learning activity

Meeting skills : topical islands

This learning object is one of a set of exercises and activities taken from the book 'Modern Social Work Practice' written by Mark Doel and Steven Shardlow. This activity introduces the student to a twelve-point framework for running a meeting; as a participant or as a chairperson, the activity gives the student a basis to judge good practice.

Comparative social work : Gulliver's travels

This learning object is one of a set of exercises and activities taken from the book 'Modern Social Work Practice' written by Mark Doel and Steven Shardlow. This resource consists of an opportunity for students to think about social work practice in different countries. They are provided with brief details of an imaginary country and have to consider how to develop social work in that country, drawing on the experience of social work in their own country.

Poverty and social exclusion amongst children and families in the UK: facts and figures

Understanding the various meanings of poverty is a very complicated task, but this learning object is designed to help you see beyond technical definitions and to understand the way poverty changes people's lives and the way they are seen by other people. This learning object will help develop your understanding of the ways poverty and social exclusion impact the lives of children and families in the U.K and describes some of the support services and networks that can help families living in poverty. This learning object is interactive and also contains video.

Beginnings, middles, ends : tree

This learning object is one of a set of exercises and activities taken from the book 'Modern Social Work Practice' written by Mark Doel and Steven Shardlow. This chapter looks at processes and outcomes in social work practice. The concept of a practice method is demystified by linking it to the generic processes of beginnings, middles and endings in work with clients. The chapter illustrates how students can learn to work in a systematic and methodical fashion.

Choices... What Choices?

Parents living in poverty face a complex set of factors at individual, family and community levels that make parenting more difficult. In this learning object you will explore a case study of Selina and her family, and in so doing, gain an understanding of some of the difficult choices faced by parents in poverty, as well as support services that could help parents cope. Note: This resource contains audio.

Accountability and intervention

Accountability and intervention is suitable for use towards the end of law learning but before summative assessment. It explores the impact of law on how social workers work, in particular: how legal rules influence the process of decision-making (rather than content); and how social work values influence our approach.

Feelings and behaviours : taboo

This resource is one of a set of exercises and activities taken from the book 'Modern Social Work Practice' written by Mark Doel and Steven Shardlow. This activity examines the gap which sometimes exists between what they are feeling ’inside’ and what they are saying ’outside’, and explores the student's response to it. It focuses on how the student handles taboo subjects. The activity also concerns the student's view of learning. How do beliefs, feelings and actions influence openness to learning?

Incorporating an understanding of poverty into assessments of children and their families

Practitioners often have to undertake assessments of children and their families who are living in poverty. To help improve the consistency and quality of these assessments the Government introduced the Framework for the Assessment of children in need and their families (DH, 2000). This learning object lets you explore the framework and its many dimensions. With the help of Barbara, a social worker, you will use the framework to assess the Johnson family, gaining an understanding of how the framework can help you in assessing the needs of children and families in your daily role.