THE
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF
WELFARE AND COMMUNITY WORKERS INC.
THE ASSOCIATION FOR
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROFESSIONALS
Vic. Reg. A0036440S ABN 28 696 828 620
REQUIREMENTS
FOR FIELD EDUCATION
The following
is a summary of field education requirements and recommendations for Basic
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 Basic Campus Approval
documents. This document is the result of a resolution by the AIWCW National
Executive on
Required are:
1.1 Two
separate field education experiences totaling at least 400 hours.
1.2
If only two placements are undertaken, neither
should be of less than 140 hours duration
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
In special circumstances (such as in a day
center for the intellectual disabled), the day-to-day functional supervision
may be performed by someone without social welfare work or similar
qualifications, 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. Here, therefore, supervision totaling 2 hours per week is
required.
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 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.
4. 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).
5. Visits of observation to agencies
organised for groups of students by course staff will not count as field
placement days.
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.
…/2
- 2 -
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 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 Fieldwork
Co-ordinator 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.
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.
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, but casual contact by students with
agencies (`cold calling’) should not be permitted.
9.3
In any case, the
first formal approach to agencies should come from the educational institution.
9.4
Students are
responsible for producing a substantial written report (usually at least 1000
words) on each field education experience after discussion of this with the
field supervisor, who should read and sign it. The field supervisor may add an
additional report if desired, but cannot insist upon changes to the report by
the student.
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
CRSE.04 Ver Apr08