Social Work Field Placements Research Articles

A Multisite Field Placement Approach for Social Work Interns in the Antitrafficking Arena: An Innovative Model at a Midwestern University

ABSTRACT Social work field placements are considered the signature pedagogy of the social work profession. Traditionally, students are placed in a single agency for the academic year. Given that antitrafficking intervention is fairly new to the social work profession, interns may not be able to get the most out of an experience in a single agency. Using support from the literature on the most satisfying and beneficial aspects of internships and a rotational field model for geriatric social work students, a multiagency internship model for interns interested in human trafficking is proposed for other universities after it was implemented at a large Midwestern university.

Creating Macro Social Work Field Placements Through a University Campus Social Justice Issue

ABSTRACT Providing hands-on experiential learning opportunities to supplement hypothetical classroom lessons involving macro social work often presents challenges for educators. Applying theoretical lessons to real-world settings has the potential to significantly boost student critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities. Skill acquisition in these settings can help create job-ready graduates who apply for management or leadership positions. This article provides an overview of a social work field placement setting developed on a university campus in the U.S. Deep South. The mission of the field placement program is to address the needs of underserved students, staff, and faculty who were experiencing food insecurity or who lacked other vital resources. Lessons learned by graduate students along with implications for social work education are provided.

Implementing Observations in BSW Social Work Field Placements

The 2015 Council on Social Work Education Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards require assessments of students' competence to involve observation in real or simulated practice situations. This educational case study provides the reader with real-world strategies for making observation of practice a reality in everyday bachelor of social work (BSW) field educational placements. The case study provides a blueprint for infusing an observational culture of learning, beginning in the freshman year and ending in earnest in the senior year of the BSW program. Specific implementation strategies are provided, allowing the reader to replicate this model in any BSW program, large or small.

Practice Note: Supporting Social Work Students with Additional Needs when on Field Placement

This practice note focuses on work undertaken at a UK university to support social work students with additional needs when on their field placement. Following a brief introduction, it will provide an overview of social work field placements, illustrate some of the complexities surrounding field placements when social work students have additional needs, and highlight some of the work undertaken. It will conclude with some areas for further development and recommendations. It is hoped that the Practice Note will generate discussions about the importance of supporting social work students with additional needs when on placement and share good practice.

Developing Quality Social Work Field Placements in Dialysis Clinics

Dialysis clinics provide rich field placement settings for social work students. In this article, field placements for advanced practice MSW students are carefully examined, as they are best suited to work with patients on a higher clinical level. This article also provides an outline of how advanced practice competencies can be applied in such settings with attention to supervision and the role of the field instructor.

Supporting Field-Based Education in Political Settings

ABSTRACTThis article presents findings from a qualitative study of social work students who participated in an intensive block placement in a state legislature. Findings explore what students perceive as the central learning outcomes from field placements in political settings and how they navigate aspects of practice that may differ in critical ways from other social work practice settings. Findings identify challenges social work students face when placed in a political environment as well as strategies and supports students use to navigate these challenges. We discuss implications for creating and sustaining effective social work field placements in political settings to further students’ policy practice competency.

Rediscovering connections between animal welfare and human welfare: Creating social work internships at a humane society

Summary Within a narrative of how two distinct graduate social work internship placements at a humane society were structured and implemented, we address: (1) historic and contemporary rationales for social work roles in humane society settings, (2) development of social work field placements in a humane society, and (3) specific social work learning opportunities afforded. Findings The first petition for removal of a child due to abuse in the United States occurred in 1874 through efforts of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals director. While child protection services have evolved since then, numerous aspects of human–animal interaction are relevant to social work: social support roles of animals, connections between violence toward animals and violence toward humans, therapeutic benefits of animals, companion animal loss, and compassion fatigue among animal shelter and veterinary staff. Encompassing such HAI aspects, we describe the development of two distinct internship placements at a humane society. One placement entailed a twofold focus on: reduction of staff compassion fatigue and development of an Emotional Support Animal placement program (the Hope and Recovery Pet Program); the other placement focused on aspects of the connection between violence toward animals and violence toward people. Applications Aspects of these social work placements can be modified and replicated in humane societies and related settings. Increased awareness of the potential relevance of human–animal interaction across social work practice settings allows for explicit identification of/response to clients’ human–animal interaction-related strengths and concerns, ultimately supporting the well-being of both humans and animals.

