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Eberly College of Arts & Sciences School of Social Work
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IV. Field Instruction Policies and Procedures

a) Field Site Identification and Approval Process

In accordance with the Council of Social Work Education accreditation standards, the following field site identification and approval process has been implemented.

Field Site Identification Process

To maintain a robust database of student placement opportunities, the field team engages in ongoing outreach to potential field sites. Upon connection with potential field sites, a representative of the site is invited to complete an Agency Profile Form in order to be listed in the database for students to view.

Field Site Approval Process

The approval process takes place before a student placement is confirmed but often not until after a student interviews with a new placement site and is interested in moving forward towards confirming that placement.

The process of approving a new site is as follows:

  • The field team will review the site profile form and schedule a site meeting to review the appropriateness of fit with the WVU SSW field education program.
  • Once a site meeting is completed, an Agency Site Visit Summary is completed in ELC by the field team member leading the site visit. If the field team agrees that the agency or program is appropriate as a social work field site, based on the learning opportunities anticipated for students, the agency is tagged for the appropriate placement levels in ELC.
  • Once the agency has been deemed appropriate for student placements, and a student is identified for that placement, the Field Office facilitates with WVU’s General Counsel the process of establishing a Memorandum of Affiliation (MOA) with the organization. In the event the agency is a WVU affiliate, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be established following the same process. *Please note that any and all changes in the MOA language by the field site, must be reviewed and approved by WVU’s General Counsel’s office, which could delay the approval process, and potentially the student’s placement start date.
  • Upon return of the MOA/MOU, signed by the Agency Representative, the Field Office then obtains the appropriate signatures from WVU administrators, and emails a copy of the MOA/MOU to the agency. A digital copy of the MOA/MOU is maintained with the agency’s site profile in ELC.
As per University policy and liability insurance guidelines, no student may begin logging field placement hours until a fully-executed MOA or MOU is received by the SSW and the student is enrolled in the appropriate field course.

b) Approval Criteria for Field Agencies

In approving agencies as potential settings for field instruction, the SSW looks for evidence of commitment to social work principles and values, as well as a commitment by the setting to the learning needs of the student. The following criteria may be utilized in the approval process:

  1. The agency accepts professional education for social work as part of the philosophy and practice of the agency and is willing to work collaboratively with the SSW to maximize the educational nature of the field placement.

  2. The agency has qualified and available employees who are interested in providing field supervision and who meet the criteria and standards of the SSW. Agencies who do not have an eligible field instructor will be approved on a case-by-case basis, with consideration given to specific student learning and supervision needs, as well as availability of external field instructors.

  3. The agency is willing to accept the student as a learner and to provide appropriate learning experiences. Agency will maximize the student's opportunity to have assignments which include work with clients of different races, genders, ages, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, income levels, and physical/mental abilities.

  4. The student is accepted as a participant in the overall agency program and activities as appropriate. A supportive learning environment would include opportunities to participate in staff meetings, interagency meetings, in-service training, and other opportunities for professional learning.

  5. Students should be provided with the proper environment and equipment, such as phone, desk, and a private space for interviewing clients, office supplies, clerical services, etc. The student is reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of agency responsibilities, such as travel and special agency activities.

  6. The agency must agree to treat all information, including evaluations of students, as confidential. According to the provision of the Buckley Amendment to the 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the student must give written permission for the SSW or agency to release data concerning their attendance history or performance record.

  7. The agency must be willing to allow students to use case records and other appropriate material, with confidentiality protected, in classroom discussions and assignments.

  8. The agency must be willing to support the field supervisor by allowing time to plan the student's program, prepare for and hold supervisory conferences, and generally supervise the student's field placement progress.
Agencies that may be excluded from hosting students and/or partnership consideration include the following:
  1. Agencies owned and/or operated by a student’s relatives, either by birth or marriage, and creating a conflict of interest for the potentially hosted student

  2. Agencies whose sole purpose is for the employment and coordination of independent contractors for time-limited services

  3. Student’s privately-owned businesses and/or consulting practices

  4. Agencies whose missions and/or practices are in conflict with NASW Code of Ethics.

c) Approval Criteria for Agency Field Instructors

The Council on Social Work Education requires either a BSW or MSW from a CSWE-accredited social work program and two years of post-social work degree experience in social work to serve as a Field Instructor for BSW students, and an MSW from a CSWE-accredited social work program and two years of post-social work degree experience in social work to serve as a Field Instructor MSW students (See EPAS B3.3.6 and M3.3.6). Individuals meeting the minimum CSWE requirements for BSW and/or MSW supervision are considered for Field Instructor roles with the SSW.

Individuals interested in supervising students, as either a Field Instructor or Site Supervisor, and providing supervision to social work students during field education experiences will complete a Field Instructor Profile form. Additionally, they will meet with a representative of the Field Office to discuss their interest in becoming a Field supervisor and will be oriented to the SSW field practices. Field Instructor profiles are maintained electronically as part of the individual’s user profile in ELC.

d) Field Placement Schedules

Field Instructors and supervisors are expected to establish a weekly schedule with students and make clear to students what the expectations of the agency are regarding hours, taking into account the student's class schedule and other responsibilities. Regular business hours during the Monday through Friday work week are encouraged for placements due to increased agency, client, Field Instructor, faculty, and community engagement during this time period. Self-directed and remote activities may be completed at times most convenient to students and are not restricted to regular business hours.

A student's schedule may reflect variations in relation to assignments, such as fulfilling evening, weekend or on-call responsibilities. It is important that there is a regular overlap of time when Field supervisors and students are working together. Appropriate access to field supervision must be available so that the Field supervisors may directly observe the work of the student and provide feedback and direction. If and when weekend or evening hours are part of the student’s schedule, it is also important that the experience offers rich experiences that are professionally appropriate to the student's learning needs.

The Field Instructor and the student may jointly modify the placement schedule to accommodate for University and agency sanctioned holidays or recesses. Student schedules may also be adjusted to compensate for overtime hours and/or hour shortages caused by illness or other approved absences, as well as ramping up and winding down at the start and end of semesters, as long as the minimum field experience requirements of hours and tasks are met. Students should discuss scheduling requests with the Field Instructor in advance when possible, with specific permission for extended absences of more than one week discussed and requested from the Field Instructor and Faculty Field Liaison.

e) Field Instructor Training

To best support field supervisors, the SSW provides an online field instructor training that all supervisors are encouraged to complete as part of their onboarding. This training is offered virtually at least one time per semester and is approved for 1 hour of continuing education (CE) in West Virginia. The training is also posted online and may be viewed at any time, however only the live presentations are approved for continuing education. The field instructor training covers the following content areas: Placement process and overview of field education; agency orientation components, supervision best practices; learning contract development and evaluation completion, and incorporating the Code of Ethics into supervision.

The SSW works to offer other no cost continuing education opportunities to Field Instructors as a gesture of appreciation for the important service they are providing to students, the SSW, and the greater social work community. The Field Education Handbook, training information, and timeline information is shared with field supervisors as part of their onboarding. Supervisors are encouraged to review the Field Handbook with their students.