BSW Field Education Manual - School of Social Work at the ...

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The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education Manual
August 2010
Dr. Bernice Liddie-Hamilton, Director of Field Education
bliddie2@uga.edu,706-542-541
Jeff Skinner, M.Div, MSSW, LCSW, Coordinator of BSW Field Education
jskinn@uga.edu, 706-542-5474
Cindy Roberts, Administrative Assistant
Field Education Office
croberts@uga.edu,706-542-5423, fax706-583-0584

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Brief Introduction to Students, Field Instructors and Faculty Liaisons...................................4
Chapter 1 – Framework and Overview
Field Practicum and Organizational Structure .................................................................................5
Field Practicum Office Role ............................................................................................................5
Field Practicum Office Responsibilities ..........................................................................................5
General Introduction ........................................................................................................................6
Purpose of Field Education ..............................................................................................................6
BSW Program’s Mission and Goals ................................................................................................6
BSW Curriculum and BSW Field Education Curriculum ...............................................................7
The Practicum ..................................................................................................................................7
The Integrative Seminar ...................................................................................................................8
Agency Sites ....................................................................................................................................8
Chapter 2 – BSW Field Practicum Organizational Structure and Roles
Coordinator of BSW Field Education ............................................................................................10
Faculty Field Liaison .....................................................................................................................10
Student Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................11
Field Instructors Roles and Responsibilities ..................................................................................19
Off Site Instructors .........................................................................................................................20
Chapter 3 – Selection of Field Agencies, Criteria, and Field Instructors
Selection .........................................................................................................................................22
Safety Guidelines ...........................................................................................................................23
Criteria for Selection of Field Instructors ......................................................................................26
Chapter 4 – Policies and Procedures
Application into BSW Education...................................................................................................26
The Placement Process ..................................................................................................................27
Agency Assignment Process for Students with Disabilities ..........................................................27
Background Checks .......................................................................................................................28
Student Self Disclosure ..................................................................................................................28
Worksite Practicum and Prior Involvement ...................................................................................28
Stipends ..........................................................................................................................................28
Freedom of Information .................................................................................................................28
Professional Liability Insurance ....................................................................................................29
Grading ..........................................................................................................................................29

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Changing Placements and Termination of Field Placement ..........................................................29
Termination Procedures .................................................................................................................30
Student Initiated Termination ........................................................................................................30
Schedule and Internship Hours ......................................................................................................31
Student Continuation in the Practicum and/or with Clients ...........................................................32
Safety .............................................................................................................................................33
Sexual Harassment .........................................................................................................................33
Student Use of Automobiles ..........................................................................................................33
Policy Conflicts ..............................................................................................................................34
Grade of Incomplete ......................................................................................................................34
Course Sequencing Modification ...................................................................................................34
Appendices
A BSW Curriculum
B BSW Field Application and Sample Timeline
C Syllabi
SOWK 5835
SOWK 5845
SOWK 5836
SOWK 5846
D Forms for Practicum
Timesheet for SOWK 5835
Suggestions for Field Learning plan SOWK 5835
Field Learning Plan SOWK 5835
Timesheet for SOWK 5845
Suggestions for Field Learning Plan SOWK 5845
Field Learning Plan SOWK 5845
Mid Term Evaluation SOWK 5835
End of Semester Evaluation SOWK 5835
Mid Term Evaluation SOWK 5845
End of Semester Evaluation SOWK 5845
E Worksheet on Preparing to enter the Field Agency
F Faculty Field Liaison Reporting Form
G BSW Student Field Placement Evaluation
H NASW Code of Ethics
I Memorandum of Understanding
J Orientation to the Agency
K Examples of Various Orientation Activities
L Personal Safety Risk Reduction

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Introductions
Introduction to Students
Welcome to the BSW Field Education Program at the University of Georgia School of
Social Work. Field education is a formative and often positively memorable experience in
shaping your academic and practice career as a social worker. This manual will provide both
students with pertinent information about the field education curriculum, policies, and
procedures. This manual contains information on field education courses, field placement
policies, procedures and information regarding the various processes of the field placement
experience. The manual was designed to help students, field liaisons and field instructors by
addressing the necessary information to help students complete their BSW degree, as well as
provide information for field instructors to help prepare them as supervisors for the student’s
field experience. It is important that students read through this manual thoroughly and keep it on
hand as it will be needed throughout your senior year.
Introduction to Field Instructors
Welcome to the BSW Field Education Program. Through your participation in BSW
Field Education Program, our students are provided with the opportunity to integrate their
conceptually based classroom knowledge with educationally-directed field practice. And, the
students are able to bring their internship practice experiences into the classroom to further the
processes of integration of knowledge, values, and skills. This manual was designed with your
specific role as a field instructor in mind to help assist you with your responsibilities in coeducating
our students and to help you in providing them with the very best field placement
experience. With your commitment to training and to supervising our students, our students will
achieve competencies in practicing generalist social work.
Introduction to Faculty Field Liaisons
Welcome to the BSW Field Education Program. Your interests and abilities to guide, instruct,
and support students in their field placements and in their integrative seminars is well
appreciated. Your commitment to social work field education as the signature pedagogy in social
work education is appreciated. This manual will provide you with information, policies and
procedures which will guide the process of field education and will help clarify any issues which
may arise for the student and the field instructor.

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Chapter 1
Framework and Overview
Field Practicum and Organizational Structure
The Field Education Office is responsible for the overall administration of the field
program. The Field Education Office works under the direction of the Associate Dean and in
collaboration with the M.S.W. and B.S.W. program directors for both the Athens and Gwinnett
campuses. The Field Education Office coordinates agencies, faculty members, students, and
Field Instructors to provide the best experiences possible.
Field Education Office Role
The Field Education Office is responsible for the total field education program of the
School of Social Work. The Field Education Office is led by the Director of Field
Education who oversees field education for both the MSW and the BSW programs.
There are two Coordinators of Field Education; one who is responsible for all BSW field
placements and one who is responsible for all Atlanta area placements (both foundation
and concentration placements).
Field Education Office Responsibilities
1. Evaluation and maintenance of a bank of agency resources to adequately meet student
learning needs.
2. Identification of openings for students at practicum sites.
3. Coordination of student placements with agency openings.
4. Coordinating student interviews at agency and conduct follow-up confirmations of
placements.
5. In collaboration with the Associate Dean, the M.S.W. Program Director, the BSW
program director and faculty, assign Faculty Liaisons to agencies.
6. Provision of agency and student information to Faculty Liaison.
7. Training and orientation of Field Instructors.
8. Orientation of students to practicum process.
9. Maintenance of legal documents necessary for Agency-University affiliations.
10. Provision of information to Academic Advisors and students about the variety, quantity,
quality and nature of practicum offerings.
11. Provision and distribution of necessary field placement educational materials (for
example, application forms, informational resources, syllabi, evaluation forms,
teaching/learning materials, practicum calendars, etc.) to appropriate persons.
12. Provision of consultation to Faculty Liaisons, Academic Advisors, students, Field
Instructors, and Administrators concerning a variety of issues impacting the School-
Agency relationship and the quality of the individual student’s learning experiences.
13. Recruit new agencies, conduct agency evaluations for potential practicum sites.
14. Maintenance of file of professional student liability insurance policies to ensure insurance
is current.
15. Sponsor field education conferences.

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General Introduction
Since the beginning of the social work profession in the late 1800's, social work training
has included academic class work as well as actual practice experience in social service agencies.
The apprenticeship model of training in the profession of social work was “the field education”
experience in the earliest days of social work education. Today, field education is viewed as the
signature pedagogy of social work education wherein the student becomes socialized into the
profession of social work. Field education, according to the Educational Policies and Standards
of the Council on Social Work Education, is on equal ground with classroom learning and
importance. The aim of field education is to facilitate student integration and application of
knowledge, values, and skills. Through the field practicum and internship, BSW students are
provided significant opportunities to practice skills, apply knowledge, and utilize social work
values. The learning mode in field education is an experiential learning wherein the student
actually practices generalist social work. Experiential learning requires the student to engage in
the processes of observation of other social workers in their field site, participate in an receive
supervision and formal evaluations from the field instructor, to practice critical self reflection
and self correction, to achieve the learning assignments in the field integrative seminars, to
achieve competency in the field learning plan practice behaviors, and most importantly, practice
with real clients.
The University of Georgia School of Social Work works collaboratively with the
professional social work community in developing effective field education experiences as an
integral part of the BSW curriculum. Sites are available across the northeast Georgia region and
are selected through a prescribed process of site evaluation and contractual agreements between
the agency and the University of Georgia. Student experiences in the agency are designed to
meet objectives specified in the practicum syllabus for fall and spring semesters. Hence, the
BSW practicum is educationally directed, is implemented through a vital partnership with the
School with selected and approved human service organizations and field instructors.
Purpose of Field Education
The primary purposes of field instruction are to provide students with educational and
practice opportunities that lead to competent generalist social work practice through the
integration of classroom learning. The field experience is intended to complement BSW
curriculum objectives which include the provision of generalist practice opportunities for all
students. The Mission and Goals of the BSW Program are as follows.
BSW Program’s Mission
Adopted by BSW Faculty September 2009, the mission of the baccalaureate social work
program is to prepare students for beginning generalist social work practice in a variety of
settings, including nonprofit, private, and public settings. Consistent with this statement, the
purpose of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is to prepare competent social workers
who are dedicated to advancing social work knowledge and practice and to providing services to
populations at-risk. This includes, but is not limited to, alleviating social injustice, poverty,
oppression, and discrimination.

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BSW Goals
With the liberal arts as its foundation, BSW graduates are prepared to engage in entrylevel
social work practice or continue their formal education in social work or another graduate
discipline. It is our goal to prepare students to:
1. Provide cultural competent, generalist social work practice with individuals, families,
groups, communities, and organizations
2. Practice according to the principles, values, and ethics that guide the social work
profession
3. Acknowledge and positively impact the bio-psycho-social, spiritual, and cultural
functioning of people
4. Influence social policies with the goals of alleviating poverty, oppression, and social
injustice, as well as advocating for human rights
5. Utilize a planned change model that is based upon an understanding of the ecosystems
perspective, is driven by a commitment to social justice, and is grounded in cultural
sensitive empirical research and theory
6. Address the human service needs in the state of Georgia and the region
BSW Curriculum and BSW Field Education Curriculum
The BSW Curriculum (see appendix A) is grounded in the liberal arts tradition. Students
enter the BSW major as an intended major and once they have successfully completed all of the
pre professional courses and UGA Core Curriculum requirements, students then apply for formal
admission into the BSW Professional Program. Once accepted into the Professional Program,
students make application into the BSW Field Education Program. That application is in
appendix B. Students intern (on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) at the same field agency for
both fall and spring semesters and are required to accomplish a documented 280 clock hours of
interning per semester.(See time sheet in appendix
The BSW Practicum is intended to provide students with experience in the field as
generalist social work practitioners, as well as to provide them with the opportunity to integrate
various theories, models, and methods of intervention in a direct service environment. Students
have the opportunity to experience these three levels of generalist social work practice: micro,
mezzo, and macro levels of intervention, with primary emphasis on helping skills, self awareness
in practice, and applying ecological systems theory. The BSW Field Education curriculum has
two major components: the practicum and the integrative seminar.
The Practicum
SOWK 5835, Practicum I (fall) and SOWK 5845, Practicum II (spring) are 6 hour credit
courses and the course syllabi are in appendix C. The Field Learning Plans guides the student
and field instructor in establishing tasks to accomplish practice behaviors among the ten
competencies.
The student is expected to achieve practice behaviors in the ten competencies as set forth
by the School of Social Work and which are stipulated by the Council on Social Work Education
standards for field education. Thus ten areas of competencies are:
1. Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.

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3. Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
4. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
6. Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
8. Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver
effective social work services.
9. Respond to contexts that shape practice.
10. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations,
and communities.
SOWK 5835 and SOWK 5845 are guided by the Field Learning Plan,(see appendix F).
The Field Learning Plans guide the student in establishing how the student will achieve practice
behaviors in ten competencies as set forth by the School of Social Work and which is in
compliance to the Council on social Work Education standards for field education.The field
instructor evaluates the student during mid term and semester’s end each semester. The
evaluation forms for mid term and end of the semester for SOWK 5835 and for SOWK 5845
are in appendix F.
The Integrative Seminar
Integrative Seminar in Generalist Social Work Practice I (fall) and SOWK 5846,
Integrative Seminar in Generalist Social Work Practice II (spring) are 2 hour credit courses and
those syllabi are in appendix C.
SOWK 5835 and SOWK 5836 are co requisites and similarly SOWK 5845 and SOWK 5846 are
co requisites. SOWK 5835 is a pre requisite for SOWK 5845 and SOWK 5836 is a pre requisite
for SOWK 5846. No field education course can be substituted through taking a directed reading,
SOWK 5908. No credit will be given for life, volunteer, and or work experiences.(Additional
information is discussed in the Policies and Procedures section of this manual.)
Agency Sites
BSW practicum sites are available in Athens and the surrounding counties of Northeast
Georgia, as well as in metro-Atlanta and the Gwinnett County area, in a variety of social work
venues. Approved agencies are typically within a 65 mile radius of campus and it is expected
that student’s will make arrangements to commute to available sites. Therefore, the use of a car
is highly recommended, as without transportation, agency availability is severely limited.
Students are offered the opportunity to assume a wide range of social work roles and functions,
and the opportunity to work with diverse client populations. Field placement sites include, but
are not limited to, Children and Family Services, Juvenile Justice, Adults and Aging, Mental
Health, Substance Abuse, Crisis Shelters, as well as School Systems and Health Care Settings,
Child Welfare. Please see the School’s field Education web site for a descriptive list of
commonly used field agencies. Additional information regarding the agencies is available in the
Field Education Office.

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Chapter 2 BSW Field Practicum Organizational Structure and Roles
The BSW field practicum involves a number of different individuals, including faculty
from the School of Social Work, the student, and agency-based social workers and other staff.
The following chapter describes the role and responsibilities of all of the people who have
connection with BSW Field Education.. Information contained in this section helps to clarify
who will be involved in the practicum and how these various individuals work together to create
a successful practicum experience.
Coordinator of BSW Field Education
The Coordinator BSW Field Education is responsible for the overall administration of the
BSW Field Program. The Coordinator is a member of the Schools’ Field Education Office which
is then directed by the School’s Director of Field Education. The Coordinator of BSW Field
Education has overall responsibility for the following:
• Co develops with the BSW Curriculum committee and the Director of Field Education
the curriculum content of the BSW Field Education program.
• Coordinating student placements with agency openings,
• Coordinating student interviews at agency and conducting follow-up confirmations of
placements;
• Providing agency and student information to faculty field liaisons;
• Training and orientation of field instructors;
• Orientation of students to practicum process and field responsibilities;
• Provision of information to BSW faculty and students about the variety, quantity, quality
and nature of practicum offerings;
• Provision and distribution of necessary field placement educational materials (for
example: application forms, informational resources, syllabi, evaluation forms,
teaching/learning materials, practicum calendars, etc.) to appropriate persons;
• Provision of consultation to BSW faculty, faculty field liaisons, students, agency-based
field instructors, and School of Social Work administrators concerning a variety of issues
impacting the school-agency relationship and the quality of the individual student’s
learning experience;
• Recruitment of new agencies as potential practicum sites;
• Reevaluate current practicum sites and field instructors to ensure that both continue to
meet appropriate criteria for placement.

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Faculty Field Liaison
Faculty Field Liaisons for the BSW Field Education Program are BSW faculty or
doctoral teaching assistants assigned to the SOWK 5835, SOWK 5836 and SOWK 5845 and
SOWK 5846 courses - Practicum in Social Work I and Practicum in Social Work II and the
Integrative Seminars. Each term, there will be four to six different sections. Individuals assigned
will facilitate the weekly integrative seminar, which functions as the grounding component to the
student’s experiences in the field, as well as provide liaison to each of the sites.The liaison meets
twice each semester with the student and the field instructor to facilitate mid term and end of
semester evaluations. The faculty liaison must complete the Faculty Liaison reporting form (see
Appendix I) to validate on going monitoring of the student’s performance in their field agency.
Faculty field liaisons are actively involved participants of the BSW field program,
holding both administrative and teaching functions in their role. Throughout the semester, the
faculty liaison acts as the link between the School of Social Work and the Agency, as well as for
the student and field instructor. The faculty liaison provides support and guidance to both, in
helping the student to meet learning objectives. These tasks are outlined below:
Administrative Role
• Review, each semester, the student’s Field Learning Plan, mid term and end of semester
evaluations, and complete each semester the Field Faculty Liaison Reporting form, please
see the appendix I.
• Troubleshoot any administrative or policy issues that may arise between the agency and
the School of Social Work;
• Troubleshoot any issues that may arise between the student and the field instructor;
• Provide feedback to the BSW Field Education Coordinator concerning any changes in
field instructors or agency policies that affects student learning;
• Active involvement with student and field instructor should there be a need to terminate
the practicum;
• Evaluation of agencies as to continued effectiveness as a practicum site.
Teaching role
• Function as the primary instructor for the Integrative Seminar offered weekly to BSW
students.
Student Roles and Responsibilities
Learning in field education is experiential and reflective learning. This type of learning
contrasts to the more passive style of learning in the classroom. Additionally the practice
acquisition and application of social work knowledge, skills, and values occurs vis a vis with real
clients in a real agency. Thus the knowledge is situated knowledge wherein the student lives and
learns their professional skills. Students in practicum are interns and intend their work as a
learning experience. Subsequently, students need to be prepared to learn, able to benefit from
supervisors, able to self evaluate and most importantly students must engage in their work
through intentional purposive actions. Learning in field education is reflexive learning whereby
the student can self correct based upon supervision, assignments, and critical self reflection.
Students are expected to adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics(see appendix K) and to adhere to
the Student Code of Conduct at The University of Georgia. That document can be located at this
link: http://www.uga.edu/judicialprograms/2008-2009%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf

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In addition to the above professional and UGA student expectations, students are
expected at minimum to:
• Conduct themselves in behavior, speech, and dress in a manner consistent with the
professional standards of social workers
• Meet the expectations of their supervisors, including documentation, arriving on time,
and carrying our tasks.
• Be prepared for supervisory and evaluations meetings
• Demonstrate initiative and engagement in their field education experiences.
• Discuss with their field instructors and or faculty liaison any minor or major concerns
they may have about their experiences
• Practice self reflection through applying social work knowledge, values, and skills
Listed below are some common questions students have about BSW Field Education.
1. What is the process to obtain a field placement What does the Foundation Field Office do
with my placement request materials
BSW students remain in the same field site agency throughout their entire senior academic
year. Details about these processes can be found in Chapter 4 of the field manual. The
Coordinator of BSW Field Education will meet with students at appropriate times to further
discuss and share information about the placement process, review the application, and
provide deadlines. Internships are assigned, through an application process, by the
Coordinator of BSW Field Education. Students do not set up their own field placement.
2. Can I ensure that I get my first choice for my internship
Slot availability changes rapidly. The Field Office makes every effort to place students in
their preferred agencies, but cannot make guarantees because of the rapidly changing human
service environment. In addition, preference choices are determined in four major categories
including agency setting, client population interest, social work problem area and geographic
considerations. Each of these is given equal weight in making field placement assignments.
3. What if I don’t have a car
Healthcare, mental health and family service organizations are increasingly community
based. Therefore, many placements require students to have a car to perform field
assignments that involve outreach, home visits, and community work. Also, many
placements are located outside the Athens area, so it is to the student’s advantage to have a
vehicle, or to be prepared to car pool with other students, for travel to and from the agency.
Unfortunately, not having a car severely limits field placement options. Students without
cars may have to compromise their interests to be accommodated locally or near their homes.
Many local agencies, however, also require the use of a vehicle.
4. Can I have a placement in the town where I live in Georgia

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It may be possible for students to be placed near their homes in Georgia, depending upon the
availability of placement opportunities that have been, or could be approved by the Field
Office. Please keep in mind that students still need to attend classes in Athens.
5. Can I do field work at my current place of employment
Students interested in worksite practica should discuss this possibility with the Coordinator
BSW Field Education as far in advance as possible.
6. I need to work while enrolled in School. How much time should I reserve for field work
each term Can my placement be arranged for evening and/or weekend hours
The BSW Foundation practicum requires that students are in the field for a minimum of 20
hours per week, both fall and spring semester, totaling a minimum of 280 documented field
hours each semester. Students must be prepared to meet these requirements. Most students
work in the field during traditional workday hours during the week on Monday, Tuesday, and
Thursday. There is some opportunity, in non-traditional settings, for students to work late
afternoon, evening and weekend hours. The field office will attempt to work with students to
complement their work requirements, but, in no way will the educational objectives of the
practicum experience be compromised. In addition, the agency-based field instructor, or
other designated supervisor must be on duty and available to the student during these nontraditional
time frames. These conditions do not usually allow students to do the entire
placement during evenings or weekends.
7. What is the difference between an academic advisor, a faculty liaison, and a field instructor
An academic advisor is a member of the School of Social Work BSW faculty who advises
students on academic matters, which typically include course planning and registration. The
faculty field liaison is assigned to each agency where a student is placed and is the seminar
course instructor. The faculty liaison is typically a member of the faculty, an adjunct faculty
member, or teaching assistant, who monitors and grades the student’s field work
performance. The liaison also serves as an advocate for the student at the agency and helps
to mediate placement-related problems, including those that may occur between the student
and the field instructor. The field instructor is an agency staff member, typically a BSW or
MSW, who supervises and evaluates students in their day-to-day functioning at the agency.
8. What if my agency is not what I expected or is not meeting my learning goals
Once you have started field work, you should discuss any placement-related issues with your
faculty field liaison. Any decisions about whether or not a student should terminate field
work at an agency and be re-assigned to another agency must be made by the liaison, the
field instructor, and the student in consultation with the Coordinator BSW Field Education.

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9. Do agencies hire students when they graduate Which ones
Occasionally students will obtain employment with field agencies following graduation.
There is no evident pattern of which agencies hire students after they graduate. Employment
services are provided by the Career Planning and Placement Office and there are
employment opportunities posted on the bulletin board on the first floor of Tucker Hall.
Field Education is a first-time, new challenging and formative experience for students.
Listed below are some common issues students have during their experiences. These questions
are derived from the student voice and the responses are derived from BSW field instructors.
Please see appendix H for a worksheet on assisting the student to enter and prepare for their
practicum.
Field Issues, Concerns and Resources: Student FAQs and Field Instructor’s
Replies
I. Supervision Issues Expressed
Main Student Supervision Issues Reported
1. Lack of supervision
• Discuss your concerns directly with your field supervisors.
• Clarify with your field supervisor how supervisor could better meet your needs. e.g., is it
time, feedback, or what’s missing
2. Supervisor often absent
• Request a meeting to discuss a schedule. If physically unavailable to do so, discuss issue
with faculty liaison.
• Be willing to utilize mediation session with student, liaison and field instructor.
3. Difficulty communicating effectively with supervisor
• Refer to the code of ethics, agency policies and school’s field manual.
• Be assertive not aggressive in your communication.
4. Unusual boundaries by field instructor
• Review such concerns openly with field supervisor or field liaison, as well as noting
appropriate boundary issues.
• What information do you need to clarify boundary issues
II. Placement Concerns/Issues Expressed

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Main Student Placement Issues Reported
1. Never received formal training/orientation
• Talk to your supervisor ASAP.
• What are you looking for in terms of training/or orientation from either the school or
agency
2. Not having individual caseload/enough direct client contact
• Advocate for yourself and question your own competencies/abilities.
• Supervisor may need to point out where contact is happening.
3. Not having enough work for BSW students to do
• Take initiative — create a project or evaluation of an intervention at the agency.
• Use the fact that you are a “new face” in this agency -- to see where the needs may be,
and put them into a proactive plan or project.
4. Limited internship experience—learned a lot in one area but little experience with anything
else
• Explain this to supervisor; have a plan of what you would like to do.
• Look for more learning opportunities within the community.
5. Not being challenged; doing same things all year
• Discuss in supervision how your placement can be more meaningful.
• Create a project, take more initiative.
III. Other Setting Specific Concerns Noted
Other Student Setting Concerns
1. Office politics
• First, be aware of them and then understand their implications.
• Figure out how to navigate within these politics with your supervisor.
2. Gossip with/about other agency staff
• Walk away and avoid getting involved.
• Seek assistance from your supervisor if problematic for you.
3. Emotional stress

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• Provide an opportunity to discuss concerns with your supervisor and brain storm
solutions.
• Ask supervisor to assist you with developing better coping and time management skills,
understand his/her boundaries and utilize peers for support.
4. Interns treated unfairly; Feel they are looked down upon
• Discuss placement expectations so that everyone is clear about duties and responsibilities.
• Seek assistance from your supervisor.
5. Feeling as if clients are stuck in one place -- work is not progressing quickly enough
• Meet regularly with staff to discuss progress, ways to speed up progress, and define
realistic expectations.
• Celebrate small successes of clients more proactively.
IV. Scheduling Concerns
Student Scheduling Concerns Reported
1. Going to school and internship interchangeably/class 2 days, field 3 days
• Organization and time management skills are critical — develop them.
• Consider ways to define allocated timeslots each day to facilitate transitions, i.e., keep
journals, meditate, exercise, yoga, etc.
2. Time management deficient with intensity of senior level courses
• Prioritize needs and wants, set up calendar with specific due dates, exams, etc., and break
tasks into increments.
• Start school assignment earlier.
3. Placement requires evening work
• This should have been discussed in pre-placement interview -- talk with your supervisor
about it.
• Often social workers have to do extra work to accommodate clients after hours. Plan
accordingly, as this is our “practice world”.
4. Physically tired when adjusting from class to work schedule
• Look at your time management schedule and be sure to schedule personal or “down time”
to exercise, meditate, chill out.
• Be sure you get adequate rest and good nutrition—review next day’s schedule in prior
evening.

