Program Overview
Social Work at Deakin
Deakin’s Social Work field education program provides placement opportunities for all Deakin Social Work students.
Program Overview
Social Work at Deakin
Deakin’s Social Work field education program provides placement opportunities for all Deakin Social Work students.
Social Work Field Education
Deakin’s Social Work Field Education program provides placement opportunities for all Deakin Social Work students. Deakin Social Work students are enrolled in one of the following programs:
• Bachelor of Social Work
• Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
• Masters of Social Work
The Social Work courses at Deakin prepare students for professional practice within a wide range of practice settings. All Social Work courses are AASW Accredited (AASW, 2020) in accordance with the principles and standards of the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) Standards & Guidelines | AASW
All placements
- Duration
Each placement is a minimum of 500 hours across at least 65 days —undertaken either part-time (3 – 4 days per week) or full-time (5 days per week).
- Placement settings and fields of practice
- Social Work placements occur in a range of settings including community organisations, government agencies, schools and health services.
- Students must complete two placements in different fields of practice and with different organisations.
- Social Work placement tasks can include counselling, case work, research, project work, evaluation, group work, policy development and community outreach.
- Documentation
Student requirements
Deakin requires students to undertake a series of mandatory checks prior to student’s commencing placement, including Working with Children and Police Checks. Deakin students also need to demonstrate they meet Deakin University’s Social Work inherent requirements prior to commencing placement Social Work Inherent Requirements | Deakin
- Roles and responsibilities- Field education Supervision
Students on placement are supported by educators from Deakin and staff in the placement organisation. Key roles in the student placement team are:
Field Educator/Social Work Supervisor (onsite)
A qualified Social Worker with a minimum two years of practice experience who provides 21 hours of social work supervision to the student. Employed by the placement organisation.
Field Educator/Social Work Supervisor (offsite)
When there is no qualified Social Worker available within the placement organisation, Deakin allocates a Field Educator/Social Work Supervisor to provide 21 hours of social work supervision to the student.
Task Supervisor
A suitable staff member in the placement organisation who provides daily support and direction to the student. The Task Supervisor and onsite Field Educator can be the same person.
University Liaison
A Social Worker from the Deakin Field Education program who meets with the student and placement supervision team a minimum of three times during the placement.
- Placement Phases
Student learning and assessment is guided by the AASW Practice Standards. These are the basis of the learning outcomes for first and second placements.
Bachelor of Social Work | Deakin and Master of Social Work (deakin.edu.au) for information about the stage of student learning and units studied prior to placement
- Learning and assessment
Student learning and assessment is guided by the AASW practice standards. The nine professional Social Work practice standards are the nine learning areas of Deakin Social Work field education and are the basis for both first and second placements learning plan and workbook that is provided by Deakin.
First placement
- Timing
Bachelor of Social Work- HSW314:
Trimester 1 enrolment (January to June)
Masters of Social Work- HSW714:
Trimester 2 enrolment (July to December)
Please refer to the Social Work program
Bachelor of Social Work | Deakin and Master of Social Work (deakin.edu.au) for information about the stage of student learning and units they will have studied prior to placement.
- Learning and assessment
By the end of the placement Student’s undertaking first placement are required to demonstrate
- Beginning Capability: Performance at beginning level
- Practice under close guidance and supervision.
Second Placement
- Timing
Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) – HSW415 and HSW404:
Trimester 2 enrolment (July to December)
Masters of Social Work- HSW715:
Trimester 2 enrolment (July to December)
The second placement is the final stage of student Social Work degrees. Please refer to the social work program Bachelor of Social Work | Deakin and Master of Social Work (deakin.edu.au) for information about the program and units of study.
- Learning and assessment
By the end of the placement Student’s undertaking first placement are required to demonstrate
- Capability: Performance at level expected of newly qualifying practitioner.
- Can practice independently.