BA Social Work Practice Placements

Before being registered as a social worker, you will need to demonstrate that you have achieved appropriate standards of practice and expertise in an accredited or ‘qualifying’ programme.

The social work regulator, Social Work England, has approved our BA programme, which means that our graduates are eligible to apply to join the professional social work register.

Our BA degree prepares you for this through a curriculum carefully aligned with the Professional Capabilities Framework, which outlines key skills and paths of development for social workers. In order to build up your experience, as well as knowledge, you will have two practice placements - 70 days in your second year of study, and 100 days in your third year of study. By experiencing what it is like to work in contrasting settings, you will come out with a better understanding of social care in diverse sectors, and where you would like to work in the future.

Georgia Edwards story details her journey through her practice placements at Lancaster to her current role in a Children with Disabilities team.

Georgia Edwards

Georgia Edwards

Hello, my name is Georgia Edwards, and this is the story of how the BA Social Work programme at Lancaster University shaped my placement experiences, and ultimately my career.

I studied Social Work at Lancaster University from 2020 to 2023, completing two very different but equally formative placements. In my second year, I spent 70 days with the Adults with Learning Disability Team at Lancashire County Council, where I developed essential skills in assessment, care planning, and setting up vital support for vulnerable adults. The most rewarding part of this placement was building meaningful relationships with people on my caseload - earning trust, learning from lived experience, and knowing my visits genuinely made a difference.

In my third and final year, I completed a 100-day placement with the Duty and Assessment Team, also at Lancashire County Council. This experience confirmed exactly where I wanted my career to go: working with children. It challenged me, strengthened my confidence, and no doubt, was key in shaping who I am as a social worker today.

Throughout both placements, I felt consistently supported by my practice educators and Lancaster University tutors, who encouraged reflection, prioritised wellbeing, and helped me grow professionally.

I am now a Children with Disabilities Social Worker for Lancashire County Council, a role I’ve held since 2023. If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be this: take full advantage of every opportunity you’re given - social work is a highly satisfying career and each day brings new challenges and rewards.

At Lancaster we offer students placements in the statutory, voluntary, third and private sector. However, we are in a fortunate position to have a plentiful supply of statutory placements, which is where the majority of students will find employment following completion of their studies.

We give you plenty of support in preparing for your first placement. During your placement, you will be supported by qualified social work practitioners who have undertaken additional training to become practice educators. Sarah Collins and Nikki Stevens oversee students’ placement experience. Both are based at the University and are highly experienced social workers and expert facilitators of students’ placement experience

Meet Sarah and Nikki

Sarah Collins

Sarah Collins

Senior Teaching Associate in Social Work: Practice Learning Facilitator

Nicola Stevens

Nicola Stevens

Senior Teaching Associate in Social Work: Practice Learning Facilitator

During your placement, you will also return to campus for skill development sessions where you can share experiences with tutors and other students.

In your second placement, you will almost always be based in a statutory setting, to enable you to deepen your knowledge about the legal context of social work. Where possible, we try to match your placement to your interests – whether they are in youth offending, family support or child protection, in mental health, safeguarding adults, or another area of social work. We take into account as far as possible, where you live, the distance you are able to travel, whether you are a car driver, and whether you have any caring responsibilities of your own.

Graduate prospects are excellent for our students – students readily find work as professional social workers, while a proportion may also choose further postgraduate study.

Social Work courses