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5. Making up for missed intern hours, above required BSW hours
• Try to earn additional hours each week so you have some flexibility if you are out sick or
need extra study time.
• Talk with supervisor—are there any non-traditional hours available for projects you
could do – i.e., meet your mom at grocery store over the weekend and assist her with a
budgeting lesson.
V. Other Student Concerns Noted
Student Concerns Noted
1. Preparing for termination from placement
• Seek supervision about completing final projects and identify client concerns for
termination.
• Voice these concerns with your supervisor earlier on.
2. Desire for new learning challenges in different settings
• Speak directly with your supervision. Advocate for yourself.
• Have you shown yourself to be competent How so
3. Nervous about performing in internship
• Be honest in supervision.
• Be willing to be open to any constructive suggestions.
4. Learning to interact with professionals from other disciplines
• Advocate for yourself in supervision for shadowing possibilities.
• Ask questions, and initiate developing professional relationships.
5. Not having direct practice experiences at internship correlate with course assignments
• Process with supervisor about assignments and their responsibilities.
• Communicate the need for help ASAP. We ask our clients do seek help when necessary
— start to role model this behavior.
Resources and Supports Identified by Students and Field Instructor Responses
I. Resources Within the Field
Resources within the Field Reported by Students

17
• Supervisor
• Networking with other agency staff
• Supervisor flexibility with hours
• Observing supervisor interact with clients and other professionals
• Allowing the first week to be a “learning week” to read manuals, policies, etc.
Field Instructors Added
• Refer to manuals and policies first when there is a question—trying to find your answers
first, before asking.
• Develop well thought out organized questions.
Resources Outside the Field Identified by Students and Field Instructor
Responses
II. Resources Outside the Field
• Talking to classmates and family members for support
• Professor Skinner [Coordinator of BSW field education]
• Faculty liaison
• Information on communication styles learned in class
• Talking to former interns
Field Instructors Added
• Taking initiative to research the organization, population served, community,
national/international trends, best practices, etc., to gain further perspectives and deeper
understandings of the agency in its “community of care”.
• Try problem-solving with field instructor before going to faculty due to: 1) task
clarification and 2) mature problem-solving. Solve concerns at level of impact and
concern first, before going up the ladder.
• Role model professional behavior in taking more initiate for your own learning.
Field Instructor Roles and Responsibilities
Planning role
The Field Instructor carries an important planning function for the student’s internship. In some
agencies, some or all of these activities may be carried out by the agency’s administrator or a
coordinator for social work student placements. These planning functions include:
1. Communicate information to the Field Education Office about potential practicum openings
and any information that may impact the nature or quality of the practicum.

18
2. Following receipt of the student’s practicum application from the Field Education Office, the
Field Instructor confirms that the referral appears to be an appropriate one and responds to
the student’s request for scheduling an interview.
3. Should the Field Instructor learn information in the interview that leads her/him to question
the viability of the practicum, s/he is responsible to discuss the concerns with the Field
Education Office for immediate appropriate action.
4. After the interview, the Field Instructor should complete the interview tracking form
indicating whether or not the student is accepted for placement. This form is signed by the
student and then forwarded by the student or the Field Instructor to the Field Education
Office.
Teaching roll
Throughout the field placement, the Field Instructor’s primary role is as a teacher and facilitator
of student learning. To this end the Field Instructor:
1. Provides for the student’s orientation to the agency’s policies and procedures, ethical
standards and safety precautions (see appendix J).
2. Negotiates and plans student assignments in accordance with the practicum objectives as
identified in each practicum syllabus (see appendices ).
3. Provides educational supervision/field instruction for each student at least one hour per week
(see appendix).
4. Serves as an advocate for the student within the agency, by facilitating the student’s access to
productive learning experiences and other learning activities/resources (for example, student
participation in activities outside the agency such as professional conferences, relevant
library work or field visits to other programs) during the practicum.
5. Evaluates the student’s performance in the agency with regard to the specified practicum
objectives.
OFF-SITE BSW or M.S.W. FIELD INSTRUCTOR/ON-SITE PRECEPTOR MODEL
In selected situations and with prior approval from the Director of Field Education, an
Off-Site BSW or M.S.W. Field Instructor/On-Site Preceptor Model of field instruction may be
utilized by a field agency which does not have an M.S.W. employee available for field
instruction. These situations usually occur in new, “cutting edge” areas of practice where social
work is just beginning its impact and which the School of Social Work wants to develop. Off-
Site BSW or M.S.W. Field Instructors are selected jointly by the targeted agency and the
Director of Field Education in consultation with the Field Education Faculty.
Responsibilities for field education using this model are outlined below.

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Off-Site BSW or M.S.W. Field Instructor
1. Must meet criteria for Field Instructors.
2. Collaborates with the on-site supervisor in assisting the student with the development of the
Learning Plan.
3. Meets weekly with the student in a supervisory session to review progress of student toward
achievement of learning objectives and to assist student with the integration of practice
realities and theoretical concepts from a social work perspective.
4. Meets periodically with student and on-site supervisor to evaluate student performance and
modify the Learning Plan if necessary.
5. Assumes primary responsibility for submitting to the School the written evaluation and grade
recommendation for the student at the end of each semester.
6. Assumes primary responsibility for meeting with the assigned Faculty Liaison and student
during the semester to review student progress, and for alerting the liaison in a timely manner
of any problems or potential problems which might interfere with a successful educational
outcome.
On-Site Task Supervisor
1. Assumes primary responsibility for orienting the student to the agency, to agency staff, and
to work projects. Appendix E provides additional information to assist with orientation
planning.
2. Works with the Off-Site BSW or M.S.W. Field Instructor and student to create the Learning
Plan, which includes learning objectives and practice tasks.
3. Assumes primary responsibility for supervising the daily work of the student as described in
the Learning Plan.
4. Meets periodically with the student and the Off-Site BSW or M.S.W. Field Instructor to
evaluate student performance and modify the Learning Plan, if necessary. The on-site
supervisor may meet with the Faculty Liaison to review student progress, at the request of the
student, the Off-Site BSW or M.S.W. Field Instructor or the liaison.

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Chapter 4
Selection of Field Agencies, Criteria, and Field Instructors
Agencies and social workers may make inquiries regarding becoming a field instructor.
Information about this process is on the web page of the School in the Field Education section.
Once approved and having interns, agencies and field instructors are evaluated by their intern at
the end of the internship. That evaluation form is in appendix J.
The School draws on the following criteria for field site selection:
1. Administrative policies regarding service to clients, to other agencies, and to the community
should be consistent with the sound standards of practice appropriate to the particular type of
agency.
2. The agency should show stability of program and of financial support. Alternatively, it may
be at the cutting edge of innovative programming or practice.
3. The agency should show ability to respond to the changing needs of the community.
4. The agency should show capability for accommodating students. (See appendix K for
suggestions.)
5. Preference is given to agencies that can provide stipends to financially needy students.
6. The agency must be endeavoring to meet progressive standards of practice.
7. Agency should have formal safety policies and procedures
8. Potential for School/agency cooperative efforts (joint research projects, consultation, and inservice
training).
9. Commitment on the part of the agency to enter into a long-term relationship with the School
involving the training of numerous students over time.
10. The agency and school will enter into a contractual agreement regarding the mutual
expectations for affiliation (appendix L).
Field Instruction Criteria
1. The agency must offer a favorable setting and atmosphere conducive for learning.
2. The agency must provide training opportunities in general practice methods and/or in
concentrations applicable to the School’s curriculum.
3. The agency must have one or more staff members who qualify as field instructors.
4. Adequate facilities must be available. These include provision of office space, work
materials, and equipment as needed for the student. The student’s use of agency cars must be
included in the agency’s insurance policy if driving is expected of students (pages 15-16).

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5. The agency must allow all Field Instructors time for attending field instructor training offered
by the School of Social Work.
6. The agency must allow all Field Instructors time for preparation for student instruction, for
regular conferences with the student, consultation with School faculty, and, if needed,
attendance at meetings held at the School.
7. The agency must be willing to reimburse the student for costs (such as travel expenses)
incurred while conducting agency business. If the student needs additional car insurance to
transport clients, make home visits, or other activities part of the placement assignments, the
agency should reimburse the student for the amount of the additional coverage.
8. The agency agrees that no student trainees accepted by the agency will be discriminated
against on the basis of race/ethnicity, sex, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age,
marital status, disability, Vietnam-era veteran status, or sexual orientation.
9. As required by federal and state law and by University of Georgia policy, field placements,
as a whole, must be accessible to students with disabilities. The “as a whole” requirement
means that students with disabilities should have the same kinds of educational
opportunities– including field placements in particular kinds of settings–as students without
disabilities. However, given the wide range of disabilities, it is possible that not every
placement site will have the capability to accommodate every student. It may not be feasible,
for example, for a site to accommodate students who use wheelchairs because of the site’s
location and existing architecture, but this same site could easily accommodate students with
visual or hearing impairments. Every effort is made by the Field Instruction Program in
consultation with the Office of Disability Services to ensure equal access to practicum
opportunities.
Agency Safety Guidelines
Most agencies are under enormous pressure. Reduced budgets and clients with increasingly
critical needs and histories of negative involvement with social services have resulted in
increasing tensions in social work settings. As a result, social workers have experienced a variety
of threatening situations, and some have been harmed. Social work students cannot be
completely insulated from the realities of professional life, nor should they be. On the other
hand, students frequently lack the experience and skills that help more seasoned practitioners
assess danger and take appropriate precautions. The School recognizes its responsibility to help
prepare students to handle potentially dangerous situations by providing students with safety
training and classroom content on safety issues. However, we also need to make a serious effort
to try to reduce risk in field settings.
The following guidelines are designed to supplement the School’s agency selection
criteria. Modification of guidelines for particular students and special circumstances may be
made in the student’s educational agreement with the explicit approval of the Faculty Liaison to
the agency and the Field Education Office. Moreover, it is recognized that the implementation of
these guidelines may take some time. A liaison may determine that, while an agency is not

22
currently meeting all guidelines, it is making a good faith effort to do so and current conditions
are sufficiently safe to proceed with a field placement.
1. A field agency should have a policy and/or procedures on safety covering the following
matters:
a. Building and office security
b. Emergency procedures, including when and how to summon security or police assistance.
c. Staff responsibilities and procedures governing the management of violent clients.
d. Safety on home visits, including when, where, and under what conditions visits should or
should not be made, when the student should be accompanied, and how backup is
provided (see four and five below).
e. Alcohol and drug use policy formulated and posted.
f. Guns and other weapons policy formulated and posted.
g. Procedures for logging and communicating with staff and students all incidents or threats
of violence.
h. Policy for aftermath of assault and threat of assault. Provision of support services for
victim’s family and/or staff and clients who may have witnessed the assault.
i. Relationship with police should be established.
2. The agency should provide each student with a copy of the above policies as part of the
student orientation to the agency, and provide training on safety issues and procedures.
Consideration should be given to in-service training on clinical and administrative
management of violent clients and violent situations outside the agency. The agency and each
of its programs should have a well rehearsed specific plan of action in which students know
exactly what to do in case of danger, from recognition of the signs of agitation to code words
for signaling for help, when to call for police, clearing the building, etc. This plan of action
should be rehearsed with students placed at the agency and reviewed on a regular basis.
3. Though a student has the right to refuse a dangerous assignment, a common understanding
about the kinds of assignments that are appropriately safe should be reached by the student,
the Field Instructor, and the Faculty Liaison. The following types of activities should be
discussed with either the Faculty Liaison to the agency to determine if these activities should
be assigned to a student:
a. Physical restraint of clients.
b. Transportation of a client in the student’s private car; only if student has insurance.
c. Transportation of a client with a recent history of violent behavior.
d. Treatment of a client with a history of violence.
e. Work in the agency at times when and/or in areas where other staff are not present.
4. The student’s Field Instructor should know, or be able to easily ascertain the student’s
location during fieldwork hours and should discuss with the student any activities that require
special planning with regard to safety.
5. Thorough preparation should be made for student home visits with consideration given to the
following elements:
a. Selection of clients and home environments that are not assessed to be dangerous to the
student.

23
b. Provision of a safe means of transportation, whether by agency vehicle, the student’s car,
or public transportation where such can be judged to be normally safe.
c. Discussion of the neighborhood, including any potentially dangerous areas.
d. Discussion of appropriate risk-reducing behaviors in the neighborhood and in the client’s
home.
e. Clarification of the purpose and development of a specific plan for the visit.
f. Discussion of what to do should the client or anyone else present a threat to the student.
g. Provision of appropriate support and backup. Depending on the situation and the
student’s experience with home visits, this may range from an accompaniment by another
worker or security person to immediate availability of telephone consultation. The
student’s Field Instructor should know when a visit is to take place and at a minimum,
telephone consultation must be available.
h. In some situations, the student should be given permission not to make the home visit.
6. Consideration should be given to the following features pertaining to the agency facilities:
a. Adequate lighting inside and outside the agency.
b. Adequate phone system for signaling emergencies.
c. Arrange office furniture for an easy exit of client and worker.
d. Minimize amount of unescorted traffic within the agency.
If a student is threatened or injured while in placement, or involved in an incident where
his/her safety is or could be compromised, the incident should be reported immediately to
the Faculty Liaison to the agency, to the Field Education Office (706) 542-5419, or to the
Office of the Dean (706) 542-5424.
*Source: University of Michigan School of Social Work Field Manual, 1997.
Criteria for the Selection of Field Instructors
Field Instructors are nominated by the agency and approved by the School to provide
practicum instruction to students. Field Instructors select specific student assignments and
instruct students in the skills necessary to fulfill these assignments in relation to the student’s
course work.
Field Instructors for foundation students should have an M.S.W. However, Field
Instructors with a B.S.W. and several years of human services experience may be approved.
Field Instructors for concentration students must have an M.S.W. and two years post-M.S.W.
human service experience. It is expected that Field Instructors have had formal training and
experience in one of the school’s concentration areas. Typically, the student is assigned to a
Field Instructor on the basis of the student’s major concentration choice. The instruction of
students can be shared between various agency personnel, but the School-appointed Field
Instructor assumes overall responsibility for field instruction.
Field Instructors must be on site and on duty for at least 10 hours per week for foundation
students and 16 hours per week for concentration students. During those periods when Field
Instructor availability is not possible, other qualified staff members must be available for backup
or consultation to the students.
Field Instructors are strongly encouraged to participate in Field Instructor training
provided by the Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University and University of Georgia
Field Education Collaborative. Detailed information about Field Instructor training workshops
will be provided on a regular basis to all agencies that have a student assigned to them.
Persons nominated to be Field Instructors should be members of an agency staff who

show:
1. evidence of competence in the practice of social work.
2. concern for continuing professional development.
3. commitment to the teaching function of social work education.
4. possess the interest in and have the time available for the regular instruction of students.
24

25
Chapter 3 Policies and Procedures
Application into BSW Field Education
Students must first be accepted into the BSW Professional curriculum prior to making
application into BSW Field Education. Once accepted, students meet for an orientation to field
education meeting in mid February. At that meeting student learn more about field education and
begin the process of making application .That application as well as a time is in appendix B.
Student’s educational progress and levels of performance will be tracked from the time of
applying to feel education and at least to the first day of practicum. If the BSW Field Education
Coordinator has any concerns about the student’s performance (e.g. a GPA lower than the
required minimum) then the BSW Field Education Coordinator will meet with the student to
assess whether the student may go forward.
The Field Placement Process
The BSW Field Education Coordinator matches students to School approved field
agencies and instructors based upon the learning needs of the s students, other preferences and
attributes for the students. The aim is to create a goodness of fit to meet the social work learning
needs of the students. Students are not to seek out their own placement agencies or to solicit
from field instructors a placement.
Students are usually informed through a letter, approximately 5-6 weeks after submitting
the field application. At that time, students are expected to research the agency and to prepare fro
the initial interview which the student must schedule with eth field instructor within 3 days after
receiving the placement letter. Suggested ways to prepare for the interview are in a document
located in appendix---If both the student and field instructor regard the match as a good ness of
fit, then the student completes the Field Tracking form (included in the initial letter about the
placement) and returns the Tracking Form to the Field. If the student considers the match not to
be a goodness of fit, then the student must contact the Coordinator of BSW Field to schedule a
meeting. Sometimes field instructors may decide that the student is not a good fit. When that is
the case, the BSW Field Education Coordinator will meet with the student to assess the situation
and make further plans. Thereafter, if a field instructor will not accept a student based upon a
second placement, then the BSW Field Education Coordinator and the Director of Field
Education will discuss the situation to discuss a plan of action, one of which could be to call for
an Academic Review.
At the initial interview, students need to have a clear understanding of their role as an
intern, expectations, and definite starting at ending times for the semester practicum.
Agency Assignment Process for Students with Disabilities
The placement procedures generally apply to students with disabilities. However,
students with disabilities, particularly those with physical impairments and learning disabilities,
are strongly urged to contact the Field Education Coordinator to discuss special considerations
and to help arrange for aids or services that students may need to negotiate the practicum. In
situations where a student is registered with the Office of Disability Services, the BSW Field
Education Coordinator will consult with Student Disability Services personnel as necessary to
arrange appropriate accommodations in the internship.

26
As required by federal and state law and by the University of Georgia policy field
placement as a whole, must be accessible to students with disabilities. This “as a whole”
requirement means that students with disabilities should have the same kinds of educational
opportunities – including field placements in particular kinds of settings – as students without
disabilities. However, given the wide range of disabilities, it is possible that not every placement
site will have the capability to accommodate every student. It may not be feasible, for example,
for a site to accommodate students who use wheelchairs because of the site’s location and
existing architecture, but this same site could easily accommodate students with visual or hearing
impairments. Every effort is made by the BSW Field Education Coordinator to ensure equal
access to practicum opportunities.
Background Checks
Often, a field agency will need to investigate about a students’ possible criminal
background or involvement in any abuse of children, adults, or older adults. Agencies may
perform this check either prior to the start of the practicum or as the practicum begins. The
expenses of the check(s) are borne either by the agency or the student. If an agency does not
accept a student or terminates a student from placement because of the results of the background
check, the agency’s interpretation of the findings, and application, then the student must discuss
the situation with the BSW Field Education Coordinator.
Student Self Disclosures
Students need to be aware that when they participate in any form of internet social
networking, they may be disclosing information about themselves which could possibly have a
negative and perhaps deleterious impact on their personal character and professional
development. Such occurrences often represent a cause for action for the field instructor or the
field agency.
Work Site Practicum and Prior Involvement
BSW students are discouraged from interning at a place employment. Only through
compelling reasons would consideration be given to permitting a field placement at a work site.
If a student desires to pursue the idea of a placement at a current place of employment, then the
following must be considered first.
1. Is the agency an approved field agency by the School
2. Is the field instructor approved by the School
If the above are affirmative, then the student must prepare a document requesting a worksite
placement, which must contain responses to the following items.
1. How will the practicum tasks and responsibilities differ significantly from current ones How
will the new tasks and responsibilities help fulfill the field education learning plan
2. Describe a typical schedule and duties performed.
3. For the proposed field instructor. Please describe your rationale for supporting the student’s
request.

27
The BSW Field Education Coordinator will evaluate the proposal along with student and will
make a determination.
Stipends
Occasionally agencies offer students stipends during their internship. Such an
arrangement will be reviewed by the BSW Field Education Coordinator and faulty field liaison
to ensure that any tasks or other duties attached to the conditions of the stipend do not interfere
with, impede, degrade or conflict with the student learning needs or any other polices contained
in this field education manual, the School of Social Work, or The University of Georgia.
Freedom of Information
Information about a student intern that a Field Instructor shares with the Field Education
Office, Field Education coordinator or faculty Liaison may be shared with the student. Similarly,
students are free, if they wish, to see any forms or notes Field Education Office or Faculty
personnel sometimes maintain on students to assist in planning and developing placements for
them and assigning them to particular placements. All of these forms and notes are destroyed
when students graduate.
Professional Liability Insurance
Students must obtain professional liability insurance coverage prior to beginning their
practicum and must maintain coverage during the span of the practicum.The majority of the
students choose to subscribe to the plan offered through the National Association of Social
Workers (NASW). If students choose this professional liability insurance plan, they must first
become a member of NASW. This process often takes up to three months to complete and it is
advised that student’s begin this during spring semester of their junior year. The Field Office will
furnish an application. Proof of coverage for professional liability insurance must be submitted to
the Field Office prior to starting your practicum. Failure to do so will result in stopping and/or
delaying the start of the practicum and may have other consequences, such as the agency
deciding not to continue with the student. There are no exceptions. Significant delays because of
failure to submit proof of liability overage can delay the practicum and possibly prevent the
student from completing the semester practicum.
Grading
Grading for all BSW Field Education courses is based on the A-F, plus or minus
configurations. Grades are assigned by the faulty liaison. Students must earn a B- or better in all
BSE Field Education courses as stipulated in the BSW Program Handbook. Students who earn
below a B- will be referred for an academic Review in the BSW Program.
Academic Review may be convened by the BSW Program Director. Request for an Academic
Review may be made by the student, faculty liaison, and/or BSW Field Coordinator.

28
Changing Placements and Termination of Field Placement.
A student's practicum may be terminated by the student, field instructor, an agency
administrator, or faculty liaison for any of the following reasons:
Level of student preparation for the practicum.
Although the BSW level student is in training and students are still learning, because of
its nature as a professional program, it is assumed that the student has acquired the competencies
expected for participation in the work-world (e.g., arriving on time, managing one's schedule and
communicating it to others as appropriate, presenting and conducting one's self in a professional
manner--including dress and other aspects of self-presentation as well as engaging in appropriate
interpersonal interactions). For either practica, evidence to the contrary of the above
expectations--given appropriate efforts by the field instructor and faculty liaison to assist the
student in remedying these deficits--will constitute grounds for the agency's withdrawal of the
practicum for that student.
• Student failure to meet the expected standards for ethical professional practice as noted
above in the section, “Professional Ethics.”
• The agency's failure to provide the expected learning experiences and/or appropriate
supervision or to meet any of the other expectations identified in the Memorandum of
Understanding between the agency and the University. (See Appendix).
• Unexpected events in the life of the student or in the agency that jeopardize the quality of
the student's learning experience.
• "Mismatch" between the field instructor and/or agency and the student. Sometimes,
differences in learning or interpersonal styles emerge as the student and field instructor
begin to work together rendering the practicum less than optimally productive for a
student's learning. Such circumstances are rare but they may generate recommendations
for a change in the practicum arrangements.
Any number of the circumstances cited above are not necessarily anyone's fault. In some
instances, termination of the practicum reflects the fact that the practicum is highly successful in
helping the student discover that social work is not what was expected and is not appropriate for
her/him. Sometimes, it is possible for a change to be made in the student's assignment, either to
another unit of the agency or to another agency altogether. This action may necessitate extension
of the student's program and may require a detailed plan to make up any lost hours.
Termination Procedures
Whatever the reasons prompting consideration of practicum termination, the student,
field instructor, faculty field liaison and the BSW Field Coordinator will work as a team to
resolve problems and to come up with appropriate solutions.
Field Instructor Initiated Termination
As soon as the field instructor identifies issues that may place the practicum in jeopardy,
it is incumbent upon the field instructor to discuss, as soon as possible, any such problems with

29
the student and the faculty liaison. The BSW Field Coordinator should also be contacted if the
issue does not appear to be resolved.
If issues cannot be resolved, the field instructor can request termination of the placement.
This request should be provided in written form with the pertinent issues outlined. This is
helpful in reviewing the student’s needs and to assist with future planning.
The faculty liaison will provide a written summary of the termination decision (including
the event(s) prompting the termination and the reasons for it) to the BSW Field Coordinator, and
the BSW Program Director, with a copy to the student.
Activate appropriate "next-steps" with the student, either with the BSW Field Office for
the student's placement in another setting, or with the BSW Program Director for an Academic
Review of the student's standing in the program.
Student Initiated Termination
Some students, for various reasons, may seek approval to leave their placement agency
during their fieldwork experience. Compelling reasons to leave the first internship may result in
some students continuing their fieldwork in another agency, while other students may choose to
withdraw from field and/or the BSW Program altogether. Changing field sites can only be
based on compelling circumstances, and these are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In
addition, the BSW Field Coordinator must approve this change. This procedure often requires
the student to undergo another orientation to an agency and start-up delays are inevitable. Before
any decision regarding a transfer is made, students should:
• Discuss any concerns they have with their field instructor.
• Arrange to see the faculty liaison to discuss the nature of the educational concerns and
the steps already taken to address them with the field instructor.
• Decide with the field instructor and the faculty liaison if the current placement can be
workable for the student.
• Work with the field instructor and liaison, if a transfer is recommended, to develop
termination procedures and a time frame within which the transfer is appropriate and
feasible. Alternative placement within the agency will be considered before those
external to the agency.
• Meet with BSW faculty field liaison to discuss educational objectives and seek guidance.
• Student should arrange for a meeting with BSW Foundation Field Coordinator and
faculty liaison to discuss options around termination. In some cases it may be necessary
for the student to provide a written explanation about this request.
Schedule and Internship Hours
The weekly schedule for all of the practica is established on an individual basis with the
agency in which the student is placed. Schedules are to take into account the needs of the agency,
school, and individual student. Students will, from time to time, extend their clock-hours beyond
the hours allocated to the practicum in order to meet professional responsibilities or obtain access
to special activities. When students have engaged more than the needed weekly clock hours, they
may take "compensatory" time off from their practicum. To assure that the time off will not
disrupt the student's practicum responsibilities; this should be arranged with the approval of the
Field Instructor. All students will remain in their field placement sites throughout the entire

