SC2 Integrating simulation into the social work curriculum

Background Immersive simulations offer exciting potential for students to apply knowledge and skills to practice-real situations in a safe learning environment, however to date, almost no literature has been published on simulation in UK social work education. Social work programmes have traditionally incorporated classroom-based practice exercises such as role play, and there has been some application of OSCE in both North American universities (Bogo et al., 2014) and UK practice-based routes (Maxwell et al., 2016). We are currently undertaking a two-year research project evaluating simulation in social work university education. This abstract presents our development and delivery of a unique and innovative, full-scale simulation which was integrated into the curriculum of a postgraduate qualifying social work programme. Project description Key stakeholders were identified, including people who access social care services (young people, parents, grandparents, and community groups), students, social workers and educators. We collaborated through workshops and discussions to design realistic practice scenarios for a full-scale, three-day simulation programme. Postgraduate social work students were immersed in a scenario following an emergency referral concerning an infant. Simulated office and home environments were created and for authenticity, members of the workshops participated as actors. Students were presented with the opportunity to assess the situation, access case records, interview family, convene a professional meeting and present their decision-making to a team manager during supervision. Each session was followed by a plenary debrief and the individual completion of a reflective tool. Summary of results The qualitative and quantitate data collected indicates that students found this a very positive learning experience and valued the opportunity to ‘test out’ learning in a ‘safe place’. Following these findings, we have collaborated to develop further simulation exercises for social work students and are developing programmes for qualified social workers. Conclusion This project provided a unique and innovative experiential learning opportunity for social work students through full-scale, immersive simulation. Findings were extremely favourable, leading to the development of further simulation-based learning opportunities, designed and delivered in collaboration with stakeholders. References Bogo M, Rawlings M, Katz E, Logie C. Using simulation in assessment and teaching: OSCE adapted for social work (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) 2014. Alexandria, VI: CSWE. Maxwell N, Scourfield J, Le Zhang M, et al. Independent evaluation of the frontline pilot: Research report 2016. Cardiff University: Department for Education.