THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF
WELFARE
THE ASSOCIATION FOR
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROFESSIONALS
Vic. Reg. A0036440S
REQUIREMENTS
FOR FIELD EDUCATION - July 2009
The following
is a summary of field education requirements and recommendations for Campus
Approval with the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers Inc.
These requirements also apply to individual graduates of welfare work/
community services courses who apply for membership of AIWCW. Educational goals
and other course requirements can be found in the Campus Approval documents.
This document is the result of a resolution by the AIWCW National Executive in
July 2009.
For the
purposes of this document the term "college" is to include private
provider Registered Training Organisations, TAFE colleges, and universities.
Field education placements hours
1.1 Two
separate field education experiences totaling at least 400 hours are
required.
1.2
If only two placements are undertaken, neither
should be of less than 140 hours duration.
1.3
If more than two placements are undertaken, then
none must be less than 75 hours and there must be two placements with a total
duration of at least 360 hours, neither of which can be less than 140 hours.
1.4
Field placements must not be concurrent, nor
immediately follow each other; there must be an appropriate gap involving
classroom instruction in order to allow adequate integration of learning and
practical experience.
Field
placement restrictions
1.5.1 Placements as a nursing case aide, child care
worker, aged care assistant, clerical assistant,
receptionist, or recreational planner/ guide/supervisor will not be acceptable to AIWCW. For
example, a placement which involves even a certain minimal amount of planning
and supervising recreational and craft activities, of accompanying elderly
people on outings, walks, films, shopping, etc., or of merely observing
(`shadowing') a supervisor or other workers, will not be considered suitable.
1.5.2 The field education placements restrictions
outlined in the joint Work Placement Guidelines developed by VETAB/CSHISC/AIWCW
are to be generally adhered to on a national basis. No more than 5% of
placement time can be occupied by any combination of: food delivery, cooking,
serving, and arrangements; dressing, bathing, massaging; cleaning and domestic
duties; entertaining; delivery and transport of items and clients; respite,
child, after-school, and holiday care. For companionship and social engagement
there may be slightly more time allowed.
1.5.3 Other placements in agencies that have
recreational and/or physical activity as a major focus or method of service to
clients should be greatly focused upon the psycho-social aspects of client
care, including clients' interactions with their social environment, and the
issues of ethics and management which arise from this.
1.5.4 No more
than 15% of overall time at such a placement should be devoted to participation
in the non-vocational activity itself.
1.5.5 Where placements in such agencies involve
assessment, research and planning for such non-vocational activities, the
involvement of students should generally be restricted to psycho-social
contributions to planning, but surveys of client preferences and opinions
regarding the non-community services activities are allowable as a small
proportion of student time.
1.5.6 The Field
Education Placements Discussion Paper (June 2009), available from the AIWCW
National Office and website, may be used as an additional guide to these
regulations.
1.6 If in exceptional circumstances, such as
for a remote location, any variation to this restriction is sought, then AIWCW
must be consulted beforehand, with a detailed written outline of the proposed
placement, and a justification for the variation.
College responsibility for field placements
1.7 The college is responsible for finding
suitable placements for all students enrolled. Students cannot be separately
charged a fee by the college to find a field placement. If the college has
enrolled more students than can be placed in suitable placements within a
reasonable distance, then it must make appropriate alternative arrangements at
no additional cost to the students so affected. Such arrangements might include
another institution supervising placements in a distant location, the transfer
of students to another college, or the extension of the duration of the course.
In all such cases, if the student faces additional expenditure because of
travel, visa extension, living expenses, etc., then the college is to be held
responsible, and must suitably compensate the affected students.
1.8 Any arrangements to locate field placements
more than 50 km from the college, in a rural town or small provincial centre,
for example, must take into account the placements likely to be used or
available to other colleges offering the same course, and to negotiate with
them if necessary.
1.9 Any arrangements for placements at far
distance locations, such as interstate or overseas, must include firm
arrangements for oversight by a local suitable college which has AIWCW Approval
or about which special submissions to AIWCW are made.
1.10 If multiple overseas or interstate placements
are proposed, then staff from the original college should initially visit the
secondary college and the proposed agencies. A detailed submission should be
supplied to AIWCW, which may contact the other parties involved.
Placement supervision
2.1
Professional
supervision oriented to general educational goals will normally be
undertaken by a social welfare worker at no less than the rate of one hour of
educational supervision for every 40 hours of placement. However, other
appropriately qualified and experienced staff may act as supervisors, if the
nature of the placement is conducive to this. For example, if the placement is
primarily community based, an experienced community worker is acceptable; if
clinically based, a clinical psychologist is acceptable, etc.
