"Thriving Placements: Importance of Courageous Conversations" PE Conference

Throughout this day we will have speakers and a series of sessions exploring how courageous conversations can lead to better outcomes for students and the children, young people and adults we work with.

Attendees will have to opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills, share good practice, network with colleagues and come away with practical ways to approach courageous conversations.

This conference will be relevant to Practice Educators, On-Site Supervisors, Tutors, Practice Assessors, Learning and Development Leads, employer partners and anyone else engaged or interested in supporting Social Work students.

This conference is offered to all of at no cost, if you are part of one of these organisations please make sure to select the right ticket.

Tickets will be allocated evenly between partners.

A limited number of paid tickets for external bookings will be available for those outside of the partnership wishing to attend.

In conjunction with Kingston University, this event aims to celebrate the work of all those engaged in developing social work learners in the region and to explore their contributions to

building learning communities.

We will provide Tea, Coffee and Biscuits. Lunch will not be provided but the University has various food outlets.

Wilson Muleya

As the Head of the Department of Social Work and Social Care and a Professor of Social Work, they oversee various aspects of student experience, including progression and retention, and ensure teaching quality aligns with research and practice standards. They hold strategic responsibility for academic staff management, performance, and development.

They are a Principal Fellow of HEA and have led the development of several new courses, such as the BA (Hons) Social Work in Gibraltar and the BA (Hons) Social Work Integrated Degree Apprenticeship in partnership with London employers. Their research focuses on theory application in practice and integrating new technologies into higher education teaching.

Additionally, they are involved in international collaborations to provide students with opportunities for international practice learning placements. They are a registered social worker with Social Work England, serve as an external examiner at other universities, and co-chair the university's Race Equality Charter.

Josie Newton

"Right place, right time: Being student-focused with difficult conversations"

Engaging in difficult conversations is essential both in life and in social work. Practice Educators (PEs) and On-Site Supervisors (OSSs) play a crucial role in the learning, development, and assessment of social work students, guiding them towards registration with Social Work England. These challenging conversations are vital for student development and progression. PEs and OSSs need to understand learning obstacles and barriers, using their skills to facilitate positive outcomes.

We will explore:

- What difficult conversations are about

- What prevents us from having them

- The impact of avoiding these conversations

- How to conduct them in an open, respectful, and anti-oppressive manner

This understanding is key to being student-focused and achieving effective educational outcomes.

They bgan their mental health career over 22 years ago as a support worker. After completing an MSc in Social Work, they spent over 15 years in adult mental health, focusing on dual diagnosis and substance misuse, and working with adults with Learning Disabilities. As a Practice Educator and Assessor, they have supported Newly Qualified Social Workers on their ASYE programmes and serve monthly as a sessional Approved Mental Health Professional in an Adults Emergency Duty Team. They have been a Practice Consultant with Developing Together Social Work Teaching Partnership for four years, promoting anti-racist practice and trauma-informed approaches. Recently, they became the BA Social Work course lead after three years as a Senior Lecturer. They find joy in developing social work students and trainees on post-qualifying programmes.

Fatou Camara and Lauren Dawber

“Courageous conversations - Student Perspectives”

Do you remember when you were a student social worker? What did ‘courageous conversations’ look and feel like?

Fatou Camara and Lauren Dawber offer some current student viewpoints.

They have just completed their second year of studies in the BA in Social Work. They will be discussing courageous conversations from a student perspective.

Fatou is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. They strives to empower individuals, advocate for marginalised communities, and foster a society built on empathy and equality.

Lauren is a mature student whose goal is to work with the elderly and those under palliative care. They have been a mentor for the past year supporting first year students and is also a course rep, helping to make change for future students.

Ulrike Nebel

“Building Emotional Resilience from the start: Views of Practice Educators on developing the Emotional Resilience of Social Work Students on placement”

Ulrike Nebel will present this recent research in this area which was completed as part their MA in advanced social work at Kingston University.

Ulrike Nebel is an experienced social worker and practice educator, having worked in adult mental health services for nearly 20 years. They currently work as a Practice Consultant for the Developing Together Social Work Teaching Partnership as well as a Professional Learning and Development Consultant for Adult Social Care in Kingston upon Thames. They are very passionate about practice education and have developed a keen interest in the importance of developing emotional resilience from the start of the social work journey.

Kerryn Holborn and Dr Kane Holborn, facilitated by Clive Simmons

“A conversation with People with Lived Experience about Practice Education”

This session will feature an open conversation with Kerryn and Kane, facilitated by Clive in a Q&A format.

Dr. Kane Holborn is a noted academic who writes poetry through the lens of visual art. Holborn’s work is deeply rooted in ekphrastic practices (that is to say, poetry influenced by visual art), and they are interested in how disability images like their own are often misrepresented and airbrushed out of the proverbial picture. They have written a number of poems about their experiences with social workers.

Clive Simmons

A qualified Social Worker since 1984, they worked as a practitioner and manager for 33 years, including 12 years in Safeguarding Adults roles. Since 2017, they have conducted Safeguarding Adults Reviews and provided training in Safeguarding Adults and MCA. Since 2018, they have been a Senior Lecturer at Kingston University, focusing on experiential training and leading the final year BA Social Work program. They also support academic writing, coordinate Teaching Consultants and People with Lived Experience, and promote EDI initiatives.

Farrukh Aktar

“Messages from the Practice Assessment Panel (PAP) and Quality Assuring in Practice Learning (QAPL)”

Farrukh is a National Teaching Fellow and Associate Professor, as well as a registered social worker with over twenty years' experience in child protection, fostering services, therapeutic communities, and organizational development. An Advanced Social Worker and accredited Practice Educator, Farrukh is also a qualified Craniosacral and SCENAR therapist in East London.

Their research focuses on well-being, resilience, and personal transformation, exploring themes of belonging, inclusivity, and community in higher education. Farrukh is the only Transformative Life Writing Facilitator at a UK university and the training coordinator for the European Centre for Life Writing for Transformation.

Sarah Wilkins

“Student and practitioner vulnerability: having courageous conversations in the practice learning environment.”

Recent research with colleagues at the University of Brighton highlights the importance of considering vulnerability in social work training. This exploration focuses on failing students, assessing them, and emphasizes the need for greater attention to students' histories, emotional challenges, and self-care to enhance well-being for student practitioners and those with lived experience.

They are a registered Social Worker and qualified Practice Educator with over 20 years of experience in child protection, adoption, and fostering services.

In 2016, they began as a part-time lecturer at the University of Brighton, teaching Youth Work, Social Work, and Early Years training. They transitioned to a full-time Social Work Lecturer role in 2018 and led the BSc Social Work course from 2020 to 2023.

They emphasize reflective skills in practice and have been instrumental in developing practice learning opportunities, collaborating with partner universities, local authorities, and the private and voluntary sector.

Sharon Evans

Sharon Evans qualified as a social worker in 2000 and has practiced as a Children's social worker in child protection, adoption and children with disabilities teams, latterly as a team manager. Sharon has been a Practice Educator for 12 years and has an interest in ensuring that there are consistent standards for both students and Practice Educators in this important area of practice. Sharon has a passion for research and is a member of the BASW Social Work Practitioner Research Network.

Host or Publisher Developing Together Teaching Partnership