Critically Reflecting on the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics: Learning from a Social Work Field Placement

Critically Reflecting on the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics: Learning from a Social Work Field Placement

Adapting an Interprofessional Training Model for Social Work Field Placements: An Answer for Better Mental Health Care Outreach for Older Adults in Primary Care

ABSTRACTProfessional shortages of geriatrically trained social workers pose a barrier to mental health care for older adults. Integrating graduate social work interns into primary care settings may increase the availability of trained social workers. However, few studies provide guidance on how to develop an interprofessional healthcare placement focused on the needs of older adults. This article discusses a model training program created by a psychology department (with input from social work faculty) that can be adapted by schools of social work. Client outcomes (n = 47) indicate significant improvement when using this model.

“No One Talked About It”: Social Work Field Placements and Sexual Harassment

ABSTRACTIncreasing student safety is an important part of Title IX compliance for colleges and universities. Sexual harassment is an all too common experience for college students, although little is known about incidences in social work field placements. The extent of training and preparation received by students from social work program and field instructors is also unknown. This study explores the extent of training and knowledge about sexual harassment in social work field placements from a sample of 535 BSW and MSW students. Only 51% of social work students received training about sexual harassment, with 21% receiving training from their school’s field office. Participants who had received training felt more prepared to address safety concerns in field. Implications for social work education are discussed.

Teaching Macro Social Work through Experiential Learning: Student Reflections on Lessons Learned in Building School-Community Partnerships

A faculty-led experiential learning project was implemented with Master of Social Work students at their field placement sites to teach macro practice skills and research methods. As part of a grant-funded school-university partnership, MSW students were placed in school social work field placements, where their practice focused on individual and small group interventions with youth. Ten MSW students participated in asset-based collective family engagement in diverse, low-income communities, using community organizing skills and community-based participatory research methods. To examine student learning, a pilot study gathered narrative data from seven of the students and three supervisors. MSW students’ learning from the project is discussed in the context of CSWE’s 2015 EPAS competencies. Participation in the experiential/service-learning project supported the ability of the MSW students to build a sense of themselves as professionals bringing value to the community, enhanced their understanding of cultural diversity and family engagement, and provided context for vulnerable students’ struggles in school and the families’ difficulties with school engagement. This project illustrates the potential of school-university partnerships involving MSW field students to help bridge the gaps in school-family partnerships, particularly in diverse and low-income communities, and highlights areas where different teaching methods can be used to reinforce competencies learned.

The effects of the learning experiences at the social work field placement on social work self-efficacy

The effects of the learning experiences at the social work field placement on social work self-efficacy

Sexual Harassment in Social Work Field Placements

Addressing sexual harassment in educational environments is integral for Title IX compliance; however, there are few estimates of prevalence of the phenomenon in social work’s signature pedagogy, field education. A survey of 515 bachelor of social work and master of social work students revealed that 55% of participants had experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment on the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire. Those participants who were younger, Latina/Hispanic, or in a committed relationship were more likely to report harassment. The most common perpetrators were other staff at the field placement and clients. Implications for social work education and practice are addressed.

What students’ Facebook posts teach us about the identity challenge in field placements abroad

ABSTRACTFacebook is a common tool that enables students to publicly express their emotions, thoughts, experiences, and knowledge. On the assumption that the personal narratives of students can provide deep insights into their learning processes during practical training programs, the article presents content analyses of Facebook posts written by Israeli students who participated in an international social work field placement program in India. Content analysis of the students’ posts reveals that they grappled with their personal and professional identities as part of the learning process that occurred while they were formulating their professional identity as social workers. The analysis elicited three main themes: (1) awareness of the national identity; (2) exploration of other identities (personal, professional, and global); and (3) an attempt to contain multidimensional identity. The students discussed the main challenges they faced in the process of formulating an identity that will enable them to engage in international social work, and they described the fluctuations that occurred in those identities. The results show how public Facebook posts can be used as a tool to shed light on the contribution of social work education in international field placements, and provide insights into the learning processes that students experience in field placements abroad.

