I worked in Local Authority provider services for 22 years initially as a frontline worker providing direct personal care and support to vulnerable people, mainly people with Learning Disabilities. I then completed my Social Work training and became a qualified Social Worker in 2000 and secured a position as an Outreach Manager. I managed a registered service for adults with learning disabilities, which provided support to enable people with learning disabilities to live independently, in their own homes or within sheltered accommodation, within the community. Since qualifying as a Social Worker (SW) I spent 4 years as a long arm Practice Assessor/Educator for SW BA and MA students on placements. Following my management role, I spent a period of 8 months working in a senior role as ‘Interim Community Support Manager’ and returned to my role as Outreach manager until I left in June 2010 to work at the University of Wolverhampton. My Job role at the University was ‘Practice Learning Development Worker’, where I was responsible for the development of Independent practice placements, for students on the Social Work Degree program.

 My experiences to date have developed my professionalism and enabled me to;

1. Work directly with vulnerable people
2. Manager people and services (Managing teams)
3. Managing projects (re-provision of services)
4. Effectively communicate with others
5. Contribute to the facilitation of the training for practice supervisors (Social Work)
6. Facilitate Independent meetings
7. Plan module workshops (Level 4 SW students)
8. Plan and deliver teaching session

I am organised, self-motivated and will work on my own initiative. I currently plan and prioritise my own work to meet deadline and committed to continual professional development.

I joined the University in 2010 as a Practice Learning Development Worker, where I was responsible for developing placements in the Private, Voluntary and Independent sector, before taking up lecturers, then senior lecturer position on the Social Care Programme. In 2020 I spent 12 months coordinating social work placement, throught the COVID pandemic, alongside my colleagues. I then covered the Head of Social Work and Social Care Partnership position on a tempory basis before successfully gaining a permenent position in September 2021.

Current Position

Head of Social Work and Social Care Partnerships

I have now been working at the University of Wolverhampton for 11 years and 9 months and have line management responsibility for the social work placement team and some acadeic staff. I have oversite of of all practice learning provision, which enables me to identify factors affecting the quality of course delivery and students progress in relation to practice learning. I lead on setting up Ptractice Education Units and working with Local Authority placement providers to increase placement capacity and build on relationships internal and external to the University.

 School of Society and Community, Social Work and Social Care Department

My reasearch interests lies in Social Work Practice Education, including placements. I am currently doing my PHD and it is focused around the administration and management of Social Work placements. Intrested in qualitative research and the use of case studies as a reseach design.

Academic Qualifications

Qualification currently being undertaken:

PHD - Social Work and Social Care

Completed a book Review: International Migration: The Wellbeing of Migrants

To cite this article: Sandra Shaw (2017): International migration: the wellbeing of migrants, Social Work Education, DOI: 10.1080/02615479.2017.1331514

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2017.1331514

(June 2017)

Lecture in Social Care (May 2015)

I taught on 3 modules and supported 2 other modules. I was responsible for leadership on 2 Modules on the Social Care Degree programme; Poverty, Welfare Benefits and the Welfare System and Social Care Placements, which both involves planning, managing and delivery of teaching sessions and providing module tutorial guidance. In addition the Social Care Placement module involve; sourcing, auditing of placements, providing placement supervisor briefings, documentation and administrative work to communicate and with providers and students about the allocation of placements – Total responsibility for the setting up and running of all aspects of this module. Supported students as a Personal Tutor. I actively participated in research and other forms of scholarly activity in line with reviewing course and module content, as well as, other administrative duties and related activities that contributes to the smooth running of the team. I was the Careers Development representative, Employability Champion and Challenge Academy from the social care team for about 2 years. I also support the attainment champion representative for social care, when necessary. The social care placement module ran for the second time and had 20 plus student registered on the module – more than double of the previous year.