GMSWA PE Refresher: Local Session

[Virtual Presenter] Welcome to the Greater Manchester Social Work Academy’s Practice Educator Refresher – Local Session. This session builds on the Northwest Practice Educator Refresher training that you have attended recently and focuses on local arrangements and supports.

[Audio] There are four universities in Greater Manchester, so your student is likely to come from one of these. While details vary slightly between institutions, the support offered to practice educators is broadly similar. Each practice educator will have a named university contact. This role may be called a placement tutor, academic advisor, or professional supervisor, but in all cases, you will have a specific individual linked to you and your student. This person is an important source of support throughout the placement. Your university contact will support you to: identify students’ learning needs prior to the learning agreement meeting; facilitate the learning agreement meeting and interim review; ensure learning opportunities are appropriate; support students to access disability or additional support services; guide you through portfolio requirements and documentation. Where additional meetings are needed—for example, if concerns arise—the university tutor should be involved. The frequency of contact will depend on the student’s needs, but your university contact should always be your first point of contact for advice, guidance, or problem-solving.

[Audio] Let’s begin with a brief recap of the practice educator role and the key stages of the placement. Before the student starts, you will plan their induction. You will then hold a learning agreement meeting, usually in the week before or the first week of the placement, to clarify expectations. You will provide regular supervision—weekly at the start—which must be critically reflective. A core aspect of your role is helping students apply theory to practice and reflect on their learning. Around halfway through the placement, you will complete the interim report and attend the interim review meeting, assessing the student’s progress against the required standards. Students must complete direct observations—three for final placements—and it is recommended that at least one takes place before the interim review. You will also: coordinate feedback from colleagues, service users, and carers; monitor and record attendance from week one; assess students against the Professional Capabilities Framework and Social Work England standards. All evidence is brought together in the final placement report, concluding with a pass or fail recommendation. As you know, a fail recommendation should never come as a surprise, as concerns must be addressed through the formal concerns process and in partnership with the university.

[Audio] We’ll now recap the key stages of the placement process. First, you will receive a placement application form from your placement coordinator, who receives this from the university. You then contact the student to arrange a pre-placement meeting. Following that meeting, you confirm whether you can offer the placement. The placement coordinator then confirms this with the university and agrees a start date. Next, you plan for the student’s arrival. This includes preparing the team, planning the induction, and arranging practicalities such as IT access, ID badges, and equipment. The final stage at the outset is the learning agreement meeting, attended by yourself, the student, and their university contact. This meeting confirms placement details, learning opportunities, supervision arrangements, and expectations, and guides the remainder of the 70- or 100-day placement.

[Audio] The pre-placement meeting is a critical part of the process and should be carefully planned. You may choose to involve a colleague, manager, or mentor. Contact the student in advance to agree a meeting date and location, and be clear about any preparation required. This may include reading materials, reviewing the organisation’s website, or bringing documentation such as a DBS. Students should come prepared, with an understanding of your service, clear learning goals, and questions for you. A lack of preparation, lateness, or disengagement may be early indicators of concern and should be taken seriously. While it’s normal for students to feel nervous, you should be looking for motivation, professionalism, and engagement.

[Audio] A well-planned induction is vital. Wherever possible, plan at least the first week before the student arrives. Think about: who the student should meet; access to equipment, IT systems, and mandatory training; establishing supervision arrangements. Use early supervision sessions to review the learning agreement, explore learning needs, and get to know the student as a learner. Cover practical arrangements such as lunch breaks, homeworking expectations, communication methods, and inclusion in team communication channels. Introduce policies and procedures gradually, combining reading with shadowing and observational opportunities. Early exposure to service-user perspectives—where appropriate—supports students’ understanding of professional roles and expectations.