2.2
A Certificate IV in the community services is
the minimum qualification allowable, but then only if supported by at least
three years of relevant experience - five years of experience is preferred.
2.3
In special circumstances (such as in a day
center for the intellectual disabled, or in rural locations), the day-to-day
functional supervision may be performed by someone with at least 5 years of
relevant experience, and some appropriate qualification, even if qualifications
are not in social welfare work or something similar, but only if in addition to
educational supervision, professional supervision for at least one hour per
week is performed by a suitably qualified and experienced person approved by
the educational institution. In such cases, professional supervision totaling 2
hours per week is required. In rare situations where no-one else is available
at or near the agency, this can include a staff member from the college, but
then final assessment must be undertaken by a separate staff member.
2.4
An agency supervisor must generally be employed
at the same time as the student, so that continuous monitoring of performance
and professional progress is possible.
Supervision of multiple students
2.5 An agency supervisor normally employed full
time cannot supervise any more than 3 students at the same time. Only if their
job description (and salary) reflects a Student Supervision role can this be
varied.
2.5.1 Par.
2.5 restricts an agency supervisor to only three students at any one time. Such
a supervisor would be a full time employee of the agency and would have
responsibility for the same duties and agency functions if the students were
not attending.
2.5.2
Therefore, the students would be exposed to tasks, projects, and analysis of
the agency as it would normally function, and the supervisor would perform the
same duties as those performed without students being present, although
probably to a lesser extent because of the added workload involved in student
supervision.
2.5.3 If such
a supervisor is employed part-time, then the number of students supervised must
be reduced on an approximate pro rata basis.
2.5.4 Some
agencies – usually very large ones – have employed a specialised Student
Supervisor; often used to supervise social work students, and often having no other
role in the organisation.
2.5.5 They
usually oversee the internal placements of students assigned to individual
workers who act as day-to-day supervisors, and these must themselves conform to
Par. 2.1 – 2.4.
2.5.6 Such
specialist Student Supervisors have responsibility to provide additional
professional supervision to individual students where necessary, to conduct
group supervision of students where appropriate, to provide liaison with
visitors from the college, and to oversee the assessment of students on
placement at the agency.
2.5.7 The
number of students under the overall supervision of such a specialist, but also
supervised on a day-to-day basis by other workers, can be quite large – up to
12, or even more, if a submission to AIWCW requests this.
2.5.8 If such
a position is well established in a large agency, and has already been used for
some time (to supervise social work students in a “Student Unit”, for example),
then only basic details need be supplied to AIWCW, giving the name and contact
details of the agency and of the specialist Student Supervisor.
2.5.9 Where a
new position is to be established, a full submission must be made to AIWCW,
including details of all the other workers to be used in the agency, and the
nature and timing of regular supervision.
2.5.10 When
an agency worker has been designated as a student supervisor as part of their duties, and this is
formally recognised in their duty statement and in higher salary variations,
then additional students to the usual restriction of three will be allowable,
depending upon the proportion of time for supervision which is designated by
the agency.
2.4.11
Normally, a 20% time allocation would allow one additional student; 40% would
allow two; and 60% would allow three, up to a maximum of six students
supervised by the one worker.
2.5.12 Unless
the model proposed conforms to the above paragraphs re “Student Supervisor”,
wherein additional other workers are also involved, no more than six
students can be supervised by the one worker.
2.5.13 This
restriction also applies to groups of students who may be undertaking a
community work or research project (for example). Up to three students can
undertake the project while supervised by the one worker, while that worker is
employed in their regular job. But if more students are supervised in such a
project, then a designated appropriate time must be formally allocated by the
agency to the worker involved. Even then, no more than 6 students can be
supervised by the one worker.
Student attendance
3.1 Student attendance is expected at locations
usually occupied by agency staff, and weekly days and hours are to be
negotiated between the student, the college, and the agency.
3.2 Normally the student will be on duty during
the same hours per day as the staff of the agency.
3.3 Placements which involve an overnight stay
cannot count the hours when clients are usually asleep, and even if the student
is `on call', except for rare crisis situations.
3.4 Placements are generally restricted to no
more than eight (8) hours in any 24 hour period. This can be varied occasionally by additions up to 3 hours
if such overtime is also part of the duties of paid staff.
3.5 A placement will usually occupy the student
for a minimum of two days per week, but this may be less in special
circumstances, such as an elongated community development or research-based
placement.
Variety of placements
4.1 The two required placements should not be
in the same or very similar setting, field of practice, or method; they should
vary significantly in at least one of these. The two separate experiences of
field education may be within the
same large agency, as long as they vary significantly, have two separate
reports, and are supervised by different people (perhaps outside the agency).
