Supporting Struggling Students on Placement: A Practical Guide

Are you a practitioner, supervisor, practice educator, mentor or university tutor supporting students who are struggling on, or failing, their practice placement? Here is the practical guidance you need. Jo Finch draws on both her own experience training Practice Educators, and international multi-disciplinary research and literature. Chapters examine the signs and symptoms of a struggling student, emotional impact and emotional processes of decision making, and strategies for working effectively with students and academic institutions. Reflective exercises enable you to bring these methods to your own practice. The ideas here will further knowledge and engender confidence for any teachers, assessors and supervisors on courses with a practice learning component.

Table of Contents:
Introduction The context of practice learning and assessment across professions How do we know when a student is failing to achieve the required standards? The emotional impact of working with a struggling student Assessment and strategies for working effectively with struggling students Working constructively with key stakeholders in social work education Conclusion

About the Author :
Jo Finch is Reader in Social Work and Deputy Director of the Centre for Social Work Research, Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London. Jo's main research interests centre on practice learning, assessment and suitability, with a focus on struggling or failing students.

Review :
"I would recommend this book to all who are involved in field education with students." Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work “This book is an excellent addition to the practice educator’s toolkit… an easy-to-follow guide that has relevance for practice educators and university tutors at both national and international levels.” British Journal of Social Work, Oxford University Press. "Student social workers are the profession's future. Ensuring they have the right learning experiences, and that they are right for the job is crucial. In this book, Jo Finch helps all involved in placement learning to negotiate the rocky terrain to make this happen." Jonathan Parker, Bournemouth University "Full of insights from theory and research, this much-needed, accessible book is a rich resource." Elizabeth Beddoe, University of Auckland "This fascinating read is a must for everyone involved in student placements. It is based on sound research and written by an expert in the field." Mark Doel, Emeritus Professor, Sheffield Hallam University