Field Placement and the Impact of Financial Stress on Social Work and Human Service Students

ABSTRACTWhile significant research has been undertaken exploring the pedagogical benefits of undertaking lengthy social work and human services field placements, there has been very little consideration given to the potential financial stress involved for students. This study sought to address this knowledge gap. Research was conducted in 2014 using quantitative and qualitative methods with students and academic and professional staff from six Queensland universities. The findings show a significant relationship between unpaid placements and financial hardship, creating considerable stress for students and at times a compromised placement learning experience. The limited flexibility in requirements from professional bodies and universities for how placements are undertaken has been identified as a key contributor to financial hardship. Addressing the complexities inherent in this issue requires a collaborative effort from multiple stakeholders and should not be regarded as a problem for students to endure and manage.

Hic sunt dracones: Here be dragons! Difficulties in mapping the demand for social work placements in New Zealand

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the growth in demand for social work field placements in New Zealand is outstripping supply and impacting on placement quality. However, to date, no systematic study of placement demand or supply in New Zealand has been published. Our study sought to identify the number of students placed during 2012, their placement setting (government or non-government), whether they were supervised by a Registered Social Worker (RSW), and whether they had on-site supervision. It combined secondary analysis of the annual reports of recognised programmes to the Social Workers Registration Board with a survey of seven tertiary institutions. We found that students placed in government settings were three times more likely to experience on-site supervision by an RSW, but that the majority of placements were in non-government settings. The study also uncovered significant problems with the integrity of the annual report data collected and recommendations for improvements are outlined in this article.

Creating a Standardised Teaching and Learning Framework for Social Work Field Placements

Mapping and evaluating a student's progress on placement is a core element of social work education but there has been scant attention to indicate how to effectively create and assess student learning and performance. This paper outlines a project undertaken by the Combined Schools of Social Work to develop a common learning and assessment tool that is being used by all social work schools in Victoria. The paper describes how the Common Assessment Tool (CAT) was developed, drawing on the Australian Association of Social Work Practice Standards, leading to seven key learning areas that form the basis of the assessment of a student's readiness for practice. An evaluation of the usefulness of the CAT was completed by field educators, liaison staff, and students, which confirmed that the CAT was a useful framework for evaluating students' learning goals. The feedback also identified a number of problematic features that were addressed in a revised CAT and rating scale.

Racism Unmasked: The Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in Social Work Field Placements

Attracting more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the social work profession is an important strategy in responding to Indigenous disadvantage. The literature suggests that the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, knowledge, and skills in social work is impeded by racism and white privilege. This article reports on a research project that aimed to explore the field education experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social work students. Interviews were conducted with 11 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates and their narratives were analysed through a collaborative process. Findings reveal experiences of subtle and overt racism as every day features of their placements. The findings highlight the need to address racism, the value of cultural mentors, and the necessity to increase the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic staff in social work education.

Perspectives and Appropriateness of Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training for MSW Students

As the largest provider group of outpatient mental health services, social workers are at the forefront of suicide prevention, yet lack formal education to recognize and respond to client suicide risk. The Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR; Quinnett, 1995) gatekeeper training teaches basic suicide prevention skills, focusing on suicide risk factors, warning signs, and response. Eight advanced MSW students, who completed the QPR training, participated in a face-to-face interview to share perspectives of the training and how they applied skills learned within their social work field placement. Study results provide crucial information about suicide prevention education for social workers.

Military Social Work Field Placement: Analysis of the Time and Activities Graduate Student Interns Provide to Military-connected Schools

Despite research suggesting that supportive school communities can shield students from depression, alienation, and school failure, civilian schools have struggled to address the unique needs of military-connected (MC) children. In response to this, a consortium between eight MC school districts and a school of social work was established. As part of the consortium, MSW students were trained to engage in direct service provision with MC children. This study examines the activities of 30 MSW student interns during a single academic year. Findings show that interns spend the majority of their time engaging in individual work with students, approximately 36 percent of whom are MC. Interns also spend a considerable amount of time engaging in group work and conducting psychosocial assessments. Interns allocate a significant amount of time to students' academic struggles, issues of bullying, attendance and truancy, school violence and bystander responses, and school connectedness. Findings from this study provide a baseline assessment of interns' current practice. The data generated have implications for social work education and practice.