30
semester; i.e., "compensatory time" may not be used to shorten the length of the practicum.
Some practicum sites have incorporated evening and weekend hours in order to respond to the
needs of their clients. However, most agencies still provide the majority of client services during
the typical work week of Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. It is of utmost importance that
students are in agencies when there are maximum opportunities17for interaction with clients and
other professional staff to facilitate student participation in professional decision making and
collaborative work.
Students need to clarify agency expectations for their practicum hours at the time of the
initial interview with the agency. Any excess hours accumulated from fall semester cannot be
rolled over into the spring semester.
Vacations, Holidays, Semester Breaks, other Absences from the Practicum
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and
Thanksgiving week are observed by the University of Georgia and students are expected to be
absent from the practicum on those days. In addition, students may take any holidays observed
by the agency without penalty as long as the student has verified that the clock-hour
requirements of the practicum are not compromised. Students will be excused from practicum if
the University is closed because of inclement weather. Additionally, students will be excused
from practicum for Fall and Spring breaks. It should be noted that students in a school setting
will take their breaks on the school system’s not the university’s schedule. However, the total
number of clock hours for practicum must still be met. It is understood that occasional illness
or other emergency may necessitate absence from the practicum. Students are expected to work
out these arrangements with the Field Instructor; this can usually be accomplished by using
compensatory time that most students build up by putting in extra hours (e.g., for evening hours
or meetings). If the absence is more than a few days, the Faculty Liaison should be notified. In
no instance will arrangements be approved that result in a practicum deficit in the required total
clock hours or the specified time-span.
Occasionally, a class instructor will make special plans for an activity that is not on a
regularly scheduled class day. In such cases, the student and Field Instructor must assess whether
the student can be absent from the practicum at that time, and appropriate plans must be made by
the student for professional attention to agency responsibilities.
Students often have the opportunity to attend professional conferences which may be
scheduled during practicum days. The student must negotiate with the Field Instructor as to
whether or not this time can be applied to their practicum hours. Generally, if the training/
conference is compatible with the field agency’s mission and responsibilities, the hours could be
counted as practicum hours. The student must negotiate these requests early enough to arrange
for coverage as needed.
In all instances where a student is absent from the Field, the agency must be notified of
the absence at the earliest possible time in order to arrange for coverage. Absences from the
Field are allowable for good and compelling reasons. However, absences must be made up
before a grade can be earned for that semester.
It is anticipated that students who need to make up absences from the Field will typically
be able to do so during the final week of the semester, which is designated as the exam/paper
period on the academic calendar. However, there may be circumstances in which a student is
absent for good and compelling reasons from the Field for such an extended period of time that

31
the absences cannot be made up in the semester in which they occurred. In such a case, if a plan
is approved by the Field Instructor and the Faculty Liaison to make up the absences in a
subsequent semester, then the grade of I (Incomplete) will be entered by the Faculty Liaison and
removed once the absences are made up.
In situations in which a student is absent for good and compelling reasons from the Field
for such an extended period of time that the absences cannot be made up in the semester, then if
a plan can be approved by the Field Instructor and the Faculty Liaison to make up the absences
in a subsequent semester, then the grade of I (Incomplete) will be entered by the Faculty Liaison
and removed once the absences are made up.
Student Continuation in the Practicum and/or With Clients
Occasionally, agencies seek to employ a student with whom they have worked in the
practicum. Should that situation arise while the student is still in the practicum, the student and
the field instructor must bring that to the attention of the School by discussing those
arrangements with the faculty liaison and BSW Foundation Field Coordinator. In such instances,
the faculty liaison will assure that the necessary safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of
the learning experience of the student. Should the point of employment be after the termination
of the practicum, no special arrangements will need to be made.
Following the end of a student's practicum, it is strongly recommended that the student
not continue to provide service in the agency as a volunteer. Only in response to a request by the
agency, and only in rare circumstances even then, should a student ever plan to continue to
render professional services to a client to whom he/she was assigned as part of the practicum.
Under no circumstances should a student continue to work with clients initiated during
their practicum and not be under the auspice of the agency. Continuation of service to clients
after the completion of the practicum, unless specifically requested to do so by the agency, will
be considered a breach of professional social work ethics.
Safety
The safety of students in practicum is of prime importance to the School and to field
agencies. It is imperative that students feel safe in order to carry out their responsibilities in the
field. If safety concerns arise for a student, it is important that the student discuss these safety
concerns with their field instructor. If, after gathering information to realistically assess the
situation and to learn how to provide appropriate protection, the student still does not feel safe in
order to carry out assignments, s/he is encouraged to renegotiate those assignments with the help
of the field instructor. When appropriate, s/he should also consult the faculty liaison for
assistance.
Sexual Harassment
The University of Georgia is committed to providing a professional working environment
that is free of sexual harassment. The sexual harassment policy extends to field work and can be
found in the BSW Program Handbook, as well as posted in various locations throughout Tucker
Hall. The School of Social Work will not condone harassment in any form and may take action

32
against any agency or field instructor who violates this policy.
Student Use of Automobiles
Social work practice often requires students to transport to facilities outside the location
of the agency. Some agencies provide reimbursement for student use of their own cars and
insurance coverage for that activity in carrying out an agency assignment. Some agencies have
their own fleet of automobiles for which the student may qualify as a driver if they are to have
assignments requiring home visits or some other trip requiring the use of an automobile. Many
other agencies do not have these resources available. These issues should be clarified in the
Confirmation Interview with the agency prior to the beginning of the practicum. In any event,
students cannot be required to transport clients in their automobiles. If they choose to do so, they
should be sure that their insurance carrier will cover them or that the agency has provided for
their insurance coverage in case of an automobile accident. Otherwise, students do so at their
own risk.
Policy Conflicts
Should conflicts arise between agency and School practicum policies, the field instructor
and/or the student should immediately notify the faculty liaison and/or the BSW Foundation
Field Coordinator, who will endeavor to work out a solution that is satisfactory to both the
agency and the School. No alternative policy may be established which conflicts with the
Memorandum of Understanding established between the University and the Agency.
Grade of Incomplete
Students will not be allowed to carry a grade of Incomplete or "I" for social work courses
into their practicum. Thus, all "I's" must be completed by the beginning of the semester in which
the student is scheduled to enter practicum. Failure to complete full responsibilities for course
work will delay a student's progression in field education.
Course Sequencing Modifications
BSW Field Education cannot be taken on a part time basis .Other modifications, which
do not conflict with BSW Program, UGA, and School of Social Work policies can be made only
under strongly compelling reasons and situations. Modifications must be approved by the BSW
Field Education Director, the BSW Program Director, the student’s advisor, and the Director of
Field Education.

33
.
Appendices

34
Required Pre-Professional Courses
SOWK 2154
SOWK 2154L
SOWK 2155
SOWK 2156
CHFD 2100
SOCI 1101 or 2600
ECON 2105 or HACE 2100
PSYC 1101
PSYC 2101 or 3230
BIOL 1103
BIOL 1103L
STAT 2000
Foreign Language through 2001 or above
(or American Sign Language)
Required Professional Courses
Spring and/or Summer
SOWK 5340
SOWK 5524
Fall
SOWK 5326
SOWK 5534
SOWK 5757
SOWK 5835
SOWK 5836
Spring
SOWK 5544
SOWK 5701
SOWK 5767
SOWK 5845
SOWK 5846
Appendix A
BSW Curriculum

Students may consult the UGA Bulletin for amore detailed information regarding the UGA Core
Curriculum and the BSW Curriculum. That information is available at this link:
http://bulletin.uga.edu/MajorsGeneral.aspxMajorId=143
35

36
Appendix B
BSW Field Education Application
Demographics
Date _____________________________________________________________
Name _____________________________________________________________
Email _____________________________________________________________
Telephone ________________________________________________________
Mailing Address ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Eligibilities
Is your overall GPA a 2.5 or higher
▫Yes ▫No
Have you or will you have completed all pre-professional courses (including
foreign languages) prior to the beginning of fall semester
▫Yes ▫No
Have you made application to the professional BSW curriculum and program
▫Yes ▫No
Are you able and willing to abide by the NASW Code of Ethics ▫Yes ▫No
Other
Do you have a car
Are you applying to the Public Child Welfare Title IV-E Program
Do you fluently speak a language other than English
What language
▫Yes ▫No
▫Yes ▫No
▫Yes ▫No

37
Preferences
Listed below are preferences which should be rank ordered.
Please rank only three.
Geographic
□ Athens
□ Atlanta and Surrounding Counties
□ Barrow, Jackson, Walton, Greene, Madison, Monroe
□ Oconee, Hart, Elbert, Oglethorpe
□ Other ____________
Clients
□ Young Children
□ Middle Age Children
□ Adolescents
□ Adults
□ Older Adults
Setting
□ Residential
□ School
□ Nursing Home
□ Juvenile Justice
□ Public Child Welfare
□ Medical (limited)
□ Hospice
□ Crisis Intervention
□ Disability Services
□ Mental Health
Narrative
Describe your motivation to help others.
Describe the three most important attributes of a professional social worker.
Describe what you hope to achieve during your internship.
Describe what you desire to achieve directly from your field instructor.
Provide a brief analytical paragraph on your abilities to be self directed, a problem
solver, and a conflict resolver.
__________________________________________________________________
Jeff Skinner, Coordinator of BSW Field Education
706-542-5474,jskinn@uga.edu

38
This is a sample of the placement process time lines.
2009 BSW Field Education Placement Instructions, Deadlines, and Timelines
1. Field Application.
Submit the field application (on line & instructions included elsewhere) no later than
4pm on Tuesday, March 3 rd . Instructions for the online field application are included in the
orientation packet. Your resume and the confidential sheet of the field application need to be
submitted in hard copy to Ms.Cindy Roberts, Room 103, Tucker Hall, by 4pm on Tuesday,
March 3rd. On the confidential page, if you will be on study abroad, please give the date you
leave from campus and the date you return to campus. Also, if you are applying for the Title IVE
child welfare stipend, please note this on your confidential page. If you are not applying for the
stipend and wish to be considered for a field placement in a DFACS county, please note this on
the confidential page.
2. NASW and Liability Insurance.
Complete the hard copy of the Home Assurance Application for Professional Liability
Coverage (included in orientation packet) and mail it on May 1, 2009. (It usually takes 4-6
weeks to process the application). Make sure you track any unusual problems with your
liability insurance application. If you do not hear back from the insurance company by June 15 th ,
please contact them for a follow up. You must have professional liability coverage to begin your
field education. There are no exceptions and failure to comply will result in the administrative
withdrawal from field education. Once you have received your policy, please make a copy and
give it to Ms. Roberts in room 103.
3. Matching.
The matching and selecting process of student’s assigned agency will take place between
March 10 th and March 31.
4. Notification.
Notification to the student of the assigned field placement will arrive at the student’s
mailing address, as indicated on the field application, during the week of March 31 st .Some
agency information is available for students to view in room 101 in Tucker Hall. Please research
you assigned agency (like googling the agency name) in order that you can be informed of the
agency, its programs, etc. during your interview with the field instructor. Field instructors will be
expecting questions from you, so please prepare several questions for the field instructor. Those
questions can be about your assigned tasks, the method and mode of supervision, the expected
case load for an intern, unique learning opportunities, etc.
5. Interview with Agency and Field Instructor.
Students are to contact the field supervisor, as referenced in the notification of
assignment letter, within five days after the notification letter has arrived. (Field instructors will
be expecting your call.) Contact the field instructor to arrange an interview to confirm there is
goodness of fit among you, the field instructor, and the agency. If so, complete on the spot
during that interview the field confirmation tracking form (included in your notification letter)
and return to Ms.Cindy Roberts in the Field Education Office. The interview field tracking and
confirmation of placement form is to be returned to the Field Education Office no later than

39
June 12th, 2009. Please read the article about preparing for the interview and please
research the agency prior to the interview. Please note that some field agencies may require a
criminal background check and or a drug screen at the expense of the student.
6. Liability Insurance.
A copy of your certificate of professional liability insurance must be turned into
Ms.Roberts by August 14 th , 2009. Failure to do so will cause a delay and disruption to your
internship at the field agency. A student cannot enter their field agency unless proof of coverage
is submitted.
7. Reporting Date and Field Preparation Workshop.
Your report date to the field agency will be Tuesday, August 18 th unless you have
arranged with your supervisor and field faculty to begin a few days earlier. You will have your
first field practicum seminar on Wednesday, August 19 th . All students will be required to attend a
pre-field entry orientation, workshop, and training event from 9:00am to noon on Monday,
August 17 th on campus.
8. SOWK 5835 and SOWK 5836.
SOWK 5835 is a six hour credit course, which is your actual work in the agency. SOWK
5836 is a field integrative seminar, which is a two hour credit course. Professor Skinner will
assign students to the SOWK 5836 seminar based upon a number of reasons. During registration,
students may use any section of the SOWK 5835 and SOWK 5836 in order to complete
registration. The date and times for the seminar do not conflict with other SOWK courses.
SOWK 5835 and SOWK 5836 have the same instructor. Please see the following link to view
the syllabi: http://www.ssw.uga.edu/social/index.phpTabID=319

40
Appendix C
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
SOWK 5835: Practicum in Social Work I
BSW Program Field Education
PLEASE NOTE: The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to
the class by the instructor may be necessary.
Course Description
Students will intern a minimum of 20 hours per week, for at least 14 weeks, at an
approved field agency as their first field practicum experience under direct supervision from an
approved field instructor and instruction from the faculty liaison. Students will practice
generalist social work skills and apply their knowledge and professional values. Through the
learning experiences and adherence to the BSW Field Education Manual, students assume and
reflect upon their emerging professional social work practice and ideas.
Course Objectives
Students will achieve course objectives though addressing the following:
1. To establish an effective supervisory relationship with the field instructor and to explore,
with initiative, additional agency resources and orientations necessary to function as BSW
social work intern.
PB: 2.1.1F
2. To demonstrate an awareness and application of agency policies in work with clients, within
the organizational structure and to view the community context of practice within emerging
societal trends.
PB: 2.1.9
3. To understand to demonstrate, and to identify as a social worker the role and tasks of the
professional social worker intern in the agency and to advocate for clients.
PB: 2.1.1A
4. To demonstrate professional behavior and attitude and to apply the NASW Code of Ethics to
clear and ambiguous practice situations through strategic ethical reasoning.
PB’s: 2.1.2B, 2.1.2C, 2.1.2D
5. To assess, intervene, and evaluate, in a collaboratively designed solving process, at the
micro, mezzo, and macro systems by effectively implementing social work interviewing and
relationship building skills and to demonstrate professional communication at the spoken and
written levels.
PB’s: 2.1.3C,2.1.10(a)A,B,C; 2.1.10(b)A,B,C,D; 2.1.10(c)A,B,C,D.

41
6. To begin to assume case responsibilities in consultation with the field instructor, and to
demonstrate beginning social work competencies with actual responsibilities through the
blending of personal and professional use of self guided by professional values.
PB: 2.1.2A
7. To demonstrate self awareness in order to reduce personal biases in working with clients, to
be open learning from clients who are different, and to appreciate the significance of the
differences.
PB’s:2.1.4B, 2.1.4C, 2.1.4D
ADA Statement
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), the University of Georgia,
School of Social Work seeks to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities. Students
who have a disability and need specific accommodations and support to facilitate full inclusion
of all aspects of the course should make an appointment with the instructor during the first week
of the term. To register for services, students may contact Disability Services located in Clark
Howell Hall (706-542-8719, TTY 706-542-8778, www.dissvcs.uga.edu).
Academic Honesty
All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.”
Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any
academic work. The link to more detailed information about academic honesty can be found at:
http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm
Ethics and Confidentiality
The NASW Code of Ethics is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional
conduct of social workers. You are expected to be familiar with its contents. The Code can be
found online at: http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp. The importance of
confidentiality cannot be overstated. In written assignments, as well as oral discussions and
presentations, guidelines regarding confidentiality (as expressed in the NASW Code of Ethics)
are to be strictly observed.
Policies, Expectations, and Course Requirements
Students are to meet the expectations of their agency field instructor inclusive of times to
report and times to leave the field agency, holidays, etc. Field agencies are expected to honor the
UGA academic calendar. Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally with
integrity. Additionally, students are expected to seek advice and consultation from their field
instructor when they may have questions or concerns about agency policy and expectations of
performance. Students are to consult the faculty field liaison, who is also the instructor of this
course, about any issues they have with the field placement or field instructor. Students must
complete at least 280 clock hours of field internship as documented on the time sheet.
Violations of the NASW professional code of conduct can result from a grade of F, to a
plan for remediation, to a withdrawal or to a request for an academic review, among other

42
options. Successful completion of the internship requires utilizing, ongoing reliable feedback
from both the agency field instructor and faculty liaison about the student’s performance. Thus,
students are expected to begin self reflection, self evaluation, self correction, and to demonstrate
full engagement in pursuing the course objectives…all through openness to supervision.
Accordingly, the instructor will provide an estimate of the course grade as it is reflected at the
mid term point and at a few weeks prior to the end of the semester, and of course at the end of
the semester.
Student Evaluation
Students will be evaluated according to the following assignments and compliance to the
above policies and expectations. Significant non compliance to the above can result in the
lowering of one to several letter grades for the course .The final grade of the course reflects the
input and evaluation from the field instructor.
1. Field Education Learning Plan: Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. (Please submit this
document to the field faculty liaison for approval.)
2. Mid Term Evaluation: Objectives 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
3. Final Evaluation: Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4,5,6,7
4. Completed Time Sheet Indicating Fulfillment of 280 clock hours of interning.
5. Compliance to Policies, Expectations, and Course Requirements
Due Dates and Numerical Grade Computation for Course Requirements
COURSE REQUIREMENTS DUE DATE Approximate% OF grade
1. Field Education Learning Plan Weeks 2- 3 20
2. Mid Term Evaluation Weeks 7-9 20
3. Final Evaluation Weeks 14-15 50
4. Completed Time Sheet Week 15 10
5. Compliance ongoing Can deduct points to the above as
determined by the instructor
Taking the numerical score from the formula above and converting it to the appropriate letter
grade from the chart determines the student’s letter grading for the course.
Letter
Grade
Numerical
Score
A 94-100%
A- 90-93%
B+ 87-89%
B 84-86%
B- 80-83%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%

43
D 65-69%
F 64 & below
I Incomplete
The grade from the chart determines the student’s letter grade for the course.
Course Outline
Students will report to their assigned field placement agency by August 18, 2009 to begin
orientation to their internships. Thereafter, students are expected to follow and meet the
expectations as established by the field instructor. The internship stops on December 8 th , 2009
and resumes on January 7 th , 2010 unless negotiated differently with the field instructor and
approved by the faculty field liaison. The faculty field liaison will make two on site visits to meet
with the student and field instructor.

44
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
SOWK 5845: Practicum in Social Work II
BSW Program Field Education
Course Description
Students will continue (from fall semester) to intern a minimum of 20 hours per week
during spring semester at an approved field agency under direct supervision from an approved
field instructor and instruction from the faculty liaison. Students will demonstrate continued
progress in generalist social work skills, build upon their achievements in mastering practice
behaviors, demonstrate gradual autonomy in practice, and identify gaps in skills and solutions to
skill gaps. Through this social work field education learning experience and adherence to the
BSW Field Education Manual, students assume and reflect upon their emerging professional
social work identity.
Course Objectives
Students will achieve course objectives through addressing the following:
1. To assume greater responsibilities for case work as commensurate with levels of
acquired social work skills competencies and to analyze, recognize, and respond with
some leadership to the contexts that shape practice.
2. To apply critical thinking skills, differentiate and analyze the theories of human
behavior and the environment, to analyze assessments and intervention plans and to
evaluate those in order to identify alternative practice approaches.
3. To recognize barriers to services and resources on behalf of clients and to seek to
decrease the impact of oppression and marginalization which inhibit the client’s
access and utilization to opportunities and environmental resources.
4. To identify and articulate social policies which impact upon the agency, its service
delivery upon the client and to advance human rights and economic and social justice
and to advocate for policies which promote social well being.
5. To apply empirically driven research findings which underpin practice and to utilize
practice based evidence which informs theory and empirical research.
6. To demonstrate effective use of supervision and the identification of additional skills
and competencies.
7. To exercise professional self reflection about levels of practice skills and to plan or
career long learning.

45
ADA Statement
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), the University of Georgia,
School of Social Work seeks to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities. Students
who have a disability and need specific accommodations and support to facilitate full inclusion
of all aspects of the course should make an appointment with the instructor during the first week
of the term. To register for services, students may contact Disability Services located in Clark
Howell Hall (706-542-8719, TTY 706-542-8778, www.dissvcs.uga.edu).
Academic Honesty
All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.”
Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any
academic work. The link to more detailed information about academic honesty can be found at:
http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm
Ethics and Confidentiality
The NASW Code of Ethics is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional
conduct of social workers. You are expected to be familiar with its contents. The Code can be
found online at: http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp. The importance of
confidentiality cannot be overstated. In written assignments, as well as oral discussions and
presentations, guidelines regarding confidentiality (as expressed in the NASW Code of Ethics)
are to be strictly observed.
Policies, Expectations, and Course Requirements
Students are to meet the expectations of their agency field instructors inclusive of times
to report and times to leave the field agency, holidays, etc. Field agencies are expected to honor
the UGA academic calendar. Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally with
integrity. Additionally, students are expected to seek advice and consultation from their field
instructor when they may have questions or concerns about agency policy and expectations of
performance. Students are to consult the faculty field liaison, who is also the instructor of this
course, about any issues they have with the field placement or field instructor. Students must
complete at least 280 clock hours of field internship as documented on the time sheet.
Violations of the professional code of conduct can result from a grade of F, to a plan for
remediation, to a withdrawal or to a request for an academic review, among other options.
Successful completion of the internship requires utilizing, ongoing reliable feedback from both
the agency field instructor and faculty liaison about the student’s performance. Thus, students are
expected to begin self reflection, self evaluation, self correction, and to demonstrate full
engagement in pursuing the course objectives…all through openness to supervision.
Accordingly, the instructor will provide an estimate of the course grade as it is reflected at the
mid term point and at a few weeks prior to the end of the semester, and of course at the end of
the semester.
Student Evaluation
Students will be evaluated according to the following assignments and compliance to the
above policies and expectations. Significant non compliance to the above can result in the

46
lowering of one to several letter grades for the course .The final grade of the course reflects the
input and evaluation from the field instructor. Please note that the forms and documents for
items, 1, 2, 3, and 4 below are attached to this syllabus in the appendix.
1. Field Education Learning Plan *(Please see instructional note below.)
2. Mid Term Evaluation
3. Final Evaluation
4. Completed Time Sheet Indicating Fulfillment of 280 clock hours of interning.
5. Compliance to Policies, Expectations, and Course Requirement
* Instructional Note:
Review the fall field education learning plan and the end of the fall semester field
education student evaluation plan for areas which need additional work and focus during spring
semester. Pay close addition to the practice areas about organizations and communities,
community context of practice, evaluating practice, economic and social justice, evaluation of
practice and social policies. Most of these areas correspond to the subjects and topics of the
spring semester BSW courses. The following are helpful questions designed to assist the student
in re formulating the spring semester learning plan. As during the fall semester, once you and
your field instructor have completed the spring semester learning plan, please submit it to the
field faculty liaison for approval.
What areas need improvement or refinement
What areas of last semester’s learning plan were not fully addressed due to the unique needs of
the agency and internship How can they be addressed now
What do I want to learn now that I did not have the opportunity during fall semester
What tasks can I do independently and would like to continue to do
Due Dates and Numerical Grade Computation for Course Requirements
COURSE REQUIREMENTS DUE DATE Approximate% OF grade
1. Field Education Learning Plan Week 2- 3 20
2. Mid Term Evaluation Week 7-9 20
3. Final Evaluation Week 14-15 50
4. Completed Time Sheet Week 15 10
5. Compliance ongoing Can deduct points to the
above as determined by the
instructor

47
Taking the numerical score from the formula above and converting it to the appropriate letter
grade from the chart determines the student’s letter grading for the course.
Letter
Grade
Numerical
Score
A 94-100%
A- 90-93%
B+ 87-89%
B 84-86%
B- 80-83%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D 65-69%
F 64 & below
I Incomplete
The grade from the chart determines the student’s letter grade for the course.

48
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
SOWK 5836: Integrative Seminar I in Generalist Social Work Practice
BSW Program Field Education
PLEASE NOTE: The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to
the class by the instructor may be necessary.
__________________________________________________________________________
Course description
The primary goal of this integrative seminar is to facilitate students to utilize the process
of increasing self-awareness and reflection as a tool for practice while attempting to integrate
their experience with their concurrent classes and agency field experiences. The seminar aims to
promote the student’s professional social work identity and emerging practice competencies at
the BSW level while integrating theory with practice.
Course Objectives
Students will achieve the following course objectives:
1. Communicate effectively by organizing information clearly in spoken and written form.
2. Develop self awareness and an emerging social work identity in terms of knowledge of
own strengths and weaknesses, reactions to authority, conflict and stress, and manage
personal values by allowing professional values to guide practice.
3. Demonstrate beginning skills and knowledge in applied psychosocial assessments,
collaborative goal setting, intervention, and outcome evaluation.
4. Demonstrate awareness of and control of prejudices, biases, and stereotypes when
working with people.
5. Demonstrate abilities to recognize and relate to individual differences in interactions with
clients.
6. Develop an awareness of oppression, diversity and issues of injustice as related to client
casework.
7. Analyze resources, strengths, and constraints of a client system.
8. Identify strengths, capabilities and evaluate anticipated outcomes.

