Ms Nicola Howard

Ms Nicola Howard
Lecturer in Social Work
Public Health, Policy and Social Sciences
Telephone: (01792) 602032

Nicola completed the Diploma in Social Work and qualified in 2004 at Swansea University.  Nicola has practiced as a Social Worker in Child Safeguarding Statutory Services, a Community Mental Health Team and is currently working for an Emergency Duty Team as a generic Senior Social Work Practitioner. 

Post qualifications:  include PQ 6, The Approved Mental Health Practitioner Qualification, Practice Assessor award and Team Manager Development Programme. Nicola is joint investigation trained in child and adult safeguarding.  Nicola is a Deprivation of Liberties (DoLs) Assessor, Best Interests Assessor (BIA) and is also an Adult Protection Support Order (APSO) Authorised Officer.

Nicola has trained in Applied suicide intervention skills training (ASIST).

Nicola has worked in social work education at Swansea University since 2016, and is currently a lecturer and is one of the Practice Learning Opportunity Tutors. 

Teaching

  • ASQ101 Introduction to Social Work

    This module considers the place of contemporary social work within historical and comparative perspectives both in Wales, the U.K. and internationally. It also examines the issues and trends in modern public, social and political philosophies and the influence they have on practice and service delivery. It considers the relationship between the Welsh Assembly Government, agency policies in Wales, legal and regulatory requirements and professional boundaries in shaping the nature of the services provided and particularly those in inter-disciplinary contexts. Attention will also be paid to the inter-relationships with other social services in Wales and particularly education, housing, health, income maintenance and criminal justice when provided on a partnership basis. It introduces the student to the current range and appropriateness of statutory, voluntary and private agencies providing community-based day-care, residential and other services. This will be achieved within a thorough examination of the particular issues facing service-using citizens in contemporary Wales.

  • ASQ101W Cyflwyniad i Waith Cymdeithasol

    Mae¿r modiwl yma¿n ystyried lle gwaith cymdeithasol cyfoes o fewn persbectifau hanesyddol a chymharol, yng Nghymru, y DU ac yn rhyngwladol. Mae hefyd yn archwilio'r materion a thueddiadau mewn athroniaethau cyhoeddus modern, cymdeithasol a gwleidyddol a¿r dylanwad maent wedi eu cael ar ymarfer a throsglwyddiad gwybodaeth. Mae¿n ystyried y berthynas rhwng Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru, polisïau asiantaeth yng Nghymru, anghenion cyfreithiol a rheoli a ffiniau proffesiynol yn llunio natur y gwasanaethau a ddarparwyd yn enwedig y rheiny mewn cyd-destunau cyd-ddisgyblaethol. Bydd sylw hefyd yn cael ei dalu i¿r cydberthynas gyda gwasanaethau cymdeithasol eraill yng Nghymru ac yn enwedig addysg, tai, cynnal incwm a chyfiawnder troseddol pan ddarparwyd ar sail partneriaeth. Mae¿n cyflwyno¿r myfyriwr i ystod gyfoes a phriodoldeb o asiantaethau statudol, gwirfoddol a phreifat yn darparu gofal-dydd cymunedol, preswyl a gwasanaethau eraill. Caiff hyn ei gyflawni o fewn archwiliad trwyadl o¿r materion penodol yn wynebu dinasyddion sy¿n defnyddio¿r gwasanaeth yng Nghymru gyfoes.

  • ASQ202 Social Work in Practice 2

    This module will build on the assessment skills of collecting, selecting and testing of information learned at Level 1 and introduce further themes. These include the importance of decision making in a variety of settings and the influence that time pressures can exert. Particular attention will be given to this from a Welsh perspective, in an interagency context, including the factors and processes that facilitate service integration, collaboration and partnership when working with other statutory agencies as well as independent and voluntary sector services. The module will also address the nature of both risk and harm that is associated with intervention in the lives of vulnerable individuals and groups. It will include practical exercises in the use of different approaches to assessment.

  • SW-200 Social Work Practice Learning 2

    The central premise of this module is to prepare students for the 80 day direct practice placement and to enable them to fulfill the requirements of the Care Council for Wales during the placement. The module teaching aims to prepare the students for the academic work which they complete on placement, which is in the form of reflective commentaries. The aim is to enable the students to understand critical reflection, its role and relevance in the practice setting and its importance in ensuring best practice. This will be achieved through teaching and discussion to develop skills and knowledge, both in a large group and in seminars. Students will develop skills in linking theory, legislation, anti-discriminatory /anti-oppressive practice and the Welsh context to practice. Students will also develop a better understanding of their learning needs before going out on placement and have a clear understanding of what the expectations are. They will also have opportunity to work through ways of dealing with any problems or difficulties which may arise. Students will then go out into their practice placements, and will attend `recall¿ days to monitor their experience of placement and their understanding of how the concepts discussed work in practice.

