Abstract
Abstract Students have identified practice placements (or practice learning) as the single most important factor of social work education, but it is usually where issues of professional suitability become apparent. Whilst most students successfully complete their placements, a number experience difficulty and a minority ultimately fail. Protecting the profession from students not deemed suitable for professional practice requires a rigorous gatekeeping function and fair standards. On receipt of written consent, we interviewed eleven social work students who failed placement, and accessed progress reports written by Practice Teachers/Practice Educators. Participants included nine females, mean age of 33 years, seven failed their final placement and eight had registered with university disability services. Professionally transcribed interviews were analysed using an adapted version of Braun and Clarke’s method. Identified themes included the impact of personal issues; importance of working relationships; use and misuse of power; assessment and decision-making processes and developing insight and useful feedback. Students valued the opportunity to reflect on their experience and provided clear recommendations for improving how Practice Teachers, on-site supervisors, Tutors and peers can provide a supportive learning experience for students who require additional support during placement, and how to communicate concerns regarding competence more effectively.
Highlights
Practice learning or field education consistently plays a central role in the formal training of social work students, where knowledge, skills and values acquired in the classroom are integrated into practice
On receipt of written consent, we interviewed eleven social work students who failed placement, and accessed progress reports written by Practice Teachers/Practice Educators
This qualitative study provides a rich insight into the experiences of student social workers who failed a placement
Summary
Practice learning or field education consistently plays a central role in the formal training of social work students, where knowledge, skills and values acquired in the classroom are integrated into practice. This article attempts to address this gap by highlighting the experiences of social work students from four participating Irish universities, one stakeholder group commonly neglected in the research (Furness, 2012; Finch, 2015). Existing literature largely focuses on the rarity of placement failure, the quality and quantity of placements providing appropriate learning opportunities, and the Practice Teachers’ reluctance to fail students, commonly linked to inconsistencies and confusion within the processes of Student Social Workers’ Experiences of Failing Placement Page 3 of 21 student assessment. Research highlights the reluctance of supervisors and universities to fail students (Bogo et al, 2007; Parker, 2010; Finch and Taylor, 2013). The rarity of failing students is linked to the processes and protocols provided by universities, as discussed below
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