Strategic partnerships
Strong partnerships between employers and universities create innovative programmes and effective practices.
Partnerships between employers and universities
Partnerships between employers and universities benefit both parties. They can develop creative programmes to tackle social challenges and build evidence of effective practices through joint research.
Building evidence-informed practice
Strategic relationships between social work research units and employers are vital for generating primary research that supports evidence-informed practice between social work research units and social work employers.
Practitioner involvement in research
Employers offering social workers opportunities to engage in research improves retention. Collaborating with academics develops research skills, critical thinking, and professional identity. Developing these skills helps practitioners understand data analysis and monitor their work’s impact. Ensure all research follows the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research principles.
Practitioner involvement in university teaching
Teaching-practitioner roles benefit student learning and offer career development for experienced workers. Students value real-world examples that connect theory and practice.
Learning from Social Work Teaching Partnerships (SWTPs)
In April 2024, the Department for Education (DfE) announced the end of funding for teaching partnerships. Since 2016, Social Work Teaching Partnerships (SWTPs) have helped social work employers and universities work together.
The 2020 evaluation of teaching partnerships found they enabled:
- strategic collaboration in designing and delivering relevant course content
- improved learning quality for students and the workforce
- more and better-quality practice placements
- improved support for practice educators
- important infrastructure funding for project management and curriculum development
While retention and practice quality showed limited improvement, there was progress in collaboration and interest in initiatives like apprenticeships.
Funding for SWTPs has now stopped. In many areas collaborative working is continuing between local employers and educational institutions to improve social work education.
Resources for ongoing professional development
Continued Professional Development (CPD) that matches workers’ education helps new social workers transition smoothly into their roles. High-quality CPD is crucial for keeping experienced social workers.
There are lots of useful resources available online, such as:
There are also some resources you need to pay for, such as access to academic journals. You may want to consider the needs of your organisation and the options available to access these types of resources.
References
Buck, G., Whiteside, N., Newman, A., Jones, H., Stanley, J., Feather, J., & Millard, W. (2023). Promoting practitioner research through a social work teaching partnership. Practice, 35(1), 57-73.
Cane, T. & Tedam, P. (2022) ‘We didn’t learn enough about racism and anti-racist practice’: newly qualified social workers’ challenge in wrestling racism, Social Work Education
Care Quality Commission. (n.d.). Assessment framework for local authority assurance.
Cocker, C. (2023). Social Work Teaching Partnerships: Changing Landscapes in Social Work Education. Practice, 35(1), 1-4.
Cook, L., Gregory, M., Butt, T., & Shakespeare, J. (2024). Practice education in England: a national scoping review.
Department for Education. (2020). Social work teaching partnerships: An evaluation Interim research report – early findings. Interface Associates UK Limited. Retrieved July 16, 2024, from
Department for Education. (2020). Social work teaching partnerships: An evaluation Final report. Retrieved July 16, 2024
HM Government. (2023). Working together to safeguard children: A guide to multi-agency working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children.
Leonard, K., Mason, K., Pearce, J., & Jackson, C. (2023). 'Gateway': An innovative pedagogical approach to prepare social care workers for social work training. Practice, 35(1), 79-83.
McAlister J .(2022) ‘The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care’, Department for Education
Moriarty, J., Manthorpe, J., Stevens, M., & Hussein, S. (2011). Making the transition: Comparing research on newly qualified social workers with other professions. The British Journal of Social Work, 41(7), 1340-1356.
Ofsted. (2023). The multi-agency response to children and families who need help. Retrieved from
Research in Practice. (2019). Strategic partnerships with the voluntary sector: Messages from research and practice.
Scourfield, J., O'Donnell, C., Stepanova, E., Elliott, M., Warner, A., Maxwell, N., & Smith, R. (2021). Social work fast-track programmes: Retention and progression. Final report.
Skills for Care. (2022). What to cover during induction for new social care staff. Retrieved from
Social Care Wales. (2017). A guide to inducting well.
Social Work England. (n.d.). Standards for practice placements: Induction 2.3
Social Care Institute for Excellence. (2012). Factors that promote and hinder joint and integrated working between health and social care services.
Next page: Action planning to achieve the standard
The resources have been developed by
Research in Practice
in collaboration with
DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 04 November 2024
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 04 November 2024