SWiSP: The social work students in schools project

Abstract

Current changes to social work education require an increased emphasis on the practical element of the programme and a significant increase in the number of placement learning days undertaken by students: a minimum of 200 days overall. The Social Work Students in Schools Project (SWiSP) addressed this need whilst also raising the profile of the social work profession and local programme providers within the community. The project enhanced links and increased awareness of the role of social workers within primary and secondary schools at a time when the integration of social work, health care and education is increasingly promoted. This paper describes the context and rationale for the project, the views of stakeholders in the first phase and considers the learning potential for existing and changing social work education.