Universities and colleges will receive an extra £1.28 million through the General Social Care Council to help them provide first-rate education under the new social work degree.
The money will be used to establish skills laboratories which integrate classroom and practice learning by providing an environment that simulates a real social care setting so that students can practice and develop their core professional skills. For example, skills laboratories may be equipped with audio and video technology to enable students to critically evaluate their communication and problem-solving skills.
The grant, which is funded by the Department of Health, is being administered by the General Social Care Council as part of its role of ensuring the high quality of social work education programmes.
Chair of the General Social Care Council, Rodney Brooke, said, “A major part of the work of the General Social Care Council is the accreditation of social work teaching institutions and the verification of high quality, relevant social work education programmes throughout England.
“We are very pleased to be able to help the universities and colleges to establish these pioneering skills laboratories.”
Community Care Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman MP said that the funding for skills laboratories was part of the Government’s wider commitment to modernising the social care sector.
“The Government is committed to raising the standards of care delivered to service users. In 2003 we are investing more than £21 million in social work education and training and in financial support for social work students in 2003. This figure will rise to £81.45 million by 2005/06.”
All 71 universities and colleges offering the social work qualification will receive the grant, which will provide £16,000 for each institution over the next two financial years. They can use the money in a variety of ways including purchasing video and audio equipment, training staff to develop their own skills in teaching in this new way or acquiring appropriate accommodation.
The establishment of skills laboratories is part of the wider modernisation of the social care qualification and the sector.
September will see the first students starting the new General Social Care Council-approved degree in social work, which will help to increase the status of social work and develop the professionalism and competence of the workforce.
Undergraduate social work students will also receive a bursary worth an average of £3,000 through the General Social Care Council for the first time.
12 September 2003