Introduction
Welcome to the learning object on practice learning in residential and group care. The aims of this object are three fold. Firstly it aims to bring alive the distinctive and valuable opportunities for practice learning in residential and group care. It does this through audio clips based on real experiences of learning and facilitating learning in these settings. Secondly, it aims to make it clear how these experiences relate to Levels 7, 9 and 10 of the Award. It does this by specifying the units most relevant to the clips you are listening to. Finally, it aims to help you identify and maximise the learning opportunities available in your own residential or group care setting. It does this by asking you to complete a short preliminary task before you listen to each clip and sometimes after the clip too.
There are two sets of audio clips. The first set is based on an interview with Yuni Li, a 23 year old social work student. Her practice learning opportunity took place in a care home for older people in a large urban setting. Yuni Li’s social and cultural background is very different from the majority of the residents of the home. In the following clips she describes her learning experiences including the way she researched the culture and history of the community where the care home was located. Yuni Li’s experiences may be of particular interest if you are preparing to work with a learner new to your setting.
The second set is based on an interview with Caroline, a 44 year old manager of a residential resource for young people. Caroline has been manager for 7 years and is very established in her role. She describes how she strives to maintain a learning culture where staff can manage but also understand the often difficult and challenging behaviour of the residents. Caroline shows how this understanding is the bedrock of flexible, person-centred care. In the following clips we hear how Caroline creates a learning environment by enabling staff to share good practice and by providing strong team support. Caroline’s experiences may be of particular interest if you are working more informally with learners as their supervisor or colleague.
Author and Copyright
© 2009 Scottish Social Services Council. This material was written for the SSSC by Neil Henery. This document is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 UK : Scotland License. This means you are free to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work; and to make derivative works on condition that you credit SSSC and do not use the work for commercial purposes. For full details of the licence please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/scotland/