Pentaris, Panagiotis ORCID: 0000-0001-5593-8555, Raja, Mariam, Hanna, Susan ORCID: 0000-0002-0198-3358 and Oresanya, Abiola (2021) Social work education and training in England in 2020-21: attitudes, perceptions and experiences about the specialist regulator, COVID-19 experiences and responses, and equality, diversity and inclusion. Project Report. Social Work England, London.

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Abstract

On 2 December 2019, a new regulatory body – Social Work England – with an ambition to deliver radically different regulation and to raise confidence in the profession and to improve the standards of social work education and training through collaboration was introduced. Social Work England seeks to provide specialist support to professionals and to monitor and evaluate the quality of education and practice, while it remains committed to research and evidence-based practices. Simultaneously, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread across the world rapidly since December 2019, and by March 2020 was declared a global pandemic, while serious measures were taken to ensure the public’s safety and minimise spread. The ripple effect is felt through all aspects of social work. For social work education and training this meant adjustments in the delivery of approved programmes, delayed, paused or virtual placements for students, as well as new and creative methods of collaboration and provision of support. It is worth noting that COVID-19 exacerbated inequalities, or introduced new, which have had an impact on the varied stakeholder groups involved with social work education and training, and for varied reasons such as lack of resources to support oneself. Lastly, the ever-recognised importance of equality, diversity and inclusion matters was emphasised in light of the recent rise of social activist movements like Black Lives Matter. This gave room for further focus on such matters and an exploration of both how such events impact on social work education and training, as well as the experiences of those with protected characteristics. That said, this project was commissioned by Social Work England and its purpose was to undertake a study into social work education and training, with three main areas of priority: specialist regulation; COVID-19 experiences and responses; and equality, diversity and inclusion. Specifically, this study explored the views, attitudes, perceptions and experiences of social work students, graduates or newly qualified social workers and in their ASYE programme, academics, and practice educators or other representatives of placement providers. The project particularly focused on the following:
1. Specialist regulation:
a. The experience, attitudes, and perception of social work England as the new regulator.
b. The faults and opinions on the future of social work education and training provisions in England.
2. COVID-19:
a. The impact of course adjustments on the effectiveness of student learning during
COVID-19.
b. The impact of COVID-19 on new graduates in the post qualifying framework.
c. The experiences, attitudes, and perception of social work students and new graduates during COVID-19.
3. Equality, diversity and inclusion:
a. The experiences, attitudes, and perceptions and barriers in social work education (including ASYE) for student/new graduates who identity with protected characteristics.
b. The students experience of anti-discriminatory practice in their training and its impact on their practice.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	social work; Covid-19; specialist regulatory; equality; diversity; inclusion
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Education (EDU) Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	07 Apr 2022 14:21
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/35714

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