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Becoming effective communicators with children: developing practitioner capability through social work education

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 12:56 authored by Michelle LefevreMichelle Lefevre
Social workers employed within statutory settings in countries such as the UK are subject to legal and policy requirements to communicate directly and effectively with children and young people. Qualifying social work education is expected to prepare students so that they can practice competently. However, in England at least, practice and education are both falling short. While active attention is now being given to ways of facilitating improvements in practice, almost nothing is known about how qualifying courses might best promote student learning. This paper reports some of the findings from a UK-based empirical study into factors and processes which support students in developing the self-efficacy and ‘applied understanding’ they need to undertake effective direct work with children. A superficial focus on the ‘doing’ of communication (techniques and skills) appears to be inadequate: courses must additionally provide a range of experiential, participatory, didactic and critically reflective learning opportunities which can enable deep learning of the underpinning knowledges, ethical commitments and personal qualities also needed. A model is presented of an integrated and coherent learning sequence which could be used by programmes to ensure students develop the necessary generic, child-centred and ‘applied child-specialist’ capabilities in communication with children.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

British Journal of Social Work

ISSN

0045-3102

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Issue

1

Volume

45

Page range

204-224

Department affiliated with

  • Social Work and Social Care Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-05-09

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-12-21

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-12-21

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