Report to ACPOS : report of literature review of recommendations of child abuse inquiries in respect of the police force

This study was commissioned by ACPOS through the Scottish Child Protection Network. The aims of the research were to: Identify and list all the UK National Inquiry Reports and published Significant Case Reviews since the Clyde Report (1992) Provide an analysis of recommendations specific to the police Identify key themes arising from the analysis The report will briefly outline the methodology used in the research and will highlight findings from the various documentation reviewed

Integrated assessment : new assessment methods literature review

The assessment of students in higher education performs a number of functions, some of which may not always be compatible with each other. Traditionally, the role of the assessor has involved determining the level of competence displayed in undertaking the task, and ideally, offering feedback on future learning needs (Rowntree, 1987). Assessment also provides grading for students’ work, allowing comparison of performance across a class, and across the curriculum for individual students. The subsequent gaining of a degree or professional qualification depends on students successfully completing a set of specified assessment tasks across the prescribed curriculum. As such, there may be stakeholders beyond the higher education institution, such as employers, regulatory bodies or clients, who believe the assessment process as being akin to certification or professional gatekeeping (Younes,1998). In professional courses such as social work, passing certain assessment tasks may be associated with notions such as fitness to practice and eligibility for professional registration as a social worker with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or similar bodies in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and beyond the United Kingdom. In terms of gatekeeping, assessment tasks may not only restrict who gains certification on exiting an educational programme, but also who is admitted in the first place. For example, requirements by registration authorities that students admitted to social work programmes have achieved specified levels of literacy and numeracy will require appropriate assessment tasks to determine equivalence for those entrants who have not achieved formal qualifications in these areas. Entry point assessments may also be used to determine whether credit should be granted on the basis of prior learning or experience (Slater, 2000) or to identify areas in which additional training may be required (Shera, 2001) In addition to gatekeeping, assessment clearly has a vital role to play in the ongoing development of learning and teaching strategies. It can be crucial in determining what, why and how students learn (Brown, Bull and Pendlebury, 1997) and there is increasing recognition of the necessity to align learning and assessment tasks, so that learning and assessment become aligned rather than being somewhat independent of each other (Biggs, 2003). Furthermore, in an era when evaluation of teaching is often reduced to student satisfaction surveys, critical reflection on work submitted for assessment can serve as an alternative method of evaluating the success of teaching. The nature of assessment has changed considerably since the 1970s, and is ongoing. The key changes have included moves from written examinations to coursework assignments and more emphasis on student participation in assessment (self and peer assessments), processes rather than products, and on competencies rather than content (Brown et al., 1997). Even the more traditional forms of assessment such as essays and examinations have undergone considerable innovations. Yet, in practice these seemingly radical changes may be more a wish list than a statement of fact. In actuality, some new forms of assessment, such as self and peer assessment may simply have been added onto rather than replaced more traditional modes of assessment (Cree, 2000). Changes to assessment in social work tend to reflect changes in higher education more widely such as the emergence of competency based and modular approaches to learning, as well more proceduralised assessment processes necessary to cope with higher numbers of students (Cree, 2000). There is considerable divergence of opinion amongst the social work education community in the United Kingdom as to whether such changes actually benefit social work students and their learning (eg Clark, 1997; Ford and Hayes, 1996; O’Hagan, 1997; Shardlow and Doel, 1996). There have also been concerns expressed as to whether some new forms of assessment are actually capable of achieving the learning they claim to facilitate Boud, 1999; Entwistle, 1990; Taylor, 1993). This report was commissioned by the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education (SIESWE) as a resource on assessment for the development of the new social work degree in Scotland and provides an overview of the current literature on assessment methods being utilised in social work education both in the United Kingdom and beyond. This report begins by reviewing the various methods of assessment in social work education which were found in the literature. We then go on to explore the developing literature on the involvement of persons other than social work academics, such as students and service users, in the assessment process. Finally, we consider the importance of developing and assessment strategy which might incorporate these various different forms of assessmen

Integrated assessment : new assessment methods evaluation of an innovative method of assessment-critical incident analysis

For many people, the term “assessment” is associated with tasks, which are less than inspiring, which are undertaken only because they are hurdles, which must be crossed in order to achieve some form of accreditation or to enable entry into work or a further course of study. In this worldview, what is important for the student is the final determination or grade assigned to their work. While summative assessment, in which students submit work that is marked by experts and which contributes partially or fully to a final grade, plays an important role in the lives of students and educators, contemporary thinking about “assessment” is much more expansive

Grading the graded care profile

A presentation on grading the graded care profil

Child protection and the needs and rights of disabled children and young people: A scoping study

Child abuse, as defined by the NSPCC, refers to ''behaviour that causes significant harm to a child. It also includes when someone knowingly fails to prevent serious harm to a child' (see http://www.child-to-child.org/about/childprotection.htm). The four types of abuse included in this study are physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect. The World Health Organisation treats maltreatment, a word used in the US, as synonymous with abuse. Child protection, as defined by the voluntary agency Child-to-Child, is 'a broad term to describe philosophies, policies, standards, guidelines and procedures to protect children from both intentional and unintentional harm' (see http://www.child-tochild. org/about/childprotection.htm). This term is still used in Scotland and N Ireland and is the one we use most in this report. England and Wales use the term safeguarding, which perhaps implies the inclusion of early intervention and preventative practice. Finally, in referring to disabled children we include young people aged 0-18 with physical, sensory, learning or communication impairments or mental distress. This was a scoping study which aimed to lay the groundwork for a larger piece of research

The impact of evidence based practice on child protection services

The presentation will draw on the findings of a commissioned literature review to support improvements in child protection practice in Scotland. It will consider the impact of evidence based practice on: The assessment and management of risk Interventions with ‘hard to reach’ children and families Incorporating the perspectives of children and parents in child protection intervention

'My expectations remain the same. The student has to be competent to practise' : practice assessor perspectives on the new social work degree qualification in England

Research has emphasized the importance of practice learning to social work qualifying education but has tended to feature social work educator and student perspectives more strongly than the views of those responsible for assessing students' practice in the field. This article draws on 195 responses to a postal questionnaire sent at two points in time to practice assessors working with students from nine social work qualifying programmes run in six higher education institutions collected as part of the evaluation of the new social work degree qualification in England. While practice assessors described changes in their role and in the opportunities available to students, they also emphasized continuities, particularly in the skills that they expected students to possess. The key difficulty they identified was the heavy workload resulting from combining their role as practice assessors with their other responsibilities at work. Increases in the number of social work students and changes to the organization of services are likely to create further pressures on practice assessors. Given that these issues are faced by a number of different professions, the article concludes that there is potential for future studies to look at the experiences of practice educators across different professional qualifying programmes