[Audio] Hybrid working is now common across social work settings, and this presents both opportunities and challenges for students. Learning in an office environment allows students to observe informal discussions, decision-making, and professional interactions that cannot be replicated at home. As a practice educator, you should consider office rotas, team availability, and your own working pattern. If homeworking is unavoidable, consider: how students will access support via Teams or phone; whether they have a suitable, confidential workspace; how their professional identity and confidence will be nurtured. Planning and communication are key to ensuring students have meaningful learning experiences in hybrid environments.

[Audio] Students should always co-work safeguarding cases under close supervision. Responsibility for decisions, risk assessments, and outcomes remains with the registered social worker. Learning opportunities may include shadowing investigations, attending case conferences, observing strategy meetings, or joint working when appropriate. As a practice educator, you must clearly define the student’s role and ensure tasks are appropriate, supporting learning while maintaining professional boundaries.

[Audio]Most Greater Manchester universities now use online portfolios. While systems vary slightly, they are broadly similar and accessible to students, practice educators, onsite supervisors, and tutors. You will be allocated access by the university administrator and guided on how to register. These systems are user-friendly, secure, and support collaborative working throughout the placement.

[Audio]At the University of Greater Manchester, BA2 and first MA placements typically run from January to May. Final placements usually run from November through May or June. Students attend placement four days per week, alongside a university teaching day. Exact days should be confirmed during the pre-placement meeting.

[Audio] Assessment includes: your practical assessment as practice educator; completion of the online portfolio; a written assignment such as an anonymised case study or reflective essay; Practice learning handbooks provide full details. The university also offers extensive support for both practice educators and students, including wellbeing and counselling services. You are not expected to manage these needs alone—students can and should be signposted appropriately.

[Audio]The University of Greater Manchester offers several sources of support for practice educators, with key contacts listed on this slide.

[Audio]The university provides support for students’ emotional wellbeing, so you are not expected to handle this yourself. Instead, you can direct students back to the university and guide them to the counselling services and helplines available to them.

[Audio] The University of Manchester offers a two-year M.A. programme.100-day placements start in January, with 70-day placements starting in February. Academic Advisors support students throughout and chair learning agreement and review meetings. Students attend placement Monday to Thursday, with Fridays allocated to university or study. Skills teaching is embedded across both years to prepare students thoroughly for placement.

[Audio] The University of Manchester’s Disability Advisory Support Service, known as DAS, offers responsive support to students and practice educators. With student consent, early contact is encouraged where concerns arise.

[Audio] As shown on this slide, the university funds several helplines that students can use. This information is also included in the students’ practice learning handbook, but you may need to remind them that these resources are available. If you have any concerns, please let us know.

[Audio] Manchester Metropolitan University offers BA and MA social work programmes. Placement start dates vary by level and programme. They use professional supervisors to support placements and chair key meetings. Placement handbooks and the PARE online portfolio system provide guidance and documentation. MMU also offers CPD, twilight sessions, and contributes to Practice Educator training across Greater Manchester.

[Audio] MMU provides disability support services, with named contacts and individual practice learning plans where needed. Details are available in the placement handbook.

[Audio] On to the University of Salford

[Audio] The University of Salford has varied placement start dates across programmes and levels. Specific dates are outlined in the slides and placement handbook.

[Audio] Key placement contacts and wellbeing services for the University of Salford are listed on this slide and in their placement handbook.

[Audio] This concludes the overview of placement arrangements across the Greater Manchester universities.

[Audio] Finally, we’ll look at the support offered by the Greater Manchester Social Work Academy. The Academy provides extensive CPD opportunities, Practice Educator events, placement resources, and training. We strongly encourage you to explore the website before taking a student—it is a valuable source of information and support.

[Audio] The Academy offers a wide range of masterclasses covering induction, supervision, assessment, and supporting struggling students. Booking is available through the Academy website. Sessions run throughout the year, so we recommend booking early and saving dates in your diary.

[Audio] The final slide highlights additional resources, including Social Work England materials and the Knowledge and Skills Statements for children and adults. Thank you for your time and continued commitment to supporting students on placement. We wish you every success in your role as a Practice Educator.