49
ADA Statement
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), the University Of Georgia
School Of Social Work seeks to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities. Students
who have a disability and need specific accommodations and supports to facilitate full inclusion
of all aspects of the course should make an appointment with the instructor during the first week
of the term. To register for services, students may go to Disability Services located in Clark
Howell Hall (542-8719, TTY 542-8778, www.dissvcs.uga.edu).
Academic Honesty
In all academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.”
Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any
academic work. The link to more detailed information about academic honesty can be found at:
http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm
Textbook and Readings
BSW Field Manual, University of Georgia (2004).
Articles, case studies and other handouts as provided by the instructor.
Professional Conduct and Confidentiality
A salient issue for students during practice is respecting the confidentiality of clients,
client records, and activities that occur while in field. These can include interactions with agency
staff and the student’s field instructor. Consequently, it is expected that students adhere to the
NASW Code of Ethics in regards professional and ethical conduct. Students are to respect client
and agency confidentiality in their written course assignments by refraining from the use of
actual names or identifying information in regard to their clients.
Although the internship agency is a site for student learning, the clients who receive
agency services are bringing real world issues to you as a social work intern. Often, our clients
provide us with painful information about themselves or in a vulnerable status. As such, your
interactions with them need to adhere to the guidelines of professional practice set out through
the NASW code of ethics. [If you do not have a copy, you can download from this web site:
http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp]. Please review the content of the Code of Ethics as
you begin your practicum, and especially Section 1.07 (confidentiality) for the purpose of our
seminar.
While it is expected that you will share information about your experience at the agency,
it is imperative that you become accustomed to disguising case information. In this seminar, it is
my expectation that you will not share information about a client in a way that others can easily
identify the individual or family. In order to disguise case information, please determine how
you can change information about your clients including:
• First and last names in reasonable way. For example, Jane Doe would become Ms. M or
Paula Jones. June Deer is not a good selection.
• Ages. If necessary to understand the situation, for example with children for
development understanding, use a descriptor instead of an actual year. For example, a 17
year old would be termed a late adolescent.

50
• Residence. Never use street names/addresses. If possible, use descriptive information.
Residing in Decatur Georgia, for example, would be Metro Atlanta.
• Physical distinctions. Characteristics that would easily distinguish someone should be
changed. For example, having only one leg could be described as major mobility
impairment.
• Other characteristics that provide a reasonable possibility of identification. Think about
other aspects of your client that would give a “reasonable person” enough information to
accurately identify your client.
As BSW level social workers, you are encouraged to consider this issue in a deliberate
and prudent manner. That is, when preparing assignments for seminar, considering information
that is shared in your field evaluation sessions with me, and asking spontaneous questions or
offering comments in seminar, each of you will remember the importance of client
confidentiality. In addition, each of you must speak with your field instructor about how client
confidentiality will be handled from the agency’s perspective, including how case information
from the agency can be shared within the classroom!
As students, however, mistakes will be made on occasion. In situations where
confidential information is not sufficiently changed to protect identity, I would expect that all of
us will be patient and compassionate with each other. If anyone has a concern about
confidentiality being compromised or breached, please come and speak with me about the issue
as an initial step in handling the situation.
Policies, Expectations, and Course Requirements
1. Self - Awareness and Professional Growth Paper
Please follow the instructions and outline exactly as described below.
The purpose of this paper is to promote substantial student reflection upon their growth
and development during the first semester of their field education. Through deeper reflections,
self evaluations, and observations, the student will articulate at a more sophisticated and
informed level their development as a generalist social work practioner.
Please write an eight to ten page paper addressing each of the areas as described below. Please
use APA formatting and draw upon course materials and other materials which will enrich your
expressions. Please note the importance of how you are developing as a professional generalist
social worker and refer to materials, information, criteria, and other kinds of evidences which
support your growth and development.
A. Integrating Theory and Practice
Address how you utilize theory to inform your practice. You may draw upon social work
courses and other pertinent pre professional courses. Please provide a few specifics.
B. Professional Ethics
Address how the NASW Code of Ethics assists you in evaluating ethically charged
situations with you and your clients and also with you and your assigned agency. Additionally,
give one example in which you applied a guideline in the NASW Code of Ethics to inform your
decision making with a client.

51
C. Multicultural Competencies
Address how you have implemented your knowledge and sensitives in multicultural
practice. Pay attention to the specific relational aspects of differences between you and your
client. Address your levels of competency and when you consider how differences between you
and your clients really make a difference.
D. Skill Development
Trace your development in interviewing skills from September to the present time.
Highlight areas of achievement, areas needing further attention, and times when you may have
felt “de-skilled.”
E. Blending the Professional and Personal Use of Self
Address the emotional highs and lows of your experiences at your agency as related to
your levels of confidence. Address what you consider to be the ways in which you are beginning
to use “yourself” to accomplish the professional implementation of achieving client goals.
Describe what it is like for you to work with your clients. Cite three areas of improvement you
will work on during spring semester.
F. Overall Assessment of Practicum Experiences
Conclude by providing your assessment of what the practicum experience has meant to
you so far. Describe the most important aspects of the practicum for you and where you see your
strengths. You may wish to refer to the assignment “Student Assessment of Readiness to Enter
Field Practicum.
2. Participation
Participation includes thoughtful questions and appropriate contributions to class.
It is expected that students will have completed reading assignments. Further, since
the class is a seminar, it is expected that students be able to discuss completed class
readings and bring questions to class to further discussion. Due to this class
being conducted as a seminar, attendance will be taken and is necessary. Plan to
attend all classes and to arrive on time, attendance will be taken at the beginning of
class. Students who arrive after attendance is taken will not be counted in the daily roll.
Please note that more than two absences will result in the decrease of the
student's final letter grade for the course by one whole letter and the subsequent.
Doctor’s notes will be accepted to excuse absences, however dates must match
dates absent from class and student must make-up any class material. Any other absences that
reflect a student crisis such as emergencies etc. need to be verified through the Office of Student
Affairs, Dr. Richard Rose (Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs) or Ms. Linda Edge (in
the Office of Student Affairs - 201 Holmes-Hunter Academic Building; 542-3564) before
absences are deemed excused.
3. Process Recording (please see forms in the BSW Field Manual.)
The major purposes of process recording are the following:

a) To structure thinking about professional practice–whether clinical, community
organization, group work, or social administration.
b) To begin to conceptualize what happens in the transactions between the social work
and the client systems.
c) To heighten your awareness of yourself in action and as part of the transaction.
d) To separate facts from judgments.
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Outlined below is a description of the assignment which should be followed exactly.
I. Presenting problem/situation or background relevant to intervention.
II. Purpose and objective for transaction (interview, meeting, conference, etc.)
III. Description of the transaction(s) - Content and Reaction on the form.
A. Recording factual occurrences. Record what actually took place how the
meeting or interview began, what was done and said (including by you),
omit feelings and judgments about these actions.
B. Record observations about the client system, yourself in action, the
environment.
C. Describe the feeling content or tone of the transaction(s), on the part of
both the client and yourself.
IV. Skills used
V. Analysis
A. How do you understand the client(s) system’s situation and behavior
B. Briefly characterize your role(s) in the transaction.
C. Identify any techniques you used in the transactions. Which interventions
were useful and which were not
D. Explain - Why you did or did not achieve your objectives.
VI. Plan/Contract for future intervention
A. What have you and client system decided to work on at this point
B. Indicate next steps as you see them.
4. Case Presentation
Each student will present a case they are actively servicing. The presentation should last
about 35 minutes, which includes time for group consultation and discussion. Additional
information will be given during class.
Outline for Case Presentation
The purpose of this exercise is to allow the student an opportunity to practice professional
social work presentations among their peers. This exercise will also give the student an
opportunity to receive feedback about their assessment and service plan for their client. The total
presentation should be 30 minutes (including discussion).The instructor will facilitate the
discussion and when needed will prompt the presenter.
Pre planning: make certain that what you present is relevant, organized, and that you do
not become stuck on details and minutia. Helpful hint: stay organized and do not worry that you
have to anticipate answering millions of questions form classmates; the amount of information,
the depth of client engagement, the purpose of the agency and the continuity with the client will
influence your case presentation…don’t worry about this as agencies vary on how well they must

know they client to serve the client effectively. What counts is that you are comprehensive,
professional, and clear. Please follow the below outline precisely.
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A. Formulate three specific questions, issues or help you will need from the class. Present
these questions at the beginning of the case presentation. We will discuss this as a team
of peer professionals at the end.
B. Present non-identifying data about the client and or system. Use a genogram or ecomap if
you believe this will be helpful. The class may ask questions to clarify anything after this
piece is presented. Otherwise, questions should only be asked after the student has
completed their presentation. This allows the presenter to have continuity and stay on
task.
C. Describe the presenting problem and or need(s).
D. Provide a brief past history relevant to the presenting problem and or need. You may
provide a handout of a genogram and /or ecomap.
E. Provide a long-term history, if indicated.
F. Present your psychosocial assessment of the client…be comprehensive. Link two theories
of human behavior and social environment which apply to the case. (major piece)
G. Present you service plan; include goals and means to achieve the goals and also how you
will measure attainment of goals. (major piece).
H. Speculate about any barriers which may interfere with effective service plan outcomes
and describe the client worker relationship.
I. Describe what it is like for you to be working with this client. Pay attention to the
feelings you have about the client and your sense of competency.
J. Address three psychosocial theories which help describe and guide your practice with
your case.
Student Evaluation
Assignments
1. Self Awareness and Personal Growth Paper. Objectives 2,4,5,6
2. Participation. Objectives 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
3. Process Recording. Objectives 1,2,3,4,8
4. Case Presentation. Objectives 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
5. Preparation for Field Internship Paper. Objective 2

Due Dates and Numerical Grade Computation for Course Requirements
54
COURSE REQUIREMENTS DUE DATE Approximate% OF
grade
1. Self Awareness and Personal Growth Week 15 30
Paper
2. Participation ongoing 05
3. Process Recording Weeks 12-14 30
4. Case Presentation Weeks 7-14 30
5. Preparation for Field Internship Paper Weeks 2-3 05
Taking the numerical score from the formula above and converting it to the appropriate letter
grade from the chart determines the student’s letter grading for the course.
Letter
Grade
Numerical
Score
A 94-100%
A- 90-93%
B+ 87-89%
B 84-86%
B- 80-83%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D 65-69%
F 64 & below
I Incomplete
The grade from the chart determines the student’s letter grade for the course.

55
Bibliography
Congress, E. (Spring, 2000). What social workers should know about ethics: Understanding and
resolving practice dilemmas. Advances in Social Work, 1(1), 1-25.
Crisp, B., & Cooper, L. (1998). The content of supervision scale: An instrument to screen the
suitability of prospective supervisors of social work student’s practicums. Journal of Teaching
in Social Work, 17(½), 201-211.
Danis, F. S. (2003). The criminalization of domestic violence: What social workers need to know.
Social Work, 48(2), 237-246.
Graybeal, C. T., & Ruff, E. (1995). Process recording: It’s more than you think. Journal of Social
Work Education, 31(2), 169-181.
Hopps, J., Pinderhughes, E., & Shankar, R. (1995). The power to care: Clinical practice effectiveness
with overwhelmed clients. New York: The Free Press.
King, M. L., Jr. (1998). The autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (C. Carson, Ed.). New York:
Warner Books.
Ligon, J., & Ward, J. (2005). A national study of the field liaison role in social work education
programs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Social Work Education, 24(2), 235-243.
Loewenberg, F. M. & Dolgoff, R. (1996). Ethical decisions for social work practice (5 th ed.). Itasca,
IL: F. E. Peacock Publishers, Inc.
Miller, S. D., Duncan, B. L., & Hubble, M. A. (1997). On the shoulders of Carl Rogers: The
contribution of the therapeutic relationship to treatment outcome. In Escape from Babel:
Toward a unifying language for psychotherapy practice (pp. 81-121). New York: Norton.
National Association of Social Workers (n.d.). Issue fact sheets: Diversity and cultural
competence.RetrievedAugust12,
2006,from
http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/features/issue/diversity.asp.
National Association of Social Workers. (1999). Code of ethics. Washington, DC: NASW.
Nichols, M., & Cheers, J. (1980). Evaluation of Practicum. Contemporary Social Work Education,
3(1), 54-71.
O’Hare, T. (1996). Court-ordered versus voluntary clients: Problem differences and readiness for
change. Social Work, 41(4), 417-422.
Raphael, F., & Rosenblum, A.F. (1987). An operational guide to the faculty field liaison role. Social
Casework: The Journal of Contemporary Social Work, 68(3), 156-163.
Sheafor, B. W., & Jenkins, L. E. (1982). Quality field instruction in social work: Program
development and maintenance. New York: Longman, Inc.

Steen, J. A. (2006). The roots of human rights advocacy and a call to action. Social Work, 51(2), 101-
105.
Undergraduate BSW Program Field Manual for Students and Field Instructors (2004). University of
Georgia Field Office.
56

57
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Program Field Education
SOWK 5846: Integrative Seminar II in Generalist Social Work Practice
_____________________________________________________________________
Nature of the Course
The primary goal of this second integrative seminar is fostering students to utilize the process
of increasing self-awareness and reflection as a tool for practice while attempting to integrate content
with their concurrent classes with agency field experiences.
The seminar aims to promote and to increase the student’s professional social work identity and
emerging practice competencies at the BSW level while integrating theory with practice. Emphasis
will be placed on achieving a more complex integration of theory with practice and on critical
evaluation of practice. The student earns two hours credit by successfully completing course
requirements in the weekly one hour and fifteen minutes seminar.
Course Objectives
Students will achieve course objectives though addressing the following:
1. Understand the functions and system dynamics of the placement agency in a way that allows
for assessing the effectiveness in providing service, the climate as a work place, and the
probability of survival within the larger task environment.
2. Accurately plan an intervention process with a client system, implement that process, and
evaluate and analyze subsequent effectiveness using data gathered and theoretical knowledge to
make conclusions, predictions, and recommendations.
3. Demonstrate awareness of prejudices, biases, and stereotypes and to control for these in
interactions with people.
4. Demonstrate an understanding and brief analysis of the impact of policy on practice and
clients and identify ways to advocate for policy changes aimed at promoting social well being.
5. Continue to demonstrate behaviors reflective of a professional role in social work.
6. Demonstrate abilities to achieve higher levels of integration of theory to practice allowing
for greater appreciation of the contributions of practice based evidence and evidenced based
practice.
ADA Statement
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), the University Of Georgia
School Of Social Work seeks to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities. Students who
have a disability and need specific accommodations and supports to facilitate full inclusion of all
aspects of the course should make an appointment with the instructor during the first week of the term.
To register for services, students may go to Disability Services located in Clark Howell Hall
(542-8719, TTY 542-8778, www.dissvcs.uga.edu).

Academic Honesty
All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.” Students
are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
The link to more detailed information about academic honesty can be found at:
http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm
58
Textbook and Readings
BSW Field Manual, University of Georgia (2004).
Articles, case studies and other handouts as provided by the instructor.
RESPECTING CONFIDENTIALITY IN WRITTEN COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
A salient issue for students during practice is respecting the confidentiality of clients, client
records and activities that occur while in field. These can include interactions with agency staff and the
student’s field instructor. Consequently, it is expected that students adhere to the NASW Code of
Ethics in regards professional and ethical conduct. Students are to respect client and agency
confidentiality in their written course assignments by refraining from the use of actual names or
identifying information in regard to their clients, agency, and agency staff member or field instructor.
Rather, students are to utilize non-identifying descriptors when referring to a client, staff member, field
instructor or agency.
Policies, Expectations, and Course Requirements
1. Participation
Participation includes thoughtful questions and appropriate contributions to class. It is expected that
students will have completed reading assignments. Further, since the class is a seminar, it is expected
that students be able to discuss completed class readings and bring questions to class to further
discussion. Due to this class being conducted as a seminar, attendance will be taken and is necessary.
Plan to attend all classes and to arrive on time, attendance will be taken at the beginning of class.
Students who arrive after attendance is taken will not be counted in the daily roll. Please note that more
than two absences will result in the decrease of the student's final letter grade for the course by one
whole letter. Each subsequent two absences will again reflect an additional decrease in the student's
final letter grade for the course.
Doctor’s notes will be accepted to excuse absences, however dates must match dates absent from class
and student must make-up any class material. Any other absences that reflect a student crisis such as
emergencies etc. need to be verified through the Office of Student Affairs, Dr. Richard Rose (Assistant
Vice President for Student Affairs) or Ms. Linda Edge (in the Office of Student Affairs - 201 Holmes-
Hunter Academic Building; 542-3564) before absences are deemed excused. In addition, students will
be excused for religious holidays; however, it is imperative that the student notify the instructor in
advance, in writing (e-mail is acceptable) of this absence.

59
2. Agency Analysis and Agency Policy Analysis: Due as scheduled.
Each student will give and oral presentation according to the outline below for parts A and
B.(Please note for field agencies which have multiple students, the seminar instructor will
prescribe to each students which pieces of the Agency Analysis they will cover at a depth greater
than if the student were the only student at the agency. Each student will have to present their
own Agency Policy Analysis and thus cannot share with other students in that portion of the
presentation.) Each presentation should be at least 20-25 minutes in length. The presentation
will include:
Part A Agency Analysis
I. Agency Information
Title
Location(s)
II. General Description
The setting (e.g. non-profit, hospital, school rural, etc.)
The mission and purpose
Types of clients served
Geographical service domain
The psychosocial problems addressed by the agency
Key services provided by the agency
III. Organizational Structure and Funding
An overview of organizational structure
Sources of funding
Funding constraints
IV. Agency and Community Settings
The service role the agency provides in the community
The constituents of the agency (e.g. key stake holders, collaborative partners)
Barriers to service and access
How the agency is regarded by others in the community
V. Role and Position of the Social Worker
The role of the social worker
How the social worker role differs from other disciplines in the agency
Specific duties of the social worker
Barriers to social work inside the agency
Opportunities for social work inside the agency
Identify advocacy opportunities for the social worker
VI. Evaluation and Accreditations
Describe, in your estimation, the viability of the agency and it s likelihood to
survive in the larger social human services environment.
The national, state, or local accreditation bodies the agency adheres
Three major client outcomes the agency espouses
How are the outcomes measured and evaluated
Part B Agency Policy Analysis
Introduction

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This portion of the assignment aims to describe, briefly analyze, and critique certain facets of
social policy inside the student’s field agency. In short, this portion of the assignment allows the
student to describe and to link the dimensions of social policy and formative influences to
agency practice.
Instructions
Listed below are the steps for the assignment.
1. Select a program or service at your agency which correlates to social policy. (Please
consult with your instructor.)
2. Begin to think in large, careful ways how this program or service can be linked to certain
social ethical policies or legislation. (You will likely need to consult your course
materials from SOWK 5701- Social Welfare Policy and SOWK 2154 - the Social Work
Profession.)
3. Begin the description and linking process of the program service. Start with the
following:
a. How is the program reflective of social policy Who are the constituents in the
social policy Who benefits from the social policy
b. What are the goals of the social policy
c. What federal or state legislation or regulations are attached to the program
d. Provide a few examples of agency procedures/regulations which reflect the
applications to the larger social policy behind the program service
4. Provide your critique of how effective the program may be in implementing or
approximating
the goals of the relevant social policy. How will you measure the effectiveness Describe
the
impact of the policy on the client systems.
4. Consider and describe how you may advocate for policy (these can be different from the
chosen policy) changes which benefit the social well being of the agency’s client base.
Glossary of Terms
Public Policies can be divided into three categories.
• Statutes, or laws, are passed by a legislative body and signed by an executive office
holder—most often a president, a governor, or a mayor.
• Case Law most often results from an individual or group feeling grieved and seeking
redress in the courts, e.g. Brown v. the Board of Education.
• Administrative Rules and Regulations are also known as agency policies and procedures
(such as the need for a home study prior to completing an adoption).
Social policy relates to guidelines for changing, maintaining or creating living conditions that are
conducive to human welfare. Thus, social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with
social issues. “A social policy is a statement of social goal and strategy, or a settled course of
action dealing with the relations of people with each other, the mutual relations of people with
their governement, the relations of governements with each other, including legal enactments,

61
judicial decisions, administrative decisions, and mores.” 1 Also, social policy “is taken to refer to
the policy of governments wih regard to action having a direct impact on the welfare of the
citizens, by providing them with services or income. The central core consists, therefore, of
social insurance, public (or national) assistance, the health and welfare services, and housing
policy.” 2 Examples include:
• abortion, and the regulation of its practice
• the legal status of euthanasia
• the rules surrounding issues of marriage, divorce, and adoption
• poverty, welfare, and homelessness and how it is to deal with these issues
• the legal status of recreational drugs
• the legal status of prostitution
Policy analysis can be defined as "determining which of various alternative policies will most
achieve a given set of goals in light of the relations between the policies and the goals." 3 The
objectives of this are to “gain understanding of the issuse that constitute the focus of a specific
socail policy; to discern the chain of substantive effects resulting, or expected to result, from the
implementation of a given social policy; and to generate alternative policies aimed at the same or
different objectives concerning the focal issue.” 4 Policy analysis is focused on
highlighting/assessing the “anticipated consequences” and the “unanticipated consequences” of
any particular policy—statute, case law, or administrative rule or regulation.
Agency policy consists of those principles and guidelines by which an agency, through its
programs and services, carries out its mission and goals. Agency policy may be formal and
written of informal and unwritten, but it is commonly known by agency personnel, and it results
in such things as procedures, forms, questionnaires, training packets, programs, serivces,
projects, and electronic technology applications. 5
Legislation is law which has been enacted by a legislature or other governing body. The term
may refer to a single law, or the collective body of enacted law, while "statute" is also used to
refer to a single law. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, which
is typically also known as "legislation" while it remains under active consideration. Legislation
can have many purposes: to regulate, to authorize, to provide (funds), to sanction, to grant, to
declare or to restrict. Examples of current legislation include:
• H.R. 6899 - Offshore Oil Drilling
• H.R. 6331 - Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008
• H.R. 3221 - Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008
• H.R. 1338 - Paycheck Fairness Act for Women
Regulation can be considered as legal restrictions promulgated by government authority. One
can consider regulation as actions of conduct imposing sanctions (such as a fine). This action of
administrative law, or implementing regulatory law, may be contrasted with statutory or case
law. Examples include:

62
• Market failures - regulation due to inefficiency
• Social subordination - regulation aimed to increase or reduce social subordination of
various social groups
• Irreversibility - regulation that deals with the problem of irreversibility – the problem in
which a certain type of conduct from current generations results in outcomes from which
future generations may not recover from at all
A procedure is a specified series of actions, acts, or operations which have to be executed in the
same manner in order to always obtain the same result under the same circumstances (for
example, emergency procedures). Less precisely speaking, this word can indicate a sequence of
activities, tasks, steps, decisions, calculations, and processes, that when undertaken in the
sequence laid down, produces the described result, product, or outcome.
1 Dictionary of Philosophy http://www.philosophypages.com/dy/e9.htm#eth
2 Charles I Schottland in T.H. Marshall’s Social Policy
3 T.H. Marshall Social Policy
4 Stuart S. Nagel Policy Analysis Methods5
5 David G. Gil Unraveling Social Policy
6 Ann Rae & Wanda Nicholas-Wolosuk Changing Agency Policy: An Incremental Approach
3. Intervention Presentation: Due as scheduled.
Select an intervention you have made with a client or client system. During a15 minute oral
presentation, describe and analyze the following.
a. What is the client situation
b. What is the selected intervention
c. Provide the rational for the selected intervention.
d. Describe the process of the intervention.
e. Analyze the outcome of the intervention.
f. Provide evidenced based practice knowledge to support you chosen intervention.
g. Provide practice based information which may inform the evidenced based approach
to the intervention.
h. Provide alternative ideas about other possible interventions and give your rationales.
4. Development of Professional Behavior: Due March 4
In a three page paper, please address the following.
a. Describe how you are achieving a professional self and give two examples of how
you apply critical thinking skills during your internship.
b. Describe how you are controlling your own biases and implicit prejudices in working
with your clients.
c. Describe how you are utilizing professional social work knowledge values and skills
to inform your identity and practice as a social worker.
5. Draft of One Section from the BSW Portfolio: Due February 17
Purpose: The purpose of the assignment is to give the student the opportunity to work on only
one of the five sections of the BSW Portfolio as a draft and thus to improve the total quality of

63
their entire BSW Portfolio. Students will be given critical feedback about their draft and thus will
utilize the feedback to guide and improved the quality in all sections of their final submission of
the BSW Portfolio.
Instructions: Please read the instructions for doing the BSW Portfolio as outlined in this syllabus.
Please choose only on section of the Portfolio to submit. Please write the integrative statement
and submit that along with the supporting documents.
Feedback: The instructor will provide rapid turn around critical feedback about your draft. Please
utilize the helpful feedback and seek consultation with the instructor, if needed on you part.
6. BSW Portfolio: Due April 14
The BSW Portfolio
Introduction
The portfolio assignment is a culmination of what your integrated learning while studying for
your BSW. It is designed to demonstrate and to evaluate how you have integrated the curriculum
objectives of the University Of Georgia School Of Social Work BSW Program.
You are asked to present a portfolio that includes an overall Table of Contents and five
organizational sections. Each section will contain a sectional Table of Contents page, an
“Integration of Knowledge” statement (approximately 4-6 pages in length), and at least 3 to 5
relevant examples of work completed while undertaking undergraduate study. Below you will
find a summary of the expectations for the Integration of Knowledge statement, as well as
suggestions for work examples for each section.
Keep in mind, however, that this is a very broad assignment—your work examples may
be drawn from any discipline (i.e., psychology, sociology, education, history, women’s studies,
etc.) as long as the papers or other documents clearly are relevant to the issue discussed in the
section. Do not view these suggestions as iron-clad rules. If you have a question about a work
example, please see me and we’ll make a determination.
If you do not have at least 3 examples of work for a particular section, you are
responsible for researching a journal article, getting it approved by me (by April 1) and writing
an article review (think research class last semester!). Each review will be allowed as 1 work
example. So, if you are lacking 2 examples, you need to review 2 articles.
Portfolio Set-Up
Please present your portfolio in a 3-ring-binder with sectional dividers. It should be neat, wellorganized,
and inclusive of each section listed below. The portfolio must be well organized,
coherent and readable, and carefully proofread (correct spelling and grammar).
“Integration of Knowledge Statement” (4-6 pages, minimum)
Should answer (but is not limited to) the following questions:
• What are my strengths/limitations in this area What is the biggest challenge facing me in
regards to future practice
• How have I accomplished the curriculum objective and what documents example the
accomplishment and how does each document accomplish the curriculum objective and
link to the associated competencies
• What do I still need to work on to enhance my professional practice in this area and how
will I do this

