Understanding the PEPS refresh and implications for PEs

Understanding the PEPS refresh and implications for PE’s by Lisa Cassidy

The Support and Assessment of Practice Educators (PE’s) in training. • PE’s should be experienced and skilled registered SW’s with at least 2 years’ post qualifying experience at the start of the PE training programme. • PE’s are expected to be working at ‘Experienced SW level’ to ensure they have the appropriate experience and capability to support and guide SW students. • In GM the PE programme will continue to be delivered in two ‘stages’ before full qualification can be achieved. • To achieve full PEPS qualification PE’s must have worked with at least two learners, the first being a SW student. • The second learner does not need to be a SW Student. • The refreshed PEPS have been mapped to the PCF and the KSS for Child and Family supervisors and for adult setting practice supervisors.

The Support and Assessment of Practice Educators in training. • Practice Educators in training will be able to supervise, teach and assess SW students up to, but not being solely responsible for, the final assessment decision. • Bolton will provide a PEPS Stage 2 qualified Practice Educator to mentor the Stage 1 and stage 2 PE in training. The mentor will ratify and oversee the PE’s decision in relation to the assessment outcome. • The ratification process will simply involve the stage 2 qualified PE reading the mid-term and final placement reports, written by the PE in training, and giving some support, advice and feedback.

The mentor will: 1. Meet with the PE during first half of the placement. The aim of this meeting will be to help the PE focus on preparing for the direct observation of their practice. 2. Read and give feedback on the Interim Review report. PE to send report to the mentor prior to the interim placement meeting 3. Undertake the ‘Direct observation’ of PE’s supervision session with the student Plus feedback and general discussion about the domains and how they might be evidenced. 4. Read and give feedback on the final report. PE to send completed final report to the mentor/assessor prior to end of placement

Stage 1 Assessment • All Stage 1 candidates will complete the GMSWA Practice Educator 5 -day Programme and work with a student social worker on placement with the support of an appropriate mentor. • The PE in training will then produce a portfolio of evidence including an assessment task and an observation from a stage 2 qualified PE to meet Domains A, B and C and the Statement of Values for Practice Educators

Refreshed PE Domains Refreshed Domain A – met as stage 1 Work with others to organise an effective learning environment Refreshed Domain B - met at stage 1 Teaching, facilitating and supporting learning and professional development in practice Refreshed Domain C – met at stage 1 Manage the fair and transparent assessment of students in practice Refreshed Domain D – met at stage 2 Developing knowledge and continuing performance as a practice educator

Updated PEPS values PE’s will: i. Ensure that consideration is given to the needs and interests of people with lived experience of Social Work when assessing the capability and skills of students at all stages of the assessment process. NEW ii. Manage professional/personal boundaries, their use of authority and power within the assessment relationship and recognise and act upon the implications for their assessment of practice. Updated iii. Update themselves on best practice in assessment and research on adult learning and apply this knowledge in promoting the rights and choices of students and managing the assessment process. Remains the same iv. Advise students and other learners of their rights and actively challenge oppression and discrimination which may be experienced by the student or other learners. Updated v. Identify and question their own values and prejudices and respect and value the uniqueness and diversity of students and other learners. Updated

Updated PEPS values vi. Accept and respect student’s and other learner’s circumstances and understand how these impact on the learning and assessment process. Practice educators and supervisors should recognise and build on student’s and other learner’s strengths and consider individual learning styles and a range of assessment methods (including those preferred by the student). Updated vii. Assess in a manner that does not stigmatise or disadvantage individuals and ensures equality of opportunity. Show applied knowledge and understanding of the significance of lived experience, poverty, racism, ill health, disability, gender, social class and sexual orientation in managing the assessment process and recognise and work to prevent and counter unjustifiable discrimination and disadvantage in all aspects of the assessment process. Updated viii. Take responsibility for the quality of their work and ensure that it is monitored and appraised; critically reflect on their own practice and identify development needs in order to improve their own performance, raise standards, and contribute to the learning and development of others. Remains the same

Stage 2 Assessment: Having achieved Stage 1 PE’s ‘in training’ for Stage 2 will complete the day 6 workshop, work with a second learner and with the support of an appropriate mentor, produce a portfolio of evidence plus a written assignment to meet Domain D and the Statement of Values for Practice Educators. The ‘PE in training’ will also be observed on a further two occasions. • One of these observations must be completed by a stage 2 qualified PE and the second can be undertaken by a peer, i. e. PE colleague, observing another activity and can include. • i. Peer reviewed supervision. • ii. Leading a group supervision. • iii. Leading a teaching and development opportunity for student. • Therefore, there will be three direct observations undertaken throughout the completion of stage 1 and stage 2.

Direct learning and Continued Professional Development • PE’s in training must demonstrate 70 hours of direct learning across Stages 1 and 2 • The initial 5 day PE course, including the supplementary reading and preparation, will total 35 of those hours. • There will also be a ‘Day 6’ that PE’s will complete before taking a second learner and progressing into stage 2. This day will count as 7 hours. • Day 6 workshop will concentrate on developing the PE’s understanding of the different levels of reflection, and what we mean by critical reflection. • This will leave a shortfall of 28 hours that can be demonstrated via any development and learning related to practice teaching and the support of learners through the stage 1 and stage 2 period. • A template for recording the 70 hours of learning can be found in the stage 2 assessment pack.

Maintaining Currency • In order to continue to work with student social workers the PE must maintain currency; this includes practice educating at least one student social worker in every 2 -year period • If a practice educator has not had a student for two years, their PE qualification can be considered lapsed. However, they can maintain currency through other practice education activities, such as. • i. organising and supporting placements • ii. providing teaching and learning opportunities • iii. observing other practice educators • iv. evidence of report writing • v. supervising and supporting NQSW’S

The main changes for the GM Peps assessment process Refresh of the PEPS standards and values Three direct observations of the PE ‘in training’ across stage 1 and 2. Candidates will need to complete a ‘day six’ workshop before they take a second student/learner*. There must be 70 CPD hours demonstrated across the training period and there is a template for this in the stage 2 assessment pack All placements supported by a PE completing stage 1 and stage 2 must be ratified by a stage 2 qualified PE. • * There will be some PE’s who have just taken students on placement who wish to complete stage 2 without having done the ‘day 6’ workshop. In this instance PE’s will be able to either access the day 6 workshop during the placement period or gather equivalent CPD evidence.

Emphasis is given to the vital role of agencies and learning partnerships, in providing the environment and resources, for the PE to be valued and supported and the placement to be an effective learning and assessment environment. In consideration of this 1. How will the PEPS refresh contribute to raising the profile and value of practice education 2. Can you foresee any problems concerns with working to the new refreshed PEPS guidance