Dr. Jonathan Parker is Professor of Society and Social Welfare and Director of the Centre for Social Work, Sociology and Social Policy at Bournemouth University. He is Visiting Professor at the Tasik Chini Research Centre Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. He was one of the founders and director of the Family Assessment and Support Unit, a placement agency attached to the University of Hull, and Head of Department of Social Work. He was Chair of the Association of Teachers in Social Work Education until 2005, Vice Chair of the UK higher education representative body, the Joint University Council for Social Work Education from 2005- 2010, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Fellow of the Joint University Council, and Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute. Jonathan has published widely on disadvantage, marginalization and violence, Southeast Asia, religion, social work education, and theory for practice. He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Practice Teaching & Learning; joint editor-in-chief of Social Policy & Social Work in Transition, and series editor of the highly successful SAGE series, Transforming Social Work Practice.

Values and anti-oppressive practice in practice learning
Integrating theory and developing reflective practice in practice learning
Preparing for practice
Using supervision to enhance practice learning and practice competence
Assessment of practice learning, gathering evidence and demonstrating competence
Developing skills and communicating effectively
Tying it all together

The Department of Health requires students on the social work degree to undertake at least 200 days in direct practice learning during their course. Practice learning often raises great anxieties for students, agencies and those who supervise and assess it. This book tackles those anxieties, explaining the ways the experience can deliver a unique learning opportunity for the student. It is ideal for students undertaking or about to undertake practice learning, student supervisors and practice assessors, as well as trainers and policymakers within social care agencies and healthcare professions where practice learning is also undertaken.