64
• How will this area of learning serve me in my practice
•
How do the work examples in this section reflect my personal and professional development in
the BSW program Please note: You need to address each work example individually at this
time. Do not provide a blanket statement for the works as a whole. You should be able to
rationalize the inclusion of each work in your portfolio. The portfolio outline should be as
follows:
Chapter 1—Human Diversity
Table of Contents
Curriculum Objective. Human Diversity: The BSW graduate will have a thorough
understanding of the diversity concept and its ramifications for understanding people as
well as service delivery. Linked to competencies: Engage diversity and difference in
practice, and advance human rights and social and economic justice.
• Sectional Table of Contents
• Integration of Knowledge statement (
• At least 3-5 work examples, such as:
• Papers from HBSE
• Papers from cultural diversity electives and Social Work with Diverse
Populations
• Journal entries regarding a diversity issue
Chapter 2—Professional Values and Ethics
Curriculum Objective. Professional Values and Ethics: The BSW graduate will have a
firm knowledge of the personal, legal, and professional responsibilities they assume as
generalist social workers practicing with clients in a variety of settings, and how to fill in
their own knowledge gaps. Linked to competencies: identify as a professional social
worker and conduct oneself accordingly, apply social work ethical principles to guide
professional practice, and respond to contexts that shape practice
• Sectional Table of Contents
• Integration of Knowledge statement
• At least 3-5 work examples, such as:
• Signed NASW Code
• Case examples or assignments exploring ethical issues
• Journal entries exploring ethical issues

65
Chapter 3—Theoretical Foundations
Curriculum Objective. Theoretical Foundation: The BSW graduate will have a firm
knowledge of the major theoretical approaches to human behavior in a social and cultural
environment, social welfare programs, and the ability to write clearly about these areas as
well as others. Linked to competencies: apply critical thinking to inform and
communicate professional judgments, apply knowledge of human behavior and the social
environment, and engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being
and to deliver effective social work service
• Sectional Table of Contents
• Integration of Knowledge statement
• At least 3-5 work examples, such as:
• Papers from policy class, HBSE
• Letters written to elected official
• Newspaper (or other policy or theory driven) article review
• Practice 1 and Practice 2 courses.
Chapter 4—Skills Development
Curriculum Objective. Skill Development: The BSW graduate will develop competence
in beginning practice skills, describing her/his practice in a variety of contexts, and
evaluating the outcomes of interventions. Linked to competencies: engage in researchinformed
practice and practice-informed research, respond to contexts that shape practice,
and engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
• Sectional Table of Contents
• Integration of Knowledge statement
• At least 3-5 work examples, such as:
• Resume
• Case presentations
• Reflective episode paper
• Process recording & material from Social Work Communications

66
• Single subject design
Chapter 5—Professional Theoretical Foundation (9 points)
Curriculum Objective. Professional Theoretical Foundation: The BSW graduate will
possess a solid knowledge of social work practice methods, social service agencies, and
the network of services that presently exist. Linked to competencies: identify as a
professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly and engage, assess, intervene,
and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
• Sectional Table of Contents
• Integration of Knowledge statement
• At least 3-5 work examples, such as:
• Papers dealing with clinical concepts (i.e., providing bereavement support to
children, working with domestic violence survivors, etc.)
• Resource lists
• Community agency evaluation
BSW Portfolio Rubric
Student________________________________
Total Points______
The Portfolio will be evaluated according to evidence showing compliance to the
assignment. Each chapter has assigned 9 points. The total points are worth 45% of the course
grade. The Portfolio will be evaluated from two perspectives. The usage of the word “evidence”
has degrees of observation, ranging from no detected evidence to highly visible evidence.
The first perspective examines the entire Portfolio according to the following.
Is this more of a Portfolio and less of a scrapbook
Is there evidence of professionalism and pride in the student's Portfolio
Is the Portfolio well organized

67
Does the Portfolio emanate how the student developed and achieved curriculum
objectives in their BSW major or is the Portfolio rather one-dimensional without personal
and professional texture
The second perspective examines in detail each chapter according to the following.
Is there evidence that the student was engaged in writing each chapter or is the
writing more like just words on paper
Is there evidence that the “Integration of Knowledge Statement” correlates highly to the
supporting documents
Is there evidence the student utilized summative, evaluative, and critical thinking styles in
their writing of “Integration of Knowledge Statement” or is the writing style mostly
descriptive and informative
Is there evidence that each chapter reflects student understanding of each particular
curriculum objective
Due Dates and Numerical Grade Computation for Course Requirements:
COURSE REQUIREMENTS DUE DATE Approximate% OF grade
1. Participation Ongoing 05
2. Agency Analysis and Policy Analysis Weeks 3-11 25
3. Intervention Presentation Weeks 11-14 10
4.
__
Development of Professional Behavior
________________________________
March 4
__________
10
___________________
5.
___
BSW Portfolio One Chapter Draft
_______________________________
February 17
___________
05
_____________________
6.
BSW Portfolio
April 14
45

68
Grading
Letter
Grade
Numerical
Score
A 94-100
A- 90-93
B+ 87-89
B 84-86
B- 80-83
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D 65-69
F 64 & below
I Incomplete

69
Appendix D
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education
SOWK 5835 Fall Semester
Time Sheet
Intern________________________________________________________________
Instructions
This time sheet serves the purposes to document and to verify that the intern maintains regular
weekly hours and fulfills the requirement of achieving 280 clock hours of internship experience
for the semester. This time sheet is to be turned into the field faculty liaison at the end of the
semester.
Week
of:
Mon
Date/#Hrs
Tues
Date/#Hrs
Wed
Date/#Hrs
Thurs
Date/#Hrs
Fri
Date/#Hrs
Sat
Date/#Hrs
Sun
Date/#Hrs
FI Signature
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

70
13.
14.
For needed additional weeks, please use the spaces below.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Signed
Intern___________________________________________
Date__________
Field Instructor_____________________________________
Date__________

Suggested Learning Activities to Accomplish Practice Behaviors
SOWK 5835 – Fall Semester
71
Competency Practice Behavior Suggested Activities
1. Identify as a professional
social worker and conduct
oneself accordingly.
a. advocate for client access to the services of social
work
b. practice personal reflection and self-correction to
assure continual professional development
c. attend to professional roles and boundaries
d. demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior,
appearance, and communication
e. engage in career-long learning
f. use supervision and consultation
• referrals, addressing service gaps and restrictive
eligibility criteria, assisting clients in the actual
application for services
• share with supervisor your thoughts about your
performance as applied to discrete pieces of practice
and plan for ways to improve
• write thoughts about your performance as applied to
discrete piece of practice in a journal
• monitor urges to blur the boundaries, examine the
source of these urges, and maintain awareness to
not act on the urges, achieve to eliminate the source
of any urge to blur boundary, share with supervisor
• read and discuss the intern duties and
responsibilities with your supervisor
• ask supervisor how you are coming across, assess if
you are in the norm of professional behavior at your
agency, practice professional communication by desubjectifying
language and utilizing language
appropriate to the agency setting
• read and follow agency policy and procedures
regarding professional behavior, dress code, and
communication (e.g., case notes, memos, e-mail,
etc.)
• read a minimum of one scholarly article a week to
begin the habit of regular learning
• attend one training in the community pertaining to
field placement (i.e., in-service training, diversity
training, etc.)
• make an agenda for supervision, create a log of
entries of important material learned in supervisory
sessions, seek help from others at the agency

Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
2. Apply social work ethical
principles to guide
professional practice.
a. recognize and manage personal values in a way that
allows professional values to guide practice
b. make ethical decisions by applying standards of the
NASW Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the
International Federation of Social Workers/
International Association of Schools of Social Work
Ethics in Social Work Statement of Principles
c. tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts
d. apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at
principles decisions
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
3. Apply critical thinking to
inform and communicate
professional judgments.
a. distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources
of knowledge, including research-based knowledge,
and practice wisdom
b. analyze models of assessment, prevention,
intervention, and evaluation, and demonstrate
effective oral and written communication in
working with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
• recognize the differences between a personal
response to a client and a professional response
during an interaction with a client and provide the
rationale for your professional response
• identify personal values that are in agreement
and/or conflict with agency and client population
• chose an interaction or situation with a client which
requires you to ground an action with a client in the
NASW Code of Ethics and provide a rationale for
your behavior
72
• observe, first, how other social workers tolerate
ambiguities, imagine yourself in their shoes, and
then describe how you tolerated the “grey” zone in
assessing how you would respond and do respond to
an ambiguously ridden ethical situation
• choose a situation requiring an ethical discussion
and trace with your supervisor the steps you took to
achieve the decision as you link each step to a
principle, value, or standard in the NASW Code of
Ethics
• review scholarly journals and select the journals
that apply to the internship setting
• read articles from selected scholarly journals to
increase knowledge
• read agency/organization newsletters and reports to
improve knowledge and practice wisdom
• effective oral and written communication in
working with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
• observe how others utilize the above models to
guide their practice and then observe how you use
the same and provide a critique; verbal interactions

c. demonstrate effective oral and written
communication in working with individuals,
families, groups and communities
73
with clients, case conferences, and documentation
• identify models of assessment, prevention,
intervention, and evaluation utilized at your agency
• identify the theoretical construct for models of
assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation
• interactions with clients, groups, families, and
communities; case reporting and documentation
• have your supervisor review case notes, case plans,
intake forms, etc. to assess the quality of written
communication skills
• assess oral communication skills utilized, formally
or informally, while working with an individual,
family, group, organization, or community meeting
• discuss individual assessment with supervisor
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
4. Engage diversity and
difference in practice.
a. recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures
and values may oppose, marginalize, alienate,
create or enhance privilege and power
b. gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the
influence of personal biases and values in working
with diverse groups
c. recognize and communicate their understanding of
the importance of difference in shaping life
experiences
d. view themselves as learners and engage those with
whom they work as informants
• review several client files and assess cultural values
and determine if marginalization has occurred (i.e.,
agency decisions that could have been influenced
by poverty, sexual orientation, non-traditional
family, etc.)
• share with your supervisor pre-existing biases or
micro kinds of misperceptions you have about your
clients and how those are being corrected in the
reality of your professional experiencing of the
clients
• first, identify what you observe as the unique
qualities and attributes of your clients
• appreciate how your clients incorporate their
uniqueness
• then share with your supervisor how the uniqueness
of your clients impacts their experiences and life
trajectory
• share with your supervisor how you are open to
knowing the unique attributes of your clients which

74
extend beyond your understanding of generic
attributes
• specify how you allow yourself to understand the
unique differences in your client through listening
to your clients
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
5. Advance human rights
and social and economic
justice.
a. understand the forms and mechanisms of
oppression and discrimination
b. advocate for human rights and social and economic
justice
c. engage in practices that advance social and
economic justice
• describe with your supervisor the ways in which
your clients have been marginalized and the cultural
and societal dynamics which promote the
marginalization (i.e., ethnicity, religious beliefs,
socioeconomic status, rural vs. urban environment,
gender, sexual orientation, ageism, etc.)
• read agency policy on discrimination
• describe how you promote human rights and social
and economic justice with your clients
• describe your plans and actual actions taken that
promote social and economic justice
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
6. Engage in researchinformed
practice and
practice-informed
research.
a. use practice experiences to inform scientific inquiry
b. use research evidence to inform practice
• use a client situation or issue to research scholarly
information (i.e., domestic violence, juvenile
delinquency, truancy) and begin to connect
underlying issues
• after reading scholarly information, integrate with
service plans
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
7. Apply knowledge of
human behavior and the
social environment.
a. utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the process
of assessment, intervention, and evaluation
b. critique and apply knowledge to understand person
and environment
• write down and discuss a framework that was
applied during the assessment phase with field
supervisor

75
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
8. Engage in policy practice
to advance social and
a. analyze, formulate and advocate for policies that
advance social well-being
economic well-being and
b. collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective
to deliver effective social
policy action
work services.
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
9. Respond to contexts that
shape practice.
a. continuously discover, appraise, and attend to
changing locales, populations, scientific
technological developments, and emerging societal
trends to provide relevant services
b. provide leadership in promoting sustainable
changes in service delivery and practice to improve
the quality of social services
• observe and describe the multiple ways in which the
above provided opportunities to enhance service
delivery
• in supervision, discuss information learned and
critically analyze the multiple levels and the
influence (or lack thereof) on client population
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
Engagement
10. Engage, assess,
intervene, and evaluate
with individuals,
families, groups,
organizations, and
communities
a. substantively and effectively prepare for action with
individuals, families, groups
b. use empathy and other interpersonal skills
c. develop mutually agreed-upon focus of work and
desired outcomes
Assessment
a. collect, organize, and interpret client data
b. assess client strengths and limitations
c. develop mutually agreed-upon intervention goals
and objectives
d. select appropriate intervention strategies
• read case files and any other pertinent information
to prepare for engagement with individuals,
families, groups, organizations, and communities

Intervention
a. initiate actions to achieve organizational goals
b. implement prevention interventions that enhance
client capacities
c. help clients resolve problems
d. negotiate, mediate and advocate for clients
e. facilitate transitions and endings
Evaluate
a. critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate
interventions
76

BSW Field Education Learning Plan
SOWK 5835 Fall Semester
77
Student:
Introduction
Outlined in the following pages are the practice competencies and their corresponding practice behaviors in generalist social work education that
the Council on Social Work Education requires of all BSW programs. The School of Social Work has decided that students must attempt to
accomplish successfully all of the practice behaviors in their field placement agency. The purpose of the learning plan is to identify tasks within the
internship which provide opportunities for the intern to demonstrate accomplishment of the practice behaviors along with estimations of when the
practice behavior will be demonstrated and actually achieved. This document will be used in the final evaluation of the student.
The end of semester evaluation of the intern will address practice behaviors that are emphasized for either fall or spring semester or emphasized
equally for both semesters, depending upon the sequencing of course content in the BSW Program courses or upon fundamental ongoing skill
development. Thus, at the end of each practice behavior on this learning plan are the words “Fall” and “Spring.” If opportunities arise to engage in
practice behaviors during this fall semester that are also denoted with “Spring,” then write the tasks and plan to carry forward that additional practice
opportunity to spring semester.
Field placements can vary in the precise timing of practice opportunities. If a practice behavior cannot be accomplished because of a lack of
opportunity, then please give the rationale and consult with the faulty liaison.
Instructions
This learning plan is to be completed collaboratively by the student, field instructor and, if needed by the faculty liaison as a consultant to the
process. The student and field instructor are to sign the learning plan indicating agreement to the tasks and estimated dates of accomplishment.
Specifically:
1. Each practice behavior occurring in fall semester must have a task or activity which the intern may engage to demonstrate achievement the
specific practice behavior.
2. Write a target completion date.
3. Write the date achieved.

78
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
1. Identify as a
professional social
worker and conduct
oneself accordingly.
a. advocate for client access to the
services of social work
Fall
Spring
b. practice personal reflection and selfcorrection
to assure continual
Fall
Spring
professional development
c. attend to professional roles and
boundaries
Fall
Spring
d. demonstrate professional demeanor
Fall
in behavior, appearance, and
Spring
communication
e. engage in career-long learning Spring
f. use supervision and consultation
Fall
Spring
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
2. Apply social work
ethical principles to
guide professional
practice.
a. recognize and manage personal
values in a way that allows
professional values to guide practice
b. make ethical decisions by applying
standards of the NASW Code of
Ethics and, as applicable, of the
International Federation of Social
Workers/ International Association
of Schools of Social Work Ethics in
Social Work Statement of Principles
c. tolerate ambiguity in resolving
ethical conflicts
d. apply strategies of ethical reasoning
to arrive at principles decisions
Fall
Spring
Fall
Fall
Fall
Target
Completion
Date
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Date
Achieved

Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
3. Apply critical
thinking to inform
and communicate
professional
judgments.
a. distinguish, appraise, and integrate
multiple sources of knowledge,
including research-based knowledge,
and practice wisdom
b. analyze models of assessment,
prevention, intervention, and
evaluation, and demonstrate
effective oral and written
communication in working with
individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
c. demonstrate effective oral and
written communication in working
with individuals, families, groups
and communities
Spring
Fall
Spring
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
4. Engage diversity
and difference in
practice.
a. recognize the extent to which a
culture’s structures and values may
oppose, marginalize, alienate, create
or enhance privilege and power
b. gain sufficient self-awareness to
eliminate the influence of personal
biases and values in working with
diverse groups
c. recognize and communicate their
understanding of the importance of
difference in shaping life
experiences
d. view themselves as learners and
engage those with whom they work
as informants
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
Fall
Fall
Target
Completion
Date
Target
Completion
Date
79
Date
Achieved
Date
Achieved

Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
5. Advance human
rights and social
and economic
justice.
a. understand the forms and
mechanisms of oppression and
discrimination
b. advocate for human rights and social
and economic justice
c. engage in practices that advance
social and economic justice
Fall
Fall
Fall
Target
Completion
Date
80
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
6. Engage in researchinformed
practice
and practiceinformed
research.
a. use practice experiences to inform
scientific inquiry
b. use research evidence to inform
practice
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
7. Apply knowledge
of human behavior
and the social
environment.
a. utilize conceptual frameworks to
guide the process of assessment,
intervention, and evaluation
b. critique and apply knowledge to
understand person and environment
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
8. Engage in policy
practice to advance
social and economic
well-being and to
deliver effective
social work
services.
a. analyze, formulate and advocate for
policies that advance social wellbeing
b. collaborate with colleagues and
clients for effective policy action
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
81
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
9. Respond to contexts
that shape practice.
a. continuously discover, appraise, and
attend to changing locales,
populations, scientific technological
developments, and emerging societal
trends to provide relevant services
b. provide leadership in promoting
sustainable changes in service
delivery and practice to improve the
quality of social services
Fall
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
10. Engage, assess,
intervene, and
evaluate with
individuals,
families, groups,
organizations, and
communities
Engagement
a. substantively and effectively prepare
for action with individuals, families,
groups
b. use empathy and other interpersonal
skills
c. develop mutually agreed-upon focus
of work and desired outcomes
Fall
Fall
Fall
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

Assessment
a. collect, organize, and interpret client
data
b. assess client strengths and
limitations
c. develop mutually agreed-upon
intervention goals and objectives
d. select appropriate intervention
strategies
Intervention
a. initiate actions to achieve
organizational goals
b. implement prevention interventions
that enhance client capacities
c. help clients resolve problems
d. negotiate, mediate and advocate for
clients
e. facilitate transitions and endings
Evaluate
a. critically analyze, monitor, and
evaluate interventions
We are in agreement with this learning plan.
Student: Date:
Field Instructor: Date:
Fall
Fall
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
82

The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education
SOWK 5845 Spring Semester
83
Time Sheet
Intern________________________________________________________________
Instructions
This time sheet serves the purposes to document and to verify that the intern maintains regular weekly hours
and fulfills the requirement of achieving 280 clock hours of internship experience for the semester. This time
sheet is to be turned into the field faculty liaison at the end of the semester.
Week
of:
Mon
Date/#Hrs
Tues
Date/#Hrs
Wed
Date/#Hrs
Thurs
Date/#Hrs
Fri
Date/#Hrs
Sat
Date/#Hrs
Sun
Date/#Hrs
FI Signature
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

For needed additional weeks, please use the spaces below.
84
15.
16.
17.
18.
Signed
Intern___________________________________________
Date__________
Field Instructor_________________________________________________
Date__________

Suggested Learning Activities to Accomplish
85
Practice Behaviors
SOWK 5845 – Spring Semester
Competency Practice Behavior Suggested Activities
1. Identify as a professional
social worker and conduct
oneself accordingly.
a. advocate for client access to the services of social
work
b. practice personal reflection and self-correction to
assure continual professional development
c. attend to professional roles and boundaries
d. demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior,
appearance, and communication
• referrals, addressing service gaps and restrictive
eligibility criteria, assisting clients in the actual
application for services
• assess clients for needs clients believe are not being
addressed
• implement strategies to connect clients with
resources to meet these needs
• participate in events related to the community to
represent client needs
• share with supervisor your thoughts about your
performance as applied to discrete pieces of practice
and plan for ways to improve
• write thoughts about your performance as applied to
discrete piece of practice in a journal
• utilize supervision to verbalize reflection and
evaluate self-correction efforts
• monitor urges to blur the boundaries, examine the
source of these urges, and maintain awareness to
not act on the urges, achieve to eliminate the source
of any urge to blur boundary, share with supervisor
• read and discuss the intern duties and
responsibilities with your supervisor
• ask supervisor how you are coming across, assess if
you are in the norm of professional behavior at your
agency, practice professional communication by desubjectifying
language and utilizing language
appropriate to the agency setting
• read and follow agency policy and procedures

e. engage in career-long learning
f. use supervision and consultation
86
regarding professional behavior, dress code, and
communication (e.g., case notes, memos, e-mail,
etc.)
• read a minimum of one scholarly article a week to
begin the habit of regular learning
• attend one training in the community pertaining to
field placement (i.e., in-service training, diversity
training, etc.)
• recognize particular areas of interest/themes to
begin to formulate year role in advancing this area
• regularly attend conferences/workshops
• subscribe to journals/publication representative of
your area of interest
• make an agenda for supervision, create a log of
entries of important material learned in supervisory
sessions, seek help from others at the agency
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
2. Apply social work ethical
principles to guide
professional practice.
a. recognize and manage personal values in a way that
allows professional values to guide practice
b. make ethical decisions by applying standards of the
NASW Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the
International Federation of Social Workers/
International Association of Schools of Social Work
Ethics in Social Work Statement of Principles
c. tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts
d. apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at
principles decisions
• recognize the differences between a personal
response to a client and a professional response
during an interaction with a client and provide the
rationale for your professional response
• identify personal values that are in agreement
and/or conflict with agency and client population
• chose an interaction or situation with a client which
requires you to ground an action with a client in the
NASW Code of Ethics and provide a rationale for
your behavior
• observe, first, how other social workers tolerate
ambiguities, imagine yourself in their shoes, and
then describe how you tolerated the “grey” zone in
assessing how you would respond and do respond to
an ambiguously ridden ethical situation
• choose a situation requiring an ethical discussion

Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
3. Apply critical thinking to
inform and communicate
professional judgments.
a. distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources
of knowledge, including research-based knowledge,
and practice wisdom
b. analyze models of assessment, prevention,
intervention, and evaluation, and demonstrate
effective oral and written communication in
working with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
c. demonstrate effective oral and written
communication in working with individuals,
families, groups and communities
87
and trace with your supervisor the steps you took to
achieve the decision as you link each step to a
principle, value, or standard in the NASW Code of
Ethics
• review scholarly journals and select the journals
that apply to the internship setting
• read articles from selected scholarly journals to
increase knowledge
• read agency/organization newsletters and reports to
improve knowledge and practice wisdom
• utilize journals to identify evidence based practice
relating to population
• consult with supervisor regarding evidence based
practice
• evaluate practices to determine supporting
research/theory
• identify evidence based practice within agency
• effective oral and written communication in
working with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
• observe how others utilize the above models to
guide their practice and then observe how you use
the same and provide a critique; verbal interactions
with clients, case conferences, and documentation
• identify models of assessment, prevention,
intervention, and evaluation utilized at your agency
• identify the theoretical construct for models of
assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation
• supply supervisor with copies of written documents
for feedback
• interactions with clients, groups, families, and
communities; case reporting and documentation
• have your supervisor review case notes, case plans,
intake forms, etc. to assess the quality of written

88
communication skills
• assess oral communication skills utilized, formally
or informally, while working with an individual,
family, group, organization, or community meeting
• discuss individual assessment with supervisor
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
4. Engage diversity and
difference in practice.
a. recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures
and values may oppose, marginalize, alienate,
create or enhance privilege and power
b. gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the
influence of personal biases and values in working
with diverse groups
c. recognize and communicate their understanding of
the importance of difference in shaping life
experiences
d. view themselves as learners and engage those with
whom they work as informants
• review several client files and assess cultural values
and determine if marginalization has occurred (i.e.,
agency decisions that could have been influenced
by poverty, sexual orientation, non-traditional
family, etc.)
• share with your supervisor pre-existing biases or
micro kinds of misperceptions you have about your
clients and how those are being corrected in the
reality of your professional experiencing of the
clients
• first, identify what you observe as the unique
qualities and attributes of your clients
• appreciate how your clients incorporate their
uniqueness
• then share with your supervisor how the uniqueness
of your clients impacts their experiences and life
trajectory
• share with your supervisor how you are open to
knowing the unique attributes of your clients which
extend beyond your understanding of generic
attributes
• specify how you allow yourself to understand the
unique differences in your client through listening
to your clients
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
5. Advance human rights and a. understand the forms and mechanisms of
• describe with your supervisor the ways in which
social and economic justice. oppression and discrimination
your clients have been marginalized and the cultural

. advocate for human rights and social and economic
justice
c. engage in practices that advance social and
economic justice
89
and societal dynamics which promote the
marginalization (i.e., ethnicity, religious beliefs,
socioeconomic status, rural vs. urban environment,
gender, sexual orientation, ageism, etc.)
• read agency policy on discrimination
• describe how you promote human rights and social
and economic justice with your clients
• describe your plans and actual actions taken that
promote social and economic justice
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
6. Engage in research-informed
practice and practiceinformed
research.
a. use practice experiences to inform scientific inquiry
b. use research evidence to inform practice
• use a client situation or issue to research scholarly
information (i.e., domestic violence, juvenile
delinquency, truancy) and begin to connect
underlying issues
• reflect on challenging and successful experiences
regularly to evaluate findings potentially useful for
others
• establish what ways you could contribute to the
knowledge base (i.e., being part of program
evaluation, etc.)
• identify opportunities to be involved in
research/evaluation in the agency
• after reading scholarly information, integrate with
service plans
• review journals for evidence based practice relevant
to agency
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
7. Apply knowledge of human
behavior and the social
environment.
a. utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the process
of assessment, intervention, and evaluation
• write down and discuss a framework that was
applied during the assessment phase with field
supervisor
• evaluate/identify theoretical frameworks for
appropriateness

