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SP30304: Social work with adults 2

Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 240
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Assessment Group S:Coursework (asst grp S) (CW 100% - Qualifying Mark: 40)
  • Assessment Group N:Coursework (ass grp N0 (CW 100% - Qualifying Mark: 35)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
SP30304A Coursework (asst grp S) Reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this module you must take SP20283
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To ensure students meet both the Standards of Proficiency (HCPC) in relation to work with adults.
The aim of this unit is to address the policy, organisational and practice issues that construct social work and social care with adults in the UK, in order to prepare students to work in this sector. Building on the learning about policy law and research in Social Work with Adults 1 this double unit will explore the practice implications of law, policy and organisational structures in Social Work with Adults. The major focus will be on how professionals practice in this area with diverse service user groups; notably older people, disabled people, people with learning difficulties and people living with addictions.

Learning Outcomes:
After completing the unit, students should have a knowledge and understanding of (where there are numbers they relate to the Professional Capabilities Framework - the professional body curriculum):
1. the history and development of services for adults in the UK
2. the assessment of needs and risks in relation to different service user groups (PCF 5.7; 7.4)
3. the importance of service user involvement in assessment, care planning and review. (PCF 2.4; 5.12; 7.5)
4. the role of the social worker in a range of contexts, and uphold the reputation of the profession (PCF 1.2; 7.11)
5. oncerns about practice and procedures and consider potential means of challenge (PCF 1.11)
6. anaging the impact of own values on professional practice (PCF 2.2)
7. how an individual's identity is informed by factors such as culture, economic status, family composition, life experiences and characteristics, and take account of these to understand their experiences, questioning assumptions where necessary (PCF 3.1)
8. how legislation and guidance can advance or constrain people's rights and recognise how the law may be used to protect or advance their rights and entitlements (PCF 4.2)
9. the application to social work of research, theory and knowledge from sociology, social policy, psychology and health (PCF 5.1)
10. the legal and policy frameworks and guidance that inform and mandate social work practice, recognising the scope for professional judgment (PCF 5.2)
11. forms of harm and their impact on people, and the implications for practice, drawing on concepts of strength, resilience, vulnerability, risk and resistance, and apply to practice (PCF 5.7)
12. the range of theories and models for social work intervention with individuals, families, groups and communities, and the methods derived from them (PCF 5.8)
13. social welfare policy, its evolution, implementation and impact on people, social work, other professions, and inter-agency working (PCF 5.9)
14. the expertise of service users and carers and professionals (PCF 5.12)
15. how the development of community resources, groups and networks enhance outcomes for individuals (PCF 7.7)
16. how social work operates within, and responds to, changing economic, social, political and organisational contexts (PCF 8.1)
17. the roles and responsibilities of social workers in a range of organisations, lines of accountability and the boundaries of professional autonomy and discretion (PCF 8.2)
18. legal obligations, structures and behaviours within organisations and how these impact on policy, procedure and practice (PCF 8.3)
19. the inter-agency, multi-disciplinary and inter-professional dimensions to practice (PCF 8.7)

After completing the unit, students should have the INTELLECTUAL/KEY SKILLS to:
1. Reflect upon their own academic and professional performance and take responsibility for personal and professional learning and development (facilitated); (PCF 1.5; 1.9; 1.10)
2. Develop critical, analytical problem-based learning skills and the transferable skills to prepare the student for graduate employment (facilitated and assessed); (PCF 1.1)
3. Gather information, data, research and literature from a number of different sources (taught, facilitated and assessed) ;(PCF 6.2)
4. Select appropriate and relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge (facilitated and assessed);
5. Synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding (facilitated and assessed);
6. Utilise problem solving skills (assessed); (PCF 6.1; 6.4)
7. Explore a variety of relationships and environments relevant to learning and practising within the context of the social work degree (facilitated and taught);
8. Study and learning skills (facilitated);)
After completing the unit, Students should also have the PROFESSIONAL/PRACTICAL SKILLS to (numbers relate to the Professional Capabilities Framework):
1. Understand, identify and consider strategies for applying in practice the principles of social justice, inclusion and equality (PCF 4.1)
2. Recognise the impact of poverty and social exclusion and consider strategies for the promotion of enhanced economic status through access to education, work, housing, health services and welfare benefits ( PCF 4.4)
3. Recognise how systemic approaches can be used to understand the person-in-the-environment and inform your practice (PCF 5.5)
4. Recognise the contribution, and begin to make use, of research to inform practice (PCF 5.10)
5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of research methods (PCF 5.11)
6. Inform decision-making through the identification and gathering of information from multiple sources, actively seeking new sources (PCF 6.2)
7. Demonstrate a capacity for logical, systematic, critical and reflective reasoning and apply the theories and techniques of reflective practice (PCF 6.4)
8. Know how to formulate, test, evaluate, and review hypotheses in response to information available at the time and apply in practice (PCF 6.5)
9. Begin to formulate and make explicit, evidence-informed judgments (PCF 6.6)
10. Demonstrate an holistic approach to the identification of needs, circumstances, rights, strengths and risks (PCF 7.4)
11. Recognise the factors that create or exacerbate risk to individuals, their families or carers, to the public or to professionals, including yourself, and contribute to the assessment and management of risk (PCF 7.12)
12. Identify appropriate responses to safeguard vulnerable people and promote their wellbeing (PCF 7.13)
13. Demonstrate respectful partnership work with service users and carers, eliciting and respecting their needs and views, and promoting their participation in decision-making wherever possible (PCF 2.4)
14. Recognise the value of independent advocacy (PCF 4.5)
15. With support, rigorously question and evaluate the reliability and validity of information from different sources (PCF 6.3)
16. Begin to formulate and make explicit, evidence-informed judgments (PCF 6.6).

Social work for adults: how we got to here, today, transformation of adult services: the contemporary picture; care management and the professional role; safeguarding and Personalisation: the legal and organisational context; safeguarding and personalisation in practice; assessment skills: being person-centred & involving service users; working with adults: generic issues - life course, loss etc; working with adults: using knowledge, skills and values to make a case in decision-making; service user perspectives on effective social work; social work and empowerment: working with service users; working with older people: dementia, loss ageism etc; working with older people: professional skills; working for people with learning difficulties: policy and organisational context; working for people with learning difficulties: professional skills; working with people with addictions; working with informal carers: putting policy and law into practice working with disabled people: policy and organisation; working with disabled people: professional skills; professional social work practice, managerialism and resistance; collective action and being in the Union.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

SP30304 is a Designated Essential Unit on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB15 : BSc(Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies (Year 3)

SP30304 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences