REFORM OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTATION ON THE CURRICULUM FOR THE NEW HONOURS DEGREE
1. Background
1.1 In April 2002 Cathy Jamieson, Minister for Education and Young People, announced a twelve point Action Plan for the Social Services Workforce. This Action Plan included the requirement to make recommendations to Ministers by November 2002 on the reform of social work professional education.
1.2 A Project Group was set up under the Action Plan, charged with taking forward the reform of social work education. It includes representation from the Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW), the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) as well as representatives from the Independent sector and from user and carer organisations. Its remit includes looking specifically at the structure and viability of the new honours degree.
1.3 Due to the complexity of the issues associated with practice learning, a separate sub-group was set up to look at the place of practice learning in the new degree. It is the products of these two groups which now form the substance of this consultation document.