. critique and apply knowledge to understand person
and environment
• identify what frameworks are being used by
colleagues and the agency
• review HSBE text for ways to apply theory
• discuss application with supervisor
90
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
8. Engage in policy practice to
advance social and economic
a. analyze, formulate and advocate for policies that
advance social well-being
• determine weaknesses in policy and brainstorm
solutions
well-being and to deliver
b. collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective
effective social work
policy action
services.
• begin policy-related initiative to gain motivation
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
9. Respond to contexts that
shape practice.
a. continuously discover, appraise, and attend to
changing locales, populations, scientific
technological developments, and emerging societal
trends to provide relevant services
b. provide leadership in promoting sustainable
changes in service delivery and practice to improve
the quality of social services
• observe and describe the multiple ways in which the
above provided opportunities to enhance service
delivery
• in supervision, discuss information learned and
critically analyze the multiple levels and the
influence (or lack thereof) on client population
• evaluate needs of clients, barriers in meeting them,
and establish creative, cost-effective solutions
consistent with agency mission/goals
Competency Practice Behaviors Suggested Activities
Engagement
10. Engage, assess, intervene,
a. substantively and effectively prepare for action with
and evaluate with
individuals, families, groups
individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and
communities
• read case files and any other pertinent information
to prepare for engagement with individuals,
families, groups, organizations, and communities
b. use empathy and other interpersonal skills • journal about skills used to reflect and improve
c. develop mutually agreed-upon focus of work and
desired outcomes
• engage client participation verbally
• demonstrate investment in process

91
Assessment
a. collect, organize, and interpret client data • keep organized records, and concise, complete notes
• strength-based assessment instruments; facilitate
b. assess client strengths and limitations
self-reflection on part of client
c. develop mutually agreed-upon intervention goals • have client state goals and objectives
and objectives
• complete strength-based assessment plan
• review literature for appropriateness
d. select appropriate intervention strategies
• consult with supervisor to review
• review goals and brainstorm ways to meet goals
Intervention
• identify gaps in programs/services that need to be
a. initiate actions to achieve organizational goals
addressed
b. implement prevention interventions that enhance • include strength based evaluation/assessment to
client capacities
facilitate this
• empower clients to problem solve by modeling and
c. help clients resolve problems
providing encouragement
• identify needs and explore interventions to meet
d. negotiate, mediate and advocate for clients
them
• keep a log of the interaction to reflect upon and
e. facilitate transitions and endings
evaluate for practice skills (like a process recording)
Evaluate
• identifying evaluation mechanisms at agency
a. critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate
• determine your role in program evaluation
interventions
• identify various interventions related to subject to
determine which are most effective

BSW Field Education Learning Plan
SOWK 5845 Spring Semester
92
Student:
Introduction
Outlined in the following pages are the practice competencies and their corresponding practice behaviors in generalist social work education that
the Council on Social Work Education requires of all BSW programs. The School of Social Work has decided that students must attempt to
accomplish successfully all of the practice behaviors in their field placement agency. The purpose of the learning plan is to identify tasks within the
internship which provide opportunities for the intern to demonstrate accomplishment of the practice behaviors along with estimations of when the
practice behavior will be demonstrated and actually achieved. This document will be used in the final evaluation of the student.
This learning plan addresses practice behaviors occurring during spring semester. If students desire to emphasize further development of practice
behaviors delegated to fall semester, then please indicate so under the heading of “Specific Activities.” Field placements can vary in the precise
timing of practice opportunities. If a practice behavior cannot be accomplished because of a lack of opportunity, then please give the rationale and
consult with the faulty liaison.
Instructions
This learning plan is to be completed collaboratively by the student, field instructor and, if needed by the faculty liaison as a consultant to the
process. The student and field instructor are to sign the learning plan indicating agreement to the tasks and estimated dates of accomplishment.
Specifically:
1. Each practice behavior occurring in fall semester must have a task or activity which the intern may engage to demonstrate achievement the
specific practice behavior.
2. Write a target completion date.
3. Write the date achieved.
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
1. Identify as a
professional social
worker and conduct
oneself accordingly.
a. advocate for client access to the
services of social work
Spring
b. practice personal reflection and selfcorrection
to assure continual
Spring
professional development
c. attend to professional roles and
boundaries
Spring
d. demonstrate professional demeanor Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

in behavior, appearance, and
communication
e. engage in career-long learning Spring
f. use supervision and consultation Spring
93
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
2. Apply social work
ethical principles to
guide professional
practice.
a. recognize and manage personal
values in a way that allows
professional values to guide practice
b. make ethical decisions by applying
standards of the NASW Code of
Ethics and, as applicable, of the
International Federation of Social
Workers/ International Association
of Schools of Social Work Ethics in
Social Work Statement of Principles
c. tolerate ambiguity in resolving
ethical conflicts
d. apply strategies of ethical reasoning
to arrive at principles decisions
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
3. Apply critical
thinking to inform
and communicate
professional
judgments.
a. distinguish, appraise, and integrate
multiple sources of knowledge,
including research-based knowledge,
and practice wisdom
b. analyze models of assessment,
prevention, intervention, and
evaluation, and demonstrate
effective oral and written
communication in working with
individuals, families, groups,
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

organizations, and communities
c. demonstrate effective oral and
written communication in working
with individuals, families, groups
and communities
94
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
4. Engage diversity
and difference in
practice.
a. recognize the extent to which a
culture’s structures and values may
oppose, marginalize, alienate, create
or enhance privilege and power
b. gain sufficient self-awareness to
eliminate the influence of personal
biases and values in working with
diverse groups
c. recognize and communicate their
understanding of the importance of
difference in shaping life
experiences
d. view themselves as learners and
engage those with whom they work
as informants
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
5. Advance human
rights and social
and economic
justice.
a. understand the forms and
mechanisms of oppression and
discrimination
b. advocate for human rights and social
and economic justice
c. engage in practices that advance
social and economic justice
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
6. Engage in researchinformed
practice
and practiceinformed
research.
a. use practice experiences to inform
scientific inquiry
b. use research evidence to inform
practice
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
95
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
7. Apply knowledge
of human behavior
and the social
environment.
a. utilize conceptual frameworks to
guide the process of assessment,
intervention, and evaluation
b. critique and apply knowledge to
understand person and environment
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
8. Engage in policy
practice to advance
social and economic
well-being and to
deliver effective
social work
services.
a. analyze, formulate and advocate for
policies that advance social wellbeing
b. collaborate with colleagues and
clients for effective policy action
Spring
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
9. Respond to contexts
that shape practice.
a. continuously discover, appraise, and
attend to changing locales,
populations, scientific technological
developments, and emerging societal
trends to provide relevant services
Spring
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

. provide leadership in promoting
sustainable changes in service
delivery and practice to improve the
quality of social services
Spring
96
Competency Practice Behaviors Specific Activities Semester
10. Engage, assess,
intervene, and
evaluate with
individuals,
families, groups,
organizations, and
communities
Engagement
a. substantively and effectively prepare
for action with individuals, families,
groups
b. use empathy and other interpersonal
skills
c. develop mutually agreed-upon focus
of work and desired outcomes
Assessment
a. collect, organize, and interpret client
data
b. assess client strengths and
limitations
c. develop mutually agreed-upon
intervention goals and objectives
d. select appropriate intervention
strategies
Intervention
a. initiate actions to achieve
organizational goals
b. implement prevention interventions
that enhance client capacities
Spring
Spring
Spring
Spring
c. help clients resolve problems
Spring
d. negotiate, mediate and advocate for
clients
Spring
e. facilitate transitions and endings Spring
Evaluate
Target
Completion
Date
Date
Achieved

a. critically analyze, monitor, and
evaluate interventions
97
We are in agreement with this learning plan.
Student: Date:
Field Instructor: Date:

98
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education Mid Term Evaluation
SOWK 5835 Fall
Student________________________________________________________
Instructions
This form serves the purpose for identifying and articulating any concerns the
field instructor may have abut the intern’s abilities and performance to engage
professionally in the expectations set froth by the agency and the intern. The from also
serves the purpose for the field instructor to comment on strengths the intern brings to the
field placement. Please comment on and complete the following.
1. How is the intern engaging in their learning and performance, and self directed -
learning
2. How is the intern demonstrating professional behavior in terms of dress, punctuality,
respect, tolerance of differences, accountability, and reliability
3. How well is the intern using supervision
4. How well is the intern relating to clients and able to demonstrate some professional
interviewing skills

99
5. How well is the intern relating to other professionals and staff at the agency
6. Comment on any other concerns that you consider necessary.
7. What strengths do you see that the intern brings to the internship
Field Instructor________________________________________
Date__________
Intern________________________________________________
Date__________
_____I am in agreement with the above comments.
_____I disagree with the comments and request another meeting among myself, my field
instructor, and my faculty liaison.

100
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education
End of Fall Semester Evaluation
SOWK 5835 Fall Semester
Name of Intern __________________________________ Date __________________
Instructions
The field instructor is to evaluate and rate the intern according to the scale and
outline below. The areas of intern performance correspond exactly to the areas in the
Field Learning Plan. The standard by which an intern is to be compared is that of a new
beginning-level social worker. Ratings at the level of 5 should be rare as all BSW interns
are in burgeoning phases of generalist social work practice. The 10 competencies and
multiple practice behaviors that are specified in this evaluation form are those established
by our national accrediting organization (the Council on Social Work Education). Under
each competency statement are practice behaviors that we ask that you rate according to
the following criteria. Please rate the intern on those areas which are denoted with an “F”
for fall semester. If you consider areas of intern performance that are relegated to spring
semester ,”S”, and wish to comment on the intern’s performance in that practice
behavior, please make note of that in the comment section. Comments may be made
under any competency statement, if desired. Please be sure to indicate those areas in
which you think the intern is particularly strong and those areas that need improvement.
This evaluation is intended to give the intern feedback about her or his
performance. It is expected that the intern utilize this evaluation to reflect upon their
semester’s performance and to identify areas needing more focused effort for the spring
semester of the internship. The agency field instructor rating of these items will not
directly be used to calculate the grade that is given to the intern. The faculty field liaison
has the responsibility of assigning the grade for the course.
Rating Scale
5 The intern has excelled in this area
4 The intern is functioning above expectations for interns in this area
3 The intern has met the expectations for interns in this area
2 The intern has not as yet met the expectations in this area, but there is hope that the
intern will meet the expectations in the near future
1 The intern has not met the expectations in this area, and there is not much hope that
the intern will meet the expectations in this area in the near future
n/a Not applicable, as the intern has not had the opportunity to demonstrate competence
in this area
.

101
(Grateful acknowledgement is given to Professor Charles Zastrow, Ph.D. for his work in designing this document
which has been modified to fit the unique needs of UGA BSW Field Education.)
Competency 1. Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself
accordingly.
a. FS
Advocates well for client access to the services of
social work
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. FS
Practices personal reflection and self-correction to
assure continual
1 2 3 4 5 na
professional development
c. FS Attends well to professional roles and boundaries 1 2 3 4 5 na
d. FS
Demonstrates professional demeanor in behavior,
appearance, and communication
1 2 3 4 5 na
e. S Engage in career-long learning 1 2 3 4 5 na
f. FS Uses supervision and consultation effectively 1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
a. FS
Recognize and manage personal values in a way that
allows professional values to guide practice.
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. F
Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the
National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
and, as applicable, of the International Federation of
Social Workers/International Association of Schools of
1 2 3 4 5 na
Social Work Ethics in Social Work Statement of
Principles.
c. F Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts. 1 2 3 4 5 na
d. F
Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at
principled decisions.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:

102

103
Competency 3. Apply critical thinking to inform & communicate professional
judgments.
Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of
a. S knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and 1 2 3 4 5 na
practice wisdom.
b. FS
Analyze models of assessment, prevention,
intervention, and evaluation.
1 2 3 4 5 na
c. F
Demonstrate effective oral and written communication
in working with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 4. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
Recognizes the extent to which a culture’s structures
a. S and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or
create or enhance privilege and power.
Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the
b. FS influence of personal biases and values in working
with diverse groups.
c. F
Recognize and communicate their understanding of the
importance of difference in shaping life experiences.
d. F
View themselves as learners and engage those with
whom they work as informants.
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:

104
Competency 5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
a. F
Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression
and discrimination.
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. F
Advocate for human rights and social and economic
justice.
1 2 3 4 5 na
c. F
Engage in practices that advance social and economic
justice.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 6. Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed
research.
a. S Use practice experiences to inform scientific inquiry. 1 2 3 4 5 na
b. S Use research evidence to inform practice. 1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
a. S
Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the processes
of assessment, intervention, and evaluation.
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. S
Critique and apply knowledge to understand person
and environment.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 8. Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being
and to deliver effective social work services.
a. S Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that 1 2 3 4 5 na

105
b. S
advance social well-being.
Collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective
policy action.
Comments:
1 2 3 4 5 na
Competency 9. Respond to contexts that shape practice.
Continuously discover, appraise, and attend to
a. FS
changing locales, populations, scientific technological
developments, and emerging societal trends to provide
relevant services.
Provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes
b. S in service delivery and practice to improve the quality
of social services.
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 10. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities.
Engagement
Substantively and affectively prepare for action with
a. FS individuals, families, groups, organizations, and 1 2 3 4 5 na
communities.
b. FS Use empathy and other interpersonal skills. 1 2 3 4 5 na
c. FS
Develop mutually agreed-upon focus of work &
desired outcomes.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Assessment
a. FS Collect, organize, and interpret client data. 1 2 3 4 5 na
b. FS Assess client strengths and limitations. 1 2 3 4 5 na
c. FS
Develop mutually-agreed-on intervention goals and
objectives.
1 2 3 4 5 na
d. FS Select appropriate intervention strategies. 1 2 3 4 5 na
Intervention
a. FS Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals. 1 2 3 4 5 na
b. FS
Implement prevention interventions that enhance
client capacities.
1 2 3 4 5 na
c. FS Help clients resolve problems. 1 2 3 4 5 na
d. FS Negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients. 1 2 3 4 5 na
e. FS Facilitate transitions and endings. 1 2 3 4 5 na
Evaluation

106
a. FS
Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate
interventions.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Overall Evaluation
___This intern is excelling in field placement by performing above expectations for
interns.
___This intern is meeting the expectations of a field placement intern.
___This intern is functioning somewhat below the expectations of a field placement
intern. There is a question whether this intern will be ready for assuming internship
responsibilities for SOWK 5845 in spring semester.
___This intern is functioning below the expectations of a field placement intern. There is
considerable concern that this intern will not be ready for beginning level social work
practice.
Comments and elaboration by Field Instructor
Signature of Agency Field Instructor
________________________________________________
Agency __________________________________________________Date___________
The following section should be completed by the intern.
My field instructor and faculty liaison have discussed this evaluation with me, and I have
received a copy. My agreement or disagreement follows:
I agree with the evaluation

107
I do not agree with evaluation
Intern’s Signature _________________________________________Date
_______________
If the intern disagrees with the evaluation she/he should state that disagreement in
writing and submit a copy to both the agency supervisor and the faculty
supervisor. A meeting between the student, field instructor and faculty liaison
should then be held to discuss the disagreement.
FINAL OVERALL EVALUATION:
Please check one of the following at the final evaluation. At the midterm evaluation do
NOT complete this section.
This intern has excelled in field placement by performing above expectations for
interns. If an appropriate position were open at this agency, for a beginning level
social worker, this intern would be considered among the top candidates for this
position.
This intern has met the expectations of the field placement. This intern is ready
for beginning level social work practice.
This intern is not yet ready for beginning level social work practice.
This intern is not yet ready for beginning level social work practice, and has
demonstrated serious problems in performance, and perhaps should be
encouraged to pursue another major.
Comments/elaboration:

108
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education
Spring Semester Mid Term Evaluation
SOWK 5845 Spring
Intern________________________________________________________
Instructions
The field instructor is to comment on the following items.
1. What concerns may you have about the intern’s performance What strengths can you
see in the intern’s performance at this point in the internship
2. How well has the intern re-entered the spring semester internship
3. Do you see any changes indicated to the spring semester Field Learning Plan If so,
what may they be
4. Are there any practice behaviors the intern needs to focus on more than others If so,
what may they be
Field Instructor________________________________________
Intern________________________________________________
Date__________
Date__________
_____I am in agreement with the above comments.
_____I disagree with the comments and request a meeting among myself, my field
instructor, and my faculty liaison.

109
The University of Georgia School of Social Work
BSW Field Education
End of Spring Semester Evaluation
SOWK 5845 Spring Semester
Intern __________________________________
Date ___________________
Instructions
The field instructor is to evaluate and rate the intern according to the scale and
outline below. The areas of intern performance correspond exactly to the areas in the
Field Learning Plan. The standard by which an intern is to be compared is that of a new
beginning-level social worker. The 10 competencies and multiple practice behaviors that
are specified in this evaluation form are those established by our national accrediting
organization (the Council on Social Work Education). Under each competency statement
are practice behaviors that we ask that you rate according to the following criteria. Please
rate the intern on those areas which are denoted with both an “S” (spring semester) and
an “FS” (fall and spring semester). If you consider areas of intern performance that are
relegated only to the pervious fall semester, ”F”and wish to comment on the intern’s
performance in that practice behavior, please make note of that in the comment section.
Comments may be made under any competency statement, if desired. Please be sure to
indicate those areas in which you think the intern is particularly strong and those areas
that need improvement.
This evaluation is intended to give the intern feedback about her or his
performance. It is expected that the intern utilize this evaluation to reflect upon their
semester’s performance. The agency supervisor’s rating of these items will not directly
be used to calculate the grade that is given to the intern. The faculty field liaison has the
responsibility of assigning the grade for the course.
Rating Scale
5 The intern has excelled in this area
4 The intern is functioning above expectations for interns in this area
3 The intern has met the expectations for interns in this area
2 The intern has not as yet met the expectations in this area, but there is hope that the
intern will meet the expectations in the near future
1 The intern has not met the expectations in this area, and there is not much hope that
the intern will meet the expectations in this area in the near future
n/a Not applicable, as the intern has not had the opportunity to demonstrate competence
in this area
(Grateful acknowledgement is given to Professor Charles Zastrow, Ph.D. for his work in designing this document
which has been modified to fit the unique needs of UGA BSW Field Education.)

110
Competency 1. Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself
accordingly.
a. FS
Advocates well for client access to the services of
social work
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. FS
Practices personal reflection and self-correction to
assure continual
1 2 3 4 5 na
professional development
c. FS Attends well to professional roles and boundaries 1 2 3 4 5 na
d. FS
Demonstrates professional demeanor in behavior,
appearance, and communication
1 2 3 4 5 na
e. S Engage in career-long learning 1 2 3 4 5 na
f. FS Uses supervision and consultation effectively 1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
a. FS
Recognize and manage personal values in a way that
allows professional values to guide practice.
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. F
Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the
National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
and, as applicable, of the International Federation of
Social Workers/International Association of Schools of
1 2 3 4 5 na
Social Work Ethics in Social Work Statement of
Principles.
c. F Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts. 1 2 3 4 5 na
d. F
Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at
principled decisions.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:

111
Competency 3. Apply critical thinking to inform & communicate professional
judgments.
Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of
a. S knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and 1 2 3 4 5 na
practice wisdom.
b. FS
Analyze models of assessment, prevention,
intervention, and evaluation.
1 2 3 4 5 na
c. F
Demonstrate effective oral and written communication
in working with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 4. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
Recognizes the extent to which a culture’s structures
a. S and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or
create or enhance privilege and power.
Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the
b. FS influence of personal biases and values in working
with diverse groups.
c. F
Recognize and communicate their understanding of the
importance of difference in shaping life experiences.
d. F
View themselves as learners and engage those with
whom they work as informants.
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:

112
Competency 5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
a. F
Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression
and discrimination.
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. F
Advocate for human rights and social and economic
justice.
1 2 3 4 5 na
c. F
Engage in practices that advance social and economic
justice.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 6. Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed
research.
a. S Use practice experiences to inform scientific inquiry. 1 2 3 4 5 na
b. S Use research evidence to inform practice. 1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
a. S
Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the processes
of assessment, intervention, and evaluation.
1 2 3 4 5 na
b. S
Critique and apply knowledge to understand person
and environment.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 8. Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being
and to deliver effective social work services.
a. S Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that 1 2 3 4 5 na

113
b. S
advance social well-being.
Collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective
policy action.
Comments:
1 2 3 4 5 na
Competency 9. Respond to contexts that shape practice.
Continuously discover, appraise, and attend to
a. FS
changing locales, populations, scientific technological
developments, and emerging societal trends to provide
relevant services.
Provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes
b. S in service delivery and practice to improve the quality
of social services.
1 2 3 4 5 na
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
Competency 10. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities.
Engagement
Substantively and affectively prepare for action with
a. FS individuals, families, groups, organizations, and 1 2 3 4 5 na
communities.
b. FS Use empathy and other interpersonal skills. 1 2 3 4 5 na
c. FS
Develop mutually agreed-upon focus of work &
desired outcomes.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Assessment
a. FS Collect, organize, and interpret client data. 1 2 3 4 5 na
b. FS Assess client strengths and limitations. 1 2 3 4 5 na
c. FS
Develop mutually-agreed-on intervention goals and
objectives.
1 2 3 4 5 na
d. FS Select appropriate intervention strategies. 1 2 3 4 5 na
Intervention
a. FS Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals. 1 2 3 4 5 na
b. FS
Implement prevention interventions that enhance
client capacities.
1 2 3 4 5 na
c. FS Help clients resolve problems. 1 2 3 4 5 na
d. FS Negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients. 1 2 3 4 5 na
e. FS Facilitate transitions and endings. 1 2 3 4 5 na
Evaluation

114
a. FS
Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate
interventions.
1 2 3 4 5 na
Comments:
FINAL OVERALL EVALUATION
Please check one of the following at the final evaluation.
_____This intern has excelled in field placement by performing above expectations for
interns. If an appropriate position were open at this agency, for a beginning level social
worker, this intern would be considered among the top candidates for this position.
_____This intern has met the expectations of the field placement.This intern is ready for
beginning level social work practice.
_____This intern is not yet ready for beginning level social work practice.
_____This intern is not yet ready for beginning level social work practice, and has
demonstrated serious problems in performance and in assuming a professional demeanor
in social work skills, knowledge, and values.
Comments/elaboration:
Signature of Agency Field Instructor
________________________________________________
Agency __________________________________________________Date___________
The following section should be completed by the intern.
My field instructor and faculty liaison have discussed this evaluation with me, and I have
received a copy. My agreement or disagreement follows:
I agree with the evaluation
I do not agree with evaluation

115
Intern’s Signature _________________________________________Date
_______________
If the intern disagrees with the evaluation she/he should state that disagreement in
writing and submit a copy to both the agency supervisor and the faculty
supervisor. A meeting between the student, field instructor and faculty liaison
should then be held to discuss the disagreement.

