate their learning from that particular chapter. This is a useful addition to the book, especially for students who are keen to engage further with the learning process. Another useful feature is the scenario examples, entitled ‘potential placement pitfalls’ and ‘potential placement opportunities’. These highlight ways in which learning from the book could be incorporated successfully into students’ placements, and potential obstacles to avoid. Chapter checklists at the end of each chapter provide a short list of key points to remind students of the key learning from each section. Helpfully, a short selection of further reading is also provided at the close of each chapter. As well as being useful for students wanting to explore a subject in more depth, this will also prove a useful resource for practice educators using the book.
The book aims to equip social work students with the knowledge and tools they need to start their placement with professionalism and confidence, and it successfully meets that aim. Furthermore, it supports students during their placement journey and guides them throughout the entire process to placement completion. The book successfully employs helpful pedagogical features that engage the reader and encourage reflection throughout.
This book will be relevant to social work students in the UK accessing their social work training through a variety of routes. Beesley acknowledges that readers might be studying social work as an undergraduate on a more traditional degree programme but may also be studying through the new social work degree apprenticeships, or a fast track MA route. The book will be applicable to all routes as Beesley highlights ‘the philosophy of enthusiastic learning remains the same wherever you are placed’. (p. 5).
Overall, this is an excellent text that will prove invaluable to social work students. The book should give students the confidence to know what to focus on as they begin their placements and build relationships with their practice educator, and as they continue through their placement experience. Additionally, this would be a good resource for practice educators to have to hand as they support students through placements, providing excellent ideas for discussion in supervision and to support students in consolidating their learning.