4.2 Formal written agreements must be made
between colleges and each individual agency used for field education, and the
responsibilities of each of the parties should be included.
5. Visits of observation to agencies
organised for groups of students by course staff will not count as field
placement days.
Credit for placements
6.1 One placement may be in either the
student’s current workplace, or in a previous workplace, and in either case,
the experience should be similar to a field education placement, with adequate
professional supervision. A report by a supervisor should attest to this.
6.2 Credit
for past field education experience (Recognition of Prior Learning or RPL) can
apply to any one placement, but not to more than one, and it can apply to
either first or second placement.
6.3 Applications
for RPL should include a full description of duties and educational outcomes,
and include a supervisor’s report which pays particular attention to
educational aspects (as if it were a field education placement). The
applicant’s report should be substantial (generally in excess of 1000 words).
6.4.1 In no circumstances can a second previous
period of field experience (paid or voluntary) be counted retrospectively.
6.4.2
However, in
exceptional circumstances, to avoid unusual hardship to the student, a current
workplace may be counted as field experience, after a previous field experience
has been credited via RPL. For example, a student might be employed in one of
the few social agencies in a country town, other placements might not be
available, and the student’s financial situation might preclude leave from the
job to engage in a traditional placement. The course leader should be satisfied
that the circumstances warrant this exception, which should not be granted
lightly.
6.4.3
In such instances
the provisions of Par. 4.1 must be strictly observed, and the educational
supervision of any current workplace experience must be independent of any
workplace arrangements. This means that any workplace supervisor must not
provide the provisions in Par. 2, either within the workplace or privately. A different
supervisor must be engaged (at the expense of the applicant if necessary) who
is willing to liaise with the course staff regarding placement requirements. A
course staff member may act as such a supervisor, if available. The
requirements for reporting outlined above should also apply.
6.5 Some educational authorities (TAFE in
particular states, e.g.) require independent external assessment of RPL
applications (such as by staff at another campus). AIWCW supports this
protocol, while recognising that it is not always possible because of resource
limitations.
7.1
The Field
Education Co-ordinator and other field education staff at
the educational institution should have at least two years of full time
experience (or part time equivalent) as a welfare worker or social worker.
Liaison
visits
7.2
For each
placement, at least three liaison visits should be made by a suitably
experienced staff from the educational institution; each visit to last at least
1.5 hours, and to include the student and field supervisor.
7.3
In addition,
supportive and/or monitoring communication (e.g. written, person-to-person,
electronic) for a minimum of a half hour per placement is required.
7.4
In special
circumstances (such as remote locations), only two visits may be possible.
7.5
The purpose of
the visits is to discuss the educational progress of the student and to deal
with any problems which may have arisen.
7.6
If a student’s
progress or behaviour is unsatisfactory for any reason, adequate discussion
with the student and college staff should precede any action, which can include
extension of the placement or a failing grade.
7.7
The educational
institution should have an appeal process re this, for use of students; but
also for college staff and supervisors, when these substantially disagree.
8. An
applicant who has completed a qualification which is generally very
satisfactory regarding AIWCW requirements in all other respects, but which has
field work deficiency, may be allowed to complete a supplementary
professionally supervised field education program, after referral to the
Membership Assessment Panel.
Finding
placements
9.1 Students
should not be primarily responsible for finding or organising their field
education.
9.2
Students may make
informal enquiries regarding field education availability if there is some
pre-existing contact with the agency via persons not connected in any way with
the college, but casual contact by students with agencies (`cold calling’) is
not permitted.
9.3
In any case, the
first formal approach to agencies should come from the educational institution.
Student
Placement Report
9.4
Students are
responsible for producing a substantial written report (of at least 1000 words)
on each field education experience after discussion of this with the field
supervisor. A student journal or log may be used as a basis, or for examples
for this report, but the report must primarily be reflective and analytical,
including usually a critique of the agency and of the placement experience.
9.5
The field
supervisor may add an additional report if desired, but cannot insist upon
changes to the report by the student.
9.6
The agency
supervisor, the responsible college field education staff member, and the
student must each sign and date the Placement Report and/or summary, showing
that they have read it, and that it broadly captures the placement experience.
10.1 The
educational institution should provide opportunity for field supervisors to
meet as a group with staff, preferably at least once per year, to discuss the
program in general, and any associated problems.
Further enquiries about
this document may be addressed to the
AIWCW National Office
PO Box 42, FLINDERS LANE VIC 8009 Tel: 03 9654 8287 Email:
info@aiwcw.org.au
CRSE.04 Ver Jy09