116
Appendix E
Worksheet on Preparing to Enter the Field Agency
This assignment needs to be completed and turned in to the seminar instructor no
later than the third week into the semester. The purpose of this assignment is to focus the
student on key items needing attention as a way to assist the student in entering the
agency and in setting clear expectations. The ultimate aim is to foster student
achievement and self efficacy in experiential learning, given the long-term developmental
importance of good first-starts.
Please type your responses and you may wish to get to the point quickly in your
writing. You will need to consult with your field instructor.
1. What will be your primary duties while a student intern
2. When and how often will you meet with your supervisor
3. How does your supervisor want you to prepare for supervision
4. Who will be your “back up supervisor” in the event your supervisor is not
available
5. What will be your usual schedule
6. What are the policies and procedures regarding client confidentiality at your
agency
7. What are the policies and procedures related to client safety
8. What risk assessments have you made regarding safety at the agency
9. What is the expected dress code at the agency
10. What is required of you in regards to documentation
11. What skill set do you need to practice at your agency
12. Are you required to tell clients and other professionals that you are in the role of
BSW student intern Please explain.
13. Identify several resources you will need to draw upon to increase your skill set,
knowledge, and practice methods in serving your clients. Such resources can be
journal articles, skill development, consultations, etc.
14. What kinds of orientation are you receiving at your agency Do you need
additional orientation Please explain and describe

15. Lastly, check out on the BSW Field Education web site “Field Problems and
Resources: FAQ’s at http://ssw.uga.edu:8091/plone/current-students/fieldeducation/bsw-field-program/field-problems-and-resources-faqs.
Please read all
of the content as the questions are from the student voice. Then, please write one
paragraph on the most helpful pieces of those FAQ’s for you.
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Appendix F
FACULTY FIELD LIAISON REPORTING FORM
BSW FIELD EDUCATION – SOCIAL WORK 5835/5845
The faculty field liaison must make a minimum of two site visits. The student and the field instructor
should be present. The first visit should take place around midterm (week 6-9). The second visit should
be scheduled near the end of fall and spring semesters. If there are problems in the field placement that
require your attention additional site visits/phone contacts may be required.
First Site Visit
Date:_________________________
Name of student: _______________________Field Instructor:_____________________
Faculty Liaison:_______________________ Other:______________________________
Yes No NA
□ □ □ Discussed Learning Plan
□ □ □ Discussed student’s progress toward goals identified in Learning
Plan
□ □ □ Discussed any problems/areas of concern
□ □ □ Discussed evaluation
Please describe any areas of concern:
Second Site Visit
Date:___________________
Participants:______________________________________________________________
Yes No NA
□ □ □ Discussed Learning Plan
□ □ □ Discussed student’s progress toward goals identified in Learning
Plan
□ □ □ Discussed any problems/areas of concern
□ □ □ Discussed evaluation
Please describe any areas of concern:

PHONE/EMAIL CONTACTS:
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Appendix G
The University of Georgia
School of Social Work
BSW Student Field Placement Evaluation
This evaluation was developed to assist faculty, students and field instructors in assessing the
various aspects of the student’s field experiences. Specific information regarding agencies and
instructors will be kept confidential in the field office. Evaluations will not be sent to the individual
field instructors, but a year-end summary will be provided to each agency which has served as a
field site to offer feedback and suggestions based on interns’ experiences over the year.
Please evaluate your experiences in your placement agency by circling the appropriate numerical
scale and by answering the narratives as openly as possible. Thank you.
Student:__________________________
Field Placement Site:_____________________
Placement BSW
Field Instructor:__________________________
Semester: Fall Spring 200____
The Agency Limited Moderate Good Excellent
1. Conduciveness of atmosphere for learning. 1 2 3 4
2. Receptivity to students 1 2 3 4
3. Availability of a variety of learning experiences. 1 2 3 4
4. Adaptability to your learning needs. 1 2 3 4
5. Openness to examination by the student. 1 2 3 4
6. Accessibility of resources. 1 2 3 4
7. Innovative in service provision. 1 2 3 4
8. Overall learning experience. 1 2 3 4
9. Overall satisfaction with this placement. 1 2 3 4
10. Competency of training received other than supervisor. 1 2 3 4
11. Orientation to the agency and role 1 2 3 4
The Field Instructor Limited Moderate Good Excellent
1. Competency as a professional role model. 1 2 3 4
2. Consistency in their approach to you. 1 2 3 4
3. Helps me to feel at east with the supervisory process. 1 2 3 4
4. Ability to assess and provide useful feedback of
performance. 1 2 3 4
5. Willingness to serve as an advocate within agency
structure. 1 2 3 4

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6. Provides clear expectations of my role. 1 2 3 4
7. Provides a variety of learning experiences. 1 2 3 4
Limited Moderate Good Excellent
8. Compatibility with the student. 1 2 3 4
9. Makes supervision a constructive learning process. 1 2 3 4
10. Provides suggestions for developing my social work
skills. 1 2 3 4
11. Focuses on my learning needs as a student. 1 2 3 4
12. Impact of supervision to professional development. 1 2 3 4
13. Competency of supervision and training. 1 2 3 4
14. Allows and encourages me to evaluate myself. 1 2 3 4
15. Enables me to express opinions, questions and
concerns. 1 2 3 4
How often did you and your supervisor meet What was the structure of the supervision
How do you think the supervisory relationship impacted your development
Reflect on your field instructor and their style of instruction and supervision. Comment on the
dynamics of the relationship between you.
Would you recommend this field instructor to another social work student Why or why
not Would you recommend this placement agency Why or why not

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Appendix H
Code of Ethics
of the National Association of Social Workers
Approved by the 1996 NASW Delegate Assembly and revised by the 1999
NASW Delegate Assembly
Preamble
The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and
help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and
empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic
and defining feature of social work is the profession's focus on individual well-being in a
social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to
the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.
Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients.
"Clients" is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and
communities. Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to
end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These
activities may be in the form of direct practice, community organizing, supervision,
consultation, administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development
and implementation, education, and research and evaluation. Social workers seek to
enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs. Social workers also seek to
promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to
individuals' needs and social problems.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core
values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are the
foundation of social work's unique purpose and perspective:
• service
• social justice
• dignity and worth of the person
• importance of human relationships
• integrity
• competence.
This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession.
Core values, and the principles that flow from them, must be balanced within the context
and complexity of the human experience.
Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics

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Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation to
articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The NASW Code of
Ethics sets forth these values, principles, and standards to guide social workers' conduct.
The Code is relevant to all social workers and social work students, regardless of their
professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve.
The NASW Code of Ethics serves six purposes:
1. The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based.
2. The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession's core
values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to
guide social work practice.
3. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when
professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise.
4. The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the
social work profession accountable.
5. The Code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work's mission, values,
ethical principles, and ethical standards.
6. The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to
assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has
formal procedures to adjudicate ethics complaints filed against its members.* In
subscribing to this Code, social workers are required to cooperate in its
implementation, participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any
NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it.
*For information on NASW adjudication procedures, see NASW Procedures for the
Adjudication of Grievances.
The Code offers a set of values, principles, and standards to guide decision making and
conduct when ethical issues arise. It does not provide a set of rules that prescribe how
social workers should act in all situations. Specific applications of the Code must take
into account the context in which it is being considered and the possibility of conflicts
among the Code's values, principles, and standards. Ethical responsibilities flow from all
human relationships, from the personal and familial to the social and professional.
Further, the NASW Code of Ethics does not specify which values, principles, and
standards are most important and ought to outweigh others in instances when they
conflict. Reasonable differences of opinion can and do exist among social workers with
respect to the ways in which values, ethical principles, and ethical standards should be
rank ordered when they conflict. Ethical decision making in a given situation must apply
the informed judgment of the individual social worker and should also consider how the
issues would be judged in a peer review process where the ethical standards of the
profession would be applied.

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Ethical decision making is a process. There are many instances in social work where
simple answers are not available to resolve complex ethical issues. Social workers should
take into consideration all the values, principles, and standards in this Code that are
relevant to any situation in which ethical judgment is warranted. Social workers'
decisions and actions should be consistent with the spirit as well as the letter of this Code.
In addition to this Code, there are many other sources of information about ethical
thinking that may be useful. Social workers should consider ethical theory and principles
generally, social work theory and research, laws, regulations, agency policies, and other
relevant codes of ethics, recognizing that among codes of ethics social workers should
consider the NASW Code of Ethics as their primary source. Social workers also should be
aware of the impact on ethical decision making of their clients' and their own personal
values and cultural and religious beliefs and practices. They should be aware of any
conflicts between personal and professional values and deal with them responsibly. For
additional guidance social workers should consult the relevant literature on professional
ethics and ethical decision making and seek appropriate consultation when faced with
ethical dilemmas. This may involve consultation with an agency-based or social work
organization's ethics committee, a regulatory body, knowledgeable colleagues,
supervisors, or legal counsel.
Instances may arise when social workers' ethical obligations conflict with agency policies
or relevant laws or regulations. When such conflicts occur, social workers must make a
responsible effort to resolve the conflict in a manner that is consistent with the values,
principles, and standards expressed in this Code. If a reasonable resolution of the conflict
does not appear possible, social workers should seek proper consultation before making a
decision.
The NASW Code of Ethics is to be used by NASW and by individuals, agencies,
organizations, and bodies (such as licensing and regulatory boards, professional liability
insurance providers, courts of law, agency boards of directors, government agencies, and
other professional groups) that choose to adopt it or use it as a frame of reference.
Violation of standards in this Code does not automatically imply legal liability or
violation of the law. Such determination can only be made in the context of legal and
judicial proceedings. Alleged violations of the Code would be subject to a peer review
process. Such processes are generally separate from legal or administrative procedures
and insulated from legal review or proceedings to allow the profession to counsel and
discipline its own members.
A code of ethics cannot guarantee ethical behavior. Moreover, a code of ethics cannot
resolve all ethical issues or disputes or capture the richness and complexity involved in
striving to make responsible choices within a moral community. Rather, a code of ethics
sets forth values, ethical principles, and ethical standards to which professionals aspire
and by which their actions can be judged. Social workers' ethical behavior should result
from their personal commitment to engage in ethical practice. The NASW Code of Ethics
reflects the commitment of all social workers to uphold the profession's values and to act

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ethically. Principles and standards must be applied by individuals of good character who
discern moral questions and, in good faith, seek to make reliable ethical judgments.
Ethical Principles
The following broad ethical principles are based on social work's core values of service,
social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships,
integrity, and competence. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers
should aspire.
Value: Service
Ethical Principle: Social workers' primary goal is to help people in need and to address
social problems.
Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their
knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems.
Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with
no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).
Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.
Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and
oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers' social change efforts are
focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms
of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about
oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to
needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful
participation in decision making for all people.
Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person
Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual
differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients' socially
responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients' capacity and
opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of
their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve
conflicts between clients' interests and the broader society's interests in a socially
responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of
the profession.

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Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human
relationships.
Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important
vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process.
Social workers seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to
promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social
groups, organizations, and communities.
Value: Integrity
Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
Social workers are continually aware of the profession's mission, values, ethical
principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social
workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the
organizations with which they are affiliated.
Value: Competence
Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop
and enhance their professional expertise.
Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and
to apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge
base of the profession.
Ethical Standards
The following ethical standards are relevant to the professional activities of all social
workers. These standards concern (1) social workers' ethical responsibilities to clients, (2)
social workers' ethical responsibilities to colleagues, (3) social workers' ethical
responsibilities in practice settings, (4) social workers' ethical responsibilities as
professionals, (5) social workers' ethical responsibilities to the social work profession,
and (6) social workers' ethical responsibilities to the broader society.
Some of the standards that follow are enforceable guidelines for professional conduct,
and some are aspirational. The extent to which each standard is enforceable is a matter of
professional judgment to be exercised by those responsible for reviewing alleged
violations of ethical standards.

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1. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to Clients
1.01 Commitment to Clients
Social workers' primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of clients. In general,
clients' interests are primary. However, social workers' responsibility to the larger society
or specific legal obligations may on limited occasions supersede the loyalty owed clients,
and clients should be so advised. (Examples include when a social worker is required by
law to report that a client has abused a child or has threatened to harm self or others.)
1.02 Self-Determination
Social workers respect and promote the right of clients to self-determination and assist
clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals. Social workers may limit clients'
right to self-determination when, in the social workers' professional judgment, clients'
actions or potential actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves
or others.
1.03 Informed Consent
(a) Social workers should provide services to clients only in the context of a professional
relationship based, when appropriate, on valid informed consent. Social workers should
use clear and understandable language to inform clients of the purpose of the services,
risks related to the services, limits to services because of the requirements of a third-party
payer, relevant costs, reasonable alternatives, clients' right to refuse or withdraw consent,
and the time frame covered by the consent. Social workers should provide clients with an
opportunity to ask questions.
(b) In instances when clients are not literate or have difficulty understanding the primary
language used in the practice setting, social workers should take steps to ensure clients'
comprehension. This may include providing clients with a detailed verbal explanation or
arranging for a qualified interpreter or translator whenever possible.
(c) In instances when clients lack the capacity to provide informed consent, social
workers should protect clients' interests by seeking permission from an appropriate third
party, informing clients consistent with the clients' level of understanding. In such
instances social workers should seek to ensure that the third party acts in a manner
consistent with clients' wishes and interests. Social workers should take reasonable steps
to enhance such clients' ability to give informed consent.
(d) In instances when clients are receiving services involuntarily, social workers should
provide information about the nature and extent of services and about the extent of
clients' right to refuse service.

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(e) Social workers who provide services via electronic media (such as computer,
telephone, radio, and television) should inform recipients of the limitations and risks
associated with such services.
(f) Social workers should obtain clients' informed consent before audiotaping or
videotaping clients or permitting observation of services to clients by a third party.
1.04 Competence
(a) Social workers should provide services and represent themselves as competent only
within the boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation
received, supervised experience, or other relevant professional experience.
(b) Social workers should provide services in substantive areas or use intervention
techniques or approaches that are new to them only after engaging in appropriate study,
training, consultation, and supervision from people who are competent in those
interventions or techniques.
(c) When generally recognized standards do not exist with respect to an emerging area of
practice, social workers should exercise careful judgment and take responsible steps
(including appropriate education, research, training, consultation, and supervision) to
ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients from harm.
1.05 Cultural Competence and Social Diversity
(a) Social workers should understand culture and its function in human behavior and
society, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures.
(b) Social workers should have a knowledge base of their clients' cultures and be able to
demonstrate competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to clients' cultures
and to differences among people and cultural groups.
(c) Social workers should obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of
social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex,
sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, and mental or physical
disability.
1.06 Conflicts of Interest
(a) Social workers should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the
exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. Social workers should inform
clients when a real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to
resolve the issue in a manner that makes the clients' interests primary and protects clients'
interests to the greatest extent possible. In some cases, protecting clients' interests may
require termination of the professional relationship with proper referral of the client.

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(b) Social workers should not take unfair advantage of any professional relationship or
exploit others to further their personal, religious, political, or business interests.
(c) Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or
former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. In
instances when dual or multiple relationships are unavoidable, social workers should take
steps to protect clients and are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally
sensitive boundaries. (Dual or multiple relationships occur when social workers relate to
clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social, or business. Dual or
multiple relationships can occur simultaneously or consecutively.)
(d) When social workers provide services to two or more people who have a relationship
with each other (for example, couples, family members), social workers should clarify
with all parties which individuals will be considered clients and the nature of social
workers' professional obligations to the various individuals who are receiving services.
Social workers who anticipate a conflict of interest among the individuals receiving
services or who anticipate having to perform in potentially conflicting roles (for example,
when a social worker is asked to testify in a child custody dispute or divorce proceedings
involving clients) should clarify their role with the parties involved and take appropriate
action to minimize any conflict of interest.
1.07 Privacy and Confidentiality
(a) Social workers should respect clients' right to privacy. Social workers should not
solicit private information from clients unless it is essential to providing services or
conducting social work evaluation or research. Once private information is shared,
standards of confidentiality apply.
(b) Social workers may disclose confidential information when appropriate with valid
consent from a client or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of a client.
(c) Social workers should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the
course of professional service, except for compelling professional reasons. The general
expectation that social workers will keep information confidential does not apply when
disclosure is necessary to prevent serious, foreseeable, and imminent harm to a client or
other identifiable person. In all instances, social workers should disclose the least amount
of confidential information necessary to achieve the desired purpose; only information
that is directly relevant to the purpose for which the disclosure is made should be
revealed.
(d) Social workers should inform clients, to the extent possible, about the disclosure of
confidential information and the potential consequences, when feasible before the
disclosure is made. This applies whether social workers disclose confidential information
on the basis of a legal requirement or client consent.

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(e) Social workers should discuss with clients and other interested parties the nature of
confidentiality and limitations of clients' right to confidentiality. Social workers should
review with clients circumstances where confidential information may be requested and
where disclosure of confidential information may be legally required. This discussion
should occur as soon as possible in the social worker-client relationship and as needed
throughout the course of the relationship.
(f) When social workers provide counseling services to families, couples, or groups,
social workers should seek agreement among the parties involved concerning each
individual's right to confidentiality and obligation to preserve the confidentiality of
information shared by others. Social workers should inform participants in family,
couples, or group counseling that social workers cannot guarantee that all participants
will honor such agreements.
(g) Social workers should inform clients involved in family, couples, marital, or group
counseling of the social worker's, employer's, and agency's policy concerning the social
worker's disclosure of confidential information among the parties involved in the
counseling.
(h) Social workers should not disclose confidential information to third-party payers
unless clients have authorized such disclosure.
(i) Social workers should not discuss confidential information in any setting unless
privacy can be ensured. Social workers should not discuss confidential information in
public or semipublic areas such as hallways, waiting rooms, elevators, and restaurants.
(j) Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients during legal proceedings to
the extent permitted by law. When a court of law or other legally authorized body orders
social workers to disclose confidential or privileged information without a client's
consent and such disclosure could cause harm to the client, social workers should request
that the court withdraw the order or limit the order as narrowly as possible or maintain
the records under seal, unavailable for public inspection.
(k) Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients when responding to
requests from members of the media.
(l) Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients' written and electronic
records and other sensitive information. Social workers should take reasonable steps to
ensure that clients' records are stored in a secure location and that clients' records are not
available to others who are not authorized to have access.
(m) Social workers should take precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of
information transmitted to other parties through the use of computers, electronic mail,
facsimile machines, telephones and telephone answering machines, and other electronic

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or computer technology. Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided
whenever possible.
(n) Social workers should transfer or dispose of clients' records in a manner that protects
clients' confidentiality and is consistent with state statutes governing records and social
work licensure.
(o) Social workers should take reasonable precautions to protect client confidentiality in
the event of the social worker's termination of practice, incapacitation, or death.
(p) Social workers should not disclose identifying information when discussing clients
for teaching or training purposes unless the client has consented to disclosure of
confidential information.
(q) Social workers should not disclose identifying information when discussing clients
with consultants unless the client has consented to disclosure of confidential information
or there is a compelling need for such disclosure.
(r) Social workers should protect the confidentiality of deceased clients consistent with
the preceding standards.
1.08 Access to Records
(a) Social workers should provide clients with reasonable access to records concerning
the clients. Social workers who are concerned that clients' access to their records could
cause serious misunderstanding or harm to the client should provide assistance in
interpreting the records and consultation with the client regarding the records. Social
workers should limit clients' access to their records, or portions of their records, only in
exceptional circumstances when there is compelling evidence that such access would
cause serious harm to the client. Both clients' requests and the rationale for withholding
some or all of the record should be documented in clients' files.
(b) When providing clients with access to their records, social workers should take steps
to protect the confidentiality of other individuals identified or discussed in such records.
1.09 Sexual Relationships
(a) Social workers should under no circumstances engage in sexual activities or sexual
contact with current clients, whether such contact is consensual or forced.
(b) Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with clients'
relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a close personal relationship
when there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. Sexual activity or
sexual contact with clients' relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a
personal relationship has the potential to be harmful to the client and may make it

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difficult for the social worker and client to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
Social workers--not their clients, their clients' relatives, or other individuals with whom
the client maintains a personal relationship--assume the full burden for setting clear,
appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
(c) Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with former
clients because of the potential for harm to the client. If social workers engage in conduct
contrary to this prohibition or claim that an exception to this prohibition is warranted
because of extraordinary circumstances, it is social workers--not their clients--who
assume the full burden of demonstrating that the former client has not been exploited,
coerced, or manipulated, intentionally or unintentionally.
(d) Social workers should not provide clinical services to individuals with whom they
have had a prior sexual relationship. Providing clinical services to a former sexual partner
has the potential to be harmful to the individual and is likely to make it difficult for the
social worker and individual to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
1.10 Physical Contact
Social workers should not engage in physical contact with clients when there is a
possibility of psychological harm to the client as a result of the contact (such as cradling
or caressing clients). Social workers who engage in appropriate physical contact with
clients are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries
that govern such physical contact.
1.11 Sexual Harassment
Social workers should not sexually harass clients. Sexual harassment includes sexual
advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature.
1.12 Derogatory Language
Social workers should not use derogatory language in their written or verbal
communications to or about clients. Social workers should use accurate and respectful
language in all communications to and about clients.
1.13 Payment for Services
(a) When setting fees, social workers should ensure that the fees are fair, reasonable, and
commensurate with the services performed. Consideration should be given to clients'
ability to pay.
(b) Social workers should avoid accepting goods or services from clients as payment for
professional services. Bartering arrangements, particularly involving services, create the

133
potential for conflicts of interest, exploitation, and inappropriate boundaries in social
workers' relationships with clients. Social workers should explore and may participate in
bartering only in very limited circumstances when it can be demonstrated that such
arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the local community,
considered to be essential for the provision of services, negotiated without coercion, and
entered into at the client's initiative and with the client's informed consent. Social workers
who accept goods or services from clients as payment for professional services assume
the full burden of demonstrating that this arrangement will not be detrimental to the client
or the professional relationship.
(c) Social workers should not solicit a private fee or other remuneration for providing
services to clients who are entitled to such available services through the social workers'
employer or agency.
1.14 Clients Who Lack Decision-Making Capacity
When social workers act on behalf of clients who lack the capacity to make informed
decisions, social workers should take reasonable steps to safeguard the interests and
rights of those clients.
1.15 Interruption of Services
Social workers should make reasonable efforts to ensure continuity of services in the
event that services are interrupted by factors such as unavailability, relocation, illness,
disability, or death.
1.16 Termination of Services
(a) Social workers should terminate services to clients and professional relationships with
them when such services and relationships are no longer required or no longer serve the
clients' needs or interests.
(b) Social workers should take reasonable steps to avoid abandoning clients who are still
in need of services. Social workers should withdraw services precipitously only under
unusual circumstances, giving careful consideration to all factors in the situation and
taking care to minimize possible adverse effects. Social workers should assist in making
appropriate arrangements for continuation of services when necessary.
(c) Social workers in fee-for-service settings may terminate services to clients who are
not paying an overdue balance if the financial contractual arrangements have been made
clear to the client, if the client does not pose an imminent danger to self or others, and if
the clinical and other consequences of the current nonpayment have been addressed and
discussed with the client.

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(d) Social workers should not terminate services to pursue a social, financial, or sexual
relationship with a client.
(e) Social workers who anticipate the termination or interruption of services to clients
should notify clients promptly and seek the transfer, referral, or continuation of services
in relation to the clients' needs and preferences.
(f) Social workers who are leaving an employment setting should inform clients of
appropriate options for the continuation of services and of the benefits and risks of the
options.
2. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues
2.01 Respect
(a) Social workers should treat colleagues with respect and should represent accurately
and fairly the qualifications, views, and obligations of colleagues.
(b) Social workers should avoid unwarranted negative criticism of colleagues in
communications with clients or with other professionals. Unwarranted negative criticism
may include demeaning comments that refer to colleagues' level of competence or to
indi-viduals' attributes such as race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual
orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, and mental or physical disability.
(c) Social workers should cooperate with social work colleagues and with colleagues of
other professions when such cooperation serves the well-being of clients.
2.02 Confidentiality
Social workers should respect confidential information shared by colleagues in the course
of their professional relationships and transactions. Social workers should ensure that
such colleagues understand social workers' obligation to respect confidentiality and any
exceptions related to it.
2.03 Interdisciplinary Collaboration
(a) Social workers who are members of an interdisciplinary team should participate in
and contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of clients by drawing on the
perspectives, values, and experiences of the social work profession. Professional and
ethical obligations of the interdisciplinary team as a whole and of its individual members
should be clearly established.
(b) Social workers for whom a team decision raises ethical concerns should attempt to
resolve the disagreement through appropriate channels. If the disagreement cannot be
resolved, social workers should pursue other avenues to address their concerns consistent
with client well-being.

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2.04 Disputes Involving Colleagues
(a) Social workers should not take advantage of a dispute between a colleague and an
employer to obtain a position or otherwise advance the social workers' own interests.
(b) Social workers should not exploit clients in disputes with colleagues or engage clients
in any inappropriate discussion of conflicts between social workers and their colleagues.
2.05 Consultation
(a) Social workers should seek the advice and counsel of colleagues whenever such
consultation is in the best interests of clients.
(b) Social workers should keep themselves informed about colleagues' areas of expertise
and competencies. Social workers should seek consultation only from colleagues who
have demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and competence related to the subject of the
consultation.
(c) When consulting with colleagues about clients, social workers should disclose the
least amount of information necessary to achieve the purposes of the consultation.
2.06 Referral for Services
(a) Social workers should refer clients to other professionals when the other
professionals' specialized knowledge or expertise is needed to serve clients fully or when
social workers believe that they are not being effective or making reasonable progress
with clients and that additional service is required.
(b) Social workers who refer clients to other professionals should take appropriate steps
to facilitate an orderly transfer of responsibility. Social workers who refer clients to other
professionals should disclose, with clients' consent, all pertinent information to the new
service providers.
(c) Social workers are prohibited from giving or receiving payment for a referral when no
professional service is provided by the referring social worker.
2.07 Sexual Relationships
(a) Social workers who function as supervisors or educators should not engage in sexual
activities or contact with supervisees, students, trainees, or other colleagues over whom
they exercise professional authority.
(b) Social workers should avoid engaging in sexual relationships with colleagues when
there is potential for a conflict of interest. Social workers who become involved in, or

136
anticipate becoming involved in, a sexual relationship with a colleague have a duty to
transfer professional responsibilities, when necessary, to avoid a conflict of interest.
2.08 Sexual Harassment
Social workers should not sexually harass supervisees, students, trainees, or colleagues.
Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual
favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
2.09 Impairment of Colleagues
(a) Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleague's impairment
that is due to personal problems, psychosocial distress, substance abuse, or mental health
difficulties and that interferes with practice effectiveness should consult with that
colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking remedial action.
(b) Social workers who believe that a social work colleague's impairment interferes with
practice effectiveness and that the colleague has not taken adequate steps to address the
impairment should take action through appropriate channels established by employers,
agencies, NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies, and other professional organizations.
2.10 Incompetence of Colleagues
(a) Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleague's incompetence
should consult with that colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking
remedial action.
(b) Social workers who believe that a social work colleague is incompetent and has not
taken adequate steps to address the incompetence should take action through appropriate
channels established by employers, agencies, NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies,
and other professional organizations.
2.11 Unethical Conduct of Colleagues
(a) Social workers should take adequate measures to discourage, prevent, expose, and
correct the unethical conduct of colleagues.
(b) Social workers should be knowledgeable about established policies and procedures
for handling concerns about colleagues' unethical behavior. Social workers should be
familiar with national, state, and local procedures for handling ethics complaints. These
include policies and procedures created by NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies,
employers, agencies, and other professional organizations.

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(c) Social workers who believe that a colleague has acted unethically should seek
resolution by discussing their concerns with the colleague when feasible and when such
discussion is likely to be productive.
(d) When necessary, social workers who believe that a colleague has acted unethically
should take action through appropriate formal channels (such as contacting a state
licensing board or regulatory body, an NASW committee on inquiry, or other
professional ethics committees).
(e) Social workers should defend and assist colleagues who are unjustly charged with
unethical conduct.
3. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings
3.01 Supervision and Consultation
(a) Social workers who provide supervision or consultation should have the necessary
knowledge and skill to supervise or consult appropriately and should do so only within
their areas of knowledge and competence.
(b) Social workers who provide supervision or consultation are responsible for setting
clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
(c) Social workers should not engage in any dual or multiple relationships with
supervisees in which there is a risk of exploitation of or potential harm to the supervisee.
(d) Social workers who provide supervision should evaluate supervisees' performance in
a manner that is fair and respectful.
3.02 Education and Training
(a) Social workers who function as educators, field instructors for students, or trainers
should provide instruction only within their areas of knowledge and competence and
should provide instruction based on the most current information and knowledge
available in the profession.
(b) Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should
evaluate students' performance in a manner that is fair and respectful.
(c) Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should take
reasonable steps to ensure that clients are routinely informed when services are being
provided by students.
(d) Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should not
engage in any dual or multiple relationships with students in which there is a risk of

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exploitation or potential harm to the student. Social work educators and field instructors
are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
3.03 Performance Evaluation
Social workers who have responsibility for evaluating the performance of others should
fulfill such responsibility in a fair and considerate manner and on the basis of clearly
stated criteria.
3.04 Client Records
(a) Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that documentation in records is
accurate and reflects the services provided.
(b) Social workers should include sufficient and timely documentation in records to
facilitate the delivery of services and to ensure continuity of services provided to clients
in the future.
(c) Social workers' documentation should protect clients' privacy to the extent that is
possible and appropriate and should include only information that is directly relevant to
the delivery of services.
(d) Social workers should store records following the termination of services to ensure
reasonable future access. Records should be maintained for the number of years required
by state statutes or relevant contracts.
3.05 Billing
Social workers should establish and maintain billing practices that accurately reflect the
nature and extent of services provided and that identify who provided the service in the
practice setting.
3.06 Client Transfer
(a) When an individual who is receiving services from another agency or colleague
contacts a social worker for services, the social worker should carefully consider the
client's needs before agreeing to provide services. To minimize possible confusion and
conflict, social workers should discuss with potential clients the nature of the clients'
current relationship with other service providers and the implications, including possible
benefits or risks, of entering into a relationship with a new service provider.
(b) If a new client has been served by another agency or colleague, social workers should
discuss with the client whether consultation with the previous service provider is in the
client's best interest.

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3.07 Administration
(a) Social work administrators should advocate within and outside their agencies for
adequate resources to meet clients' needs.
(b) Social workers should advocate for resource allocation procedures that are open and
fair. When not all clients' needs can be met, an allocation procedure should be developed
that is nondiscriminatory and based on appropriate and consistently applied principles.
(c) Social workers who are administrators should take reasonable steps to ensure that
adequate agency or organizational resources are available to provide appropriate staff
supervision.
(d) Social work administrators should take reasonable steps to ensure that the working
environment for which they are responsible is consistent with and encourages compliance
with the NASW Code of Ethics. Social work administrators should take reasonable steps
to eliminate any conditions in their organizations that violate, interfere with, or
discourage compliance with the Code.
3.08 Continuing Education and Staff Development
Social work administrators and supervisors should take reasonable steps to provide or
arrange for continuing education and staff development for all staff for whom they are
responsible. Continuing education and staff development should address current
knowledge and emerging developments related to social work practice and ethics.
3.09 Commitments to Employers
(a) Social workers generally should adhere to commitments made to employers and
employing organizations.
(b) Social workers should work to improve employing agencies' policies and procedures
and the efficiency and effectiveness of their services.
(c) Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that employers are aware of
social workers' ethical obligations as set forth in the NASW Code of Ethics and of the
implications of those obligations for social work practice.
(d) Social workers should not allow an employing organization's policies, procedures,
regulations, or administrative orders to interfere with their ethical practice of social work.
Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that their employing organizations'
practices are consistent with the NASW Code of Ethics.
(e) Social workers should act to prevent and eliminate discrimination in the employing
organization's work assignments and in its employment policies and practices.

140
(f) Social workers should accept employment or arrange student field placements only in
organizations that exercise fair personnel practices.
(g) Social workers should be diligent stewards of the resources of their employing
organizations, wisely conserving funds where appropriate and never misappropriating
funds or using them for unintended purposes.
3.10 Labor-Management Disputes
(a) Social workers may engage in organized action, including the formation of and
participation in labor unions, to improve services to clients and working conditions.
(b) The actions of social workers who are involved in labor-management disputes, job
actions, or labor strikes should be guided by the profession's values, ethical principles,
and ethical standards. Reasonable differences of opinion exist among social workers
concerning their primary obligation as professionals during an actual or threatened labor
strike or job action. Social workers should carefully examine relevant issues and their
possible impact on clients before deciding on a course of action.
4. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities as Professionals
4.01 Competence
(a) Social workers should accept responsibility or employment only on the basis of
existing competence or the intention to acquire the necessary competence.
(b) Social workers should strive to become and remain proficient in professional practice
and the performance of professional functions. Social workers should critically examine
and keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to social work. Social workers
should routinely review the professional literature and participate in continuing education
relevant to social work practice and social work ethics.
(c) Social workers should base practice on recognized knowledge, including empirically
based knowledge, relevant to social work and social work ethics.
4.02 Discrimination
Social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any form of
discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual
orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, or mental or physical disability.
4.03 Private Conduct
Social workers should not permit their private conduct to interfere with their ability to
fulfill their professional responsibilities.

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4.04 Dishonesty, Fraud, and Deception
Social workers should not participate in, condone, or be associated with dishonesty,
fraud, or deception.
4.05 Impairment
(a) Social workers should not allow their own personal problems, psychosocial distress,
legal problems, substance abuse, or mental health difficulties to interfere with their
professional judgment and performance or to jeopardize the best interests of people for
whom they have a professional responsibility.
(b) Social workers whose personal problems, psychosocial distress, legal problems,
substance abuse, or mental health difficulties interfere with their professional judgment
and performance should immediately seek consultation and take appropriate remedial
action by seeking professional help, making adjustments in workload, terminating
practice, or taking any other steps necessary to protect clients and others.
4.06 Misrepresentation
(a) Social workers should make clear distinctions between statements made and actions
engaged in as a private individual and as a representative of the social work profession, a
professional social work organization, or the social worker's employing agency.
(b) Social workers who speak on behalf of professional social work organizations should
accurately represent the official and authorized positions of the organizations.
(c) Social workers should ensure that their representations to clients, agencies, and the
public of professional qualifications, credentials, education, competence, affiliations,
services provided, or results to be achieved are accurate. Social workers should claim
only those relevant professional credentials they actually possess and take steps to correct
any inaccuracies or misrepresentations of their credentials by others.
4.07 Solicitations
(a) Social workers should not engage in uninvited solicitation of potential clients who,
because of their circumstances, are vulnerable to undue influence, manipulation, or
coercion.
(b) Social workers should not engage in solicitation of testimonial endorsements
(including solicitation of consent to use a client's prior statement as a testimonial
endorsement) from current clients or from other people who, because of their particular
circumstances, are vulnerable to undue influence.

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4.08 Acknowledging Credit
(a) Social workers should take responsibility and credit, including authorship credit, only
for work they have actually performed and to which they have contributed.
(b) Social workers should honestly acknowledge the work of and the contributions made
by others.
5. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to the Social Work Profession
5.01 Integrity of the Profession
(a) Social workers should work toward the maintenance and promotion of high standards
of practice.
(b) Social workers should uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission
of the profession. Social workers should protect, enhance, and improve the integrity of
the profession through appropriate study and research, active discussion, and responsible
criticism of the profession.
(c) Social workers should contribute time and professional expertise to activities that
promote respect for the value, integrity, and competence of the social work profession.
These activities may include teaching, research, consultation, service, legislative
testimony, presentations in the community, and participation in their professional
organizations.
(d) Social workers should contribute to the knowledge base of social work and share with
colleagues their knowledge related to practice, research, and ethics. Social workers
should seek to con-tribute to the profession's literature and to share their knowledge at
professional meetings and conferences.
(e) Social workers should act to prevent the unauthorized and unqualified practice of
social work.
5.02 Evaluation and Research
(a) Social workers should monitor and evaluate policies, the implementation of programs,
and practice interventions.
(b) Social workers should promote and facilitate evaluation and research to contribute to
the development of knowledge.
(c) Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge
relevant to social work and fully use evaluation and research evidence in their
professional practice.

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(d) Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should carefully consider possible
consequences and should follow guidelines developed for the protection of evaluation
and research participants. Appropriate institutional review boards should be consulted.
(e) Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should obtain voluntary and written
informed consent from participants, when appropriate, without any implied or actual
deprivation or penalty for refusal to participate; without undue inducement to participate;
and with due regard for participants' well-being, privacy, and dignity. Informed consent
should include information about the nature, extent, and duration of the participation
requested and disclosure of the risks and benefits of participation in the research.
(f) When evaluation or research participants are incapable of giving informed consent,
social workers should provide an appropriate explanation to the participants, obtain the
participants' assent to the extent they are able, and obtain written consent from an
appropriate proxy.
(g) Social workers should never design or conduct evaluation or research that does not
use consent procedures, such as certain forms of naturalistic observation and archival
research, unless rigorous and responsible review of the research has found it to be
justified because of its prospective scientific, educational, or applied value and unless
equally effective alternative procedures that do not involve waiver of consent are not
feasible.
(h) Social workers should inform participants of their right to withdraw from evaluation
and research at any time without penalty.
(i) Social workers should take appropriate steps to ensure that participants in evaluation
and research have access to appropriate supportive services.
(j) Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should protect participants from
unwarranted physical or mental distress, harm, danger, or deprivation.
(k) Social workers engaged in the evaluation of services should discuss collected
information only for professional purposes and only with people professionally
concerned with this information.
(l) Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should ensure the anonymity or
confidentiality of participants and of the data obtained from them. Social workers should
inform participants of any limits of confidentiality, the measures that will be taken to
ensure confidentiality, and when any records containing research data will be destroyed.
(m) Social workers who report evaluation and research results should protect participants'
confidentiality by omitting identifying information unless proper consent has been
obtained authorizing disclosure.

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(n) Social workers should report evaluation and research findings accurately. They should
not fabricate or falsify results and should take steps to correct any errors later found in
published data using standard publication methods.
(o) Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should be alert to and avoid
conflicts of interest and dual relationships with participants, should inform participants
when a real or potential conflict of interest arises, and should take steps to resolve the
issue in a manner that makes participants' interests primary.
(p) Social workers should educate themselves, their students, and their colleagues about
responsible research practices.
6. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to the Broader Society
6.01 Social Welfare
Social workers should promote the general welfare of society, from local to global levels,
and the development of people, their communities, and their environments. Social
workers should advocate for living conditions conducive to the fulfillment of basic
human needs and should promote social, economic, political, and cultural values and
institutions that are compatible with the realization of social justice.
6.02 Public Participation
Social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public in shaping social
policies and institutions.
6.03 Public Emergencies
Social workers should provide appropriate professional services in public emergencies to
the greatest extent possible.
6.04 Social and Political Action
(a) Social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all
people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they
require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully. Social workers should be
aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in
policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs
and promote social justice.
(b) Social workers should act to expand choice and opportunity for all people, with
special regard for vulnerable, disadvantaged, oppressed, and exploited people and groups.
(c) Social workers should promote conditions that encourage respect for cultural and
social diversity within the United States and globally. Social workers should promote

145
policies and practices that demonstrate respect for difference, support the expansion of
cultural knowledge and resources, advocate for programs and institutions that
demonstrate cultural competence, and promote policies that safeguard the rights of and
confirm equity and social justice for all people.
(d) Social workers should act to prevent and eliminate domination of, exploitation of, and
discrimination against any person, group, or class on the basis of race, ethnicity, national
origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, or
mental or physical disability.

146
Appendix I
Memorandum of Agreement
Error! Main Document Only.MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
CONCERNING
AFFILIATION OF STUDENTS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM
This is a Memorandum of Understanding on the part of _________ hereinafter
referred to as "Facility," and the Board of Regents of the University System of
Georgia by and on behalf of the University of Georgia School of Social Work,
hereinafter referred to as "University."
A. PURPOSE.
1. The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding is to guide and direct the
parties respecting their affiliation and working relationship, inclusive of
anticipated future arrangements and agreements in furtherance
thereof, to provide high quality practicum learning experience for
students in the University's School of Social Work, while at the same
time enhancing the resources available to the Facility for the providing
of services to its clients.
2. Neither party intends for this Memorandum to alter in any way their
respective legal rights or their legal obligations to one another, to the
students and faculty assigned to the Facility, or as to any third party.
B. GENERAL UNDERSTANDING:
1. The courses of instruction (i.e. social work practicum) to be provided
will be of such content and cover such periods of time as may from
time to time be mutually agreed upon by the University and the
Facility. The starting and ending date for each program shall be
agreed upon at least one month before the program commences.
2. The number of students designated for participation in a practicum
education program will be mutually determined by agreement of the
parties, and may at any time be altered by mutual agreement. All
student participants must be mutually acceptable to both parties and
either party may withdraw any student from a program based upon
perceived lack of competency on the part of the student, the student's
failure to comply with the rules and policies of the Facility or the
University, or for any other reason if either party reasonably believes
that it is not in the best interest of the program for the student to
continue.

147
3. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of race, color, national
origin, religion, creed, sex, age, disability, or veteran status in either
the selection of students for participation in the program, or as to any
aspect of the practicum training; provided, however, that with respect
to disability, the disability must not be such as would, even with
reasonable accommodation, in and of itself preclude a student's
effective participation in the program.
C. FACILITY RESPONSIBILITIES.
1. The Facility will retain responsibility for the services to clients and will
maintain administrative and professional supervision of all patient care
activities provided by students insofar as their presence and program
assignments affect the operation of the Facility and its care, direct and
indirect, of patients.
2. The Facility will provide adequate practice facilities for participating
students in accordance with the practice objectives developed through
cooperative planning by the university's departmental faculty and the
Facility's staff.
3. The Facility will use its best efforts to make conference space and
classrooms available as may be necessary for teaching and planning
activities in connection with practicum training programs.
4. Facility staff shall, upon request, assist the University in the evaluation
of the learning and performance of participating students.
5. The Facility shall provide for orientation of both University faculty and
participating students to the facilities, philosophies, rules, and
regulations and policies of the Facility.
6. Subject to the Facility's overall supervisory responsibility for patient
services, it may, but is not obligated to, permit appropriately licensed
faculty members to provide such patient services at the Facility as may
be necessary for teaching purposes.
7. All medical or health care (emergency or otherwise) that a student or
University faculty member receives at the Facility will be at the
expense of the individual involved.
8. The Facility shall do or cause to be done the following:
a. Provide an experienced field instructor(s) for MSW students
who shall have responsibility for the field related educational
program of the student including delivery and evaluation of the

148
educational program. It is recommended that educational
instruction be separated from administrative supervision, and
that records of educational instruction not be included with
administrative records.
b. Provide administrative support for the identification and
provision of educational opportunities for the student. These
educational opportunities shall be incorporated into the
Practicum Learning Plan. The Practicum Learning Plan shall be
drawn up at the beginning of each academic term in a
conference including the designated Facility Field Instructor,
the Faculty Liaison, and the Student. This plan must be
approved by the faculty liaison. Educational opportunities will
normally evolve from the work station of the student. However,
it is expected that during the period of field instruction
additional opportunities will be needed to fulfill the various
objectives of the Practicum Learning Plan. The Facility agrees
to work with the School in arranging these additional
opportunities for the student.
c. Permit the student to utilize time in the work week for
educational purposes in fulfillment of educational objectives
identified in the student's Practicum Learning Plan and agreed
to by the Facility field instructor of the student.
d. Permit the Facility field instructor to set aside designated time
each week for instruction of student for educational purposes,
and to attend meetings/training sessions for field instructors.
D. UNIVERSITY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. The University will use its best efforts to see that students selected for
participation in the practicum training program are prepared for
effective participation in the clinical training phase of their overall
education. The University will retain ultimate responsibility for the
education of its students.
2. Prior to the commencement of a practicum training program, the
University will, upon request, provide responsible Facility officials with
such student records as will adequately disclose the prior education
and related experiences of prospective student participants.
3. The University will use its best efforts to see that the practicum training
programs at the Facility are conducted in such a manner as to
enhance client care. Only those students who have satisfactorily

149
completed the prerequisite didactic portion of their curriculum will be
selected for participation in a program.
4. The University will not assign any faculty member to the Facility in
connection with the operation of the program who is not appropriately
qualified.
5. a. The University will require all participating faculty and students
to show proof of liability insurance in an amount satisfactory to
the College and the Facility. Upon request, evidence of such
insurance will be provided.
b. The University will require all participating faculty and students
to show proof of health insurance if required by the Facility, in
an amount satisfactory to the Facility. Upon request, evidence
of such insurance will be provided.
6. The University will encourage student compliance with the Facility's
rules, regulations and procedures, and use its best efforts to keep
students informed as to the same and any changes therein.
Specifically, the University will keep each participating student
apprized of his or her responsibility:
a. To follow the administrative policies, standards, and practices
of the Facility when the student is in the Facility.
b. To report to the Facility on time and to follow all established
regulations during the regularly scheduled operating hours of
the Facility.
c. To conform to the standards and practices established by the
University while training at the Facility.
d. To keep in confidence all medical and health/mental health
information pertaining to particular clients.
7. If required by the Facility the University will require each participating
student to furnish proof of a current physical examination, the results
of which shall, upon request, be made available to the Facility. The
parties may agree to have such examination performed by the Facility.
E. MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. The parties will work together to maintain an environment of
quality practicum learning experiences and quality patient care.
At the instance of either party a meeting or conference will be

150
promptly held between University and Facility representatives
to resolve any problems or develop any improvements in the
operation of the contemplated training program.
2. Unless sooner canceled. or provided below, the term of this
affiliation for training shall be for 30 months, commencing on
_______ and ending on _______. This working relationship
and affiliation may be renewed by mutual written consent of the
parties. It also may be canceled at any time by either party
upon not less than thirty (30) days written notice in advance of
the next training experience.
PRACTICUM FACILITY:
(Please fill in completely)
and
The Board of Regents of the
University System of Georgia by
On behalf of the University
Of Georgia School of Social Work
By:
Facility Name
Address
_________________________
Michael F. Adams, President
University of Georgia
_________________________
Date
___________________________________
Address
___________________________________
Facility Phone #
By:_________________________________
Authorized Official (signature)
__________________________________
(Please print name)
__________________________________
Title

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Appendix J
ORIENTATION TO THE AGENCY
The School provides the student with a general orientation to the profession and to field
education.
The agency is responsible for agency-based orientation, which typically occurs during the
first week of field work. In general, the orientation should consist of acquainting the
student with the various services offered by the agency, and the range of scope of
possible assignments. Planning for these assignments should begin right after the
orientation period, and specific initial assignments should be identified. The student
should use the orientation period to begin developing a written learning contract, which
will serve as a guide for the current term of field work experience.
The School’s rationale for the agency orientation to field instruction is twofold. First,
before the student engages with clients, agency staff, communities, etc., s/he should have
some knowledge of professional roles and relationships, the ethics of the profession, and
the nature of service delivery systems, as well as some acquaintance with various theories
of human behavior, specific to that particular agency. Second, students are expected to
gain knowledge about the range and type of specific agency services, agency structure
and staff roles and responsibilities, as well as inter-agency and community relationships.
A well-planned and organized orientation within the agency will not only provide
information useful for student performance but will serve the agency by enhancing the
potential for greater student productivity.
Agencies may wish to take different approaches to the agency orientation. One approach
is to schedule various activities which could include reading reports and other agency
documents, interviews, and observation within the agency and at other agencies and
facilities. A somewhat richer approach is to schedule all of the above and to begin to
introduce related tasks into the assignments. For example, a student who is scheduled to
visit another agency may be asked to obtain information needed by the placement agency.
Another student preparing to work with a client group may conduct initial interviews
with prospective members.
The following pages outline various ideas and examples that agencies may adopt in
orienting students to their site.

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Appendix K
EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS ORIENTATION ACTIVITIES
Review:
Attend:
Agency documents & demographics
Agency meetings and conferences
Annual reports
Characteristics of service population
Census data on community
Special reports, grant applications
Relevant legislation
Policy manual
Relevant research
City council, county commissioner’s meetings
Consultations
Inter-agency meetings
Professional conferences
Staff development sessions
Staff, board, committee, department, and team meetings
Macro - Community Practice Direct Practice

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Appendix L
PERSONAL SAFETY/RISK REDUCTION*
Guidelines on Personal Safety
Due to increasing incidents of violence against social workers, the School is attempting to
make students aware of safety issues and be better prepared to handle potentially
dangerous situations. Training in personal safety is provided to students early in the first
term of enrollment; content includes awareness, prevention, and management of
dangerous situations at home, on the street and while traveling, in public places, and in
the field. Handouts on this content are provided at the training session. Also, agency
safety guidelines and information on student health care safety preparation appear in this
Manual. Because safety issues relate to field work, campus life, and many other settings,
general information about risk assessment and reduction is also included in this section.
This information can be used to assess environmental risk levels, to determine if a client
or another individual could be dangerous, to make decisions about managing risky
situations, or to protect oneself or clients.
It is very difficult to predict when dangerous behavior will occur. The factors most often
considered to be predictors are: history of violent behavior, male clients, abuse of drugs
and/or alcohol. Aggressive behavior may be direct or indirect; determinants include fear,
anger, overstress, chemical alteration, need for attention or power, and paranoia. The
important variable is the intent or perceived intent of the individual who appears to be
dangerous. It is important to determine whether the behavior is a characteristic adaptive
style or if it is reactive to a particular or current situation. However, the best protection in
a threatened or actual assault is to follow your intuition. Problem-solving skills are also
transferable to risky situations: gather data, evaluate the information, decide on a course
of action based on the evaluation, implement it, evaluate the outcome and adjust
accordingly. This process may occur in an instant or over a longer period.
The goals of risk prevention and management strategies should be:
• protect the client, staff, and others in the environment;
• help the individual gain control with the least amount of pain and guilt;
• help the individual focus on the source of anger, fear, frustration, etc.
• assist the individual to express these feelings verbally rather than in actions.
General Risk Reduction Guidelines
• Walk with a sense of purpose. Be aware of body language.
• Be alert to people around you. Beware of strangers who approach and speak to
you. Keep at a safe distance and keep moving.
• Do not walk on side of the street where people are loitering. Walk on the outside
of the sidewalk, away from possible hiding places.
• Be aware of safe places such as stores, library, school, and community centers to
use as refuge.

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• Do not carry a purse or bag. If you must carry one, conceal it or use a shoulder
bag or backpack.
• Wear sensible appropriate clothing, low heeled shoes, and no jewelry which could
be snatched off or wrapped around your neck.
• Do not give money to people who ask for it.
• Assess multi-story buildings for safety. If you take the elevator, observe elevator
interior before entering. If the elevator appears unsafe, wait for the next elevator
or consider taking the stairs; be aware of who is in the stairwell and how far apart
the exits are. If a suspicious person enters the elevator after you have entered it,
exit before the door closes. Stand next to the control panel. If accosted, press all
buttons.
Risk Reduction Guidelines in Fieldwork
Students should receive a specific orientation to agency policies and procedures
regarding risk management. If the field instructor does not provide this orientation,
students must ask for it. Students should also learn about the agency’s informal methods
for assessing and handling risk situations.
• Each situation is different, but the guidelines that follow may generally apply in
the management of potentially dangerous situations.
• Appreciate realistic limitations. Be reasonable about what is and is not possible.
Know when to stay and leave. (A sound preventive approach is to avoid seeing
clients with reputations for unprovoked assaults or those in acute paranoid
psychotic distress in an empty office without backup staff or security available).
• Keep your work area as safe as possible, keeping it clear of items which could be
harmful to anyone involved in a physical intervention. For example, keep objects
which can be used as weapons (ashtrays, sharp objects, a hot cup of coffee) away
from clients.
• Where possible, alert staff members that assistance may be needed before entering
the crisis situation.
• Act calmly. Keep the scream out of your voice. An emotional or aggressive
response to a distraught individual is likely to reinforce that person’s aggression.
Remember, clients and others who are violent are often reacting to feelings of
helplessness and loss of control. Therefore, you need to be in control of the
situation.
• Take a non-threatening posture to avoid appearing confrontational, but take a
protected posture as well. This usually means standing slightly sideways to the
individual, at a safe distance away from sudden lunges, punches, and kicks, with
arms and hands held near the upper body for possible quick self-protection. Avoid
a “stare down” by periodically breaking eye contact.

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• Don’t walk away from the individual who is escalating. Acknowledge the
individual’s feelings and attempt to talk him/her down. Encouraging the
individual to sit down may sufficiently delay or divert the possibility of attack.
Usually a one-to-one situation with available staff at a distance works well. The
most appropriate staff member to be with the individual is the one who has the
best rapport with him/her, not necessarily the staff with the most authority or
rank.
• Observe the progress of the aggression and the stages of escalation. Identify those
actions on your part which serve to calm and those which serve to inflame the
individual, and act accordingly.
• Avoid sudden movements or the issuance of strident commands, as these may
only inflame the individual. Whenever possible, allow the individual to make
behavioral choices. Directives or alternatives should be stated concretely and in
terms of actions which can be performed immediately. Depending on the
cognitive abilities of the individual, limit-setting may take two forms:
o Direct: state clearly and specifically the required or prohibited behavior.
o Indirect: allow the individual to choose between two acceptable behavioral
alternatives.
• Do not touch the individual unless you are willing to restrain him/her, and only
when there is sufficient staff power to do so in a manner consistent with the
agency’s “take down” or containment policies.
• In the event of the physical intervention where the individual is placed in a quiet
room or in seclusion, the isolation should be as brief as possible. Placing an
individual in isolation will not help him/her learn about the experience during this
critical learning period. The verbal and cognitive work begins here in helping
clients understand and predict their own violent impulses.
What to do if you are attacked or seriously threatened during fieldwork
• Follow agency procedures to manage the immediate situation and to report the
incident informally.
• Get any needed medical care and debrief with your field instructor.
• Immediately notify the School (the faculty liaison, the BSW Foundation Field
Coordinator or BSW Program Director).
• Recognize that a physical attack or threatening behavior is frightening and that
you may respond emotionally to the stress. Seek help to resolve the crisis
responses.
* Source: University of Michigan School of Social Work, Field
Instruction Manual, May 1997