  • SW-300 Social Work Practice Learning 3

    The central premise of this module is to prepare students for the final 100-day placement and to enable them to fulfill the degree requirements of the Care Council for Wales during that placement and to provide evidence of a sufficient quality, and to develop the work needed in the portfolio, to enable them to gain their professional qualification in social work and to be ready to practice independently. The module teaching aims to prepare the students for the academic work which they complete on placement, which is in the form of reflective commentaries. The aim is to enable the students to understand critical reflection, its role and relevance in the practice setting and its importance in ensuring best practice. This will be achieved through teaching and discussion to develop skills and knowledge, both in a large group and in seminars. Students will develop skills in linking theory, legislation, anti-discriminatory /anti-oppressive practice and the Welsh context to practice. Students will also develop a better understanding of their learning needs before going out on placement and have a clear understanding of what the expectations are. They will also have opportunity to work through ways of dealing with any problems or difficulties which may arise. Students will then go out into their practice placements, and will attend `recall¿ days to monitor their experience of placement and their understanding of how the concepts discussed work in practice.

  • SW-M06 Social Work Skills and Knowledge and Service Users' Perspectives

    The central premise of this module is to prepare students for the final 100 day placement and to enable them to fulfill the requirements of Social Care Wales during that placement and to provide evidence of a sufficient quality, and to develop the work needed in the portfolio, to enable them to gain their professional qualification in social work and to be ready to practice independently. The module also aims to prepare the students for the academic work which they complete on placement and to equip students with foundational knowledge and skills in interpersonal communication with individuals and groups in line with social work values, ethics and principles. This module will also contribute to their learning in assessment skills and assessing risk; Provide an exploration of the needs and experiences of service users and carers and the politically contested nature of their role in policy development, assessment and service provision. The aim is to enable the students to understand critical reflection, its role and relevance in the practice setting and its importance in ensuring best practice. This will be achieved through teaching and discussion to develop interpersonal and communication skills and knowledge, both in a large group lectures and in small groups seminars. Students will develop skills in linking theory, legislation anti-discriminatory /anti-oppressive practice and the Welsh context to practice. Students will also develop a better understanding of their learning needs before going out on placement and have a clear understanding of what the expectations are. They will also have opportunity to work through ways of dealing with any problems or difficulties which may arise. Students will then go out into their practice placements, and will attend `recall¿ days to monitor their experience of placement and their understanding of how the concepts discussed work in practice.

  • SW-M06W Sgiliau a Gwybodaeth Gwaith Cymdeithasol a Safbwyntiau Defnyddwyr Gwasanaeth

    Prif nod y modiwl hwn yw paratoi myfyrwyr ar gyfer y lleoliad terfynol 100 diwrnod, eu galluogi nhw i gyflawni gofynion Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru yn ystod y lleoliad hwnnw ac i ddarparu tystiolaeth o ansawdd digonol, datblygu'r gwaith sydd ei angen yn y portffolio, eu galluogi nhw i ennill eu cymhwyster proffesiynol mewn gwaith cymdeithasol a¿u paratoi i ymarfer yn annibynnol. Mae'r modiwl hefyd yn anelu at baratoi'r myfyrwyr ar gyfer y gwaith academaidd byddant yn ei gwblhau ar y lleoliad a rhoi i fyfyrwyr wybodaeth sylfaenol a sgiliau rhyngbersonol wrth gyfathrebu ag unigolion a grwpiau, yn unol â gwerthoedd, moeseg ac egwyddorion gwaith cymdeithasol. Bydd y modiwl hwn hefyd yn cyfrannu at eu dysgu ym maes sgiliau asesu ac asesu risg; bydd yn archwilio anghenion a phrofiadau defnyddwyr gwasanaeth a gofalwyr a natur wleidyddol ddadleuol eu rôl wrth ddatblygu polisïau, asesu a darparu gwasanaethau. Y nod yw galluogi'r myfyrwyr i ddeall myfyrio beirniadol, ei rôl a'i berthnasedd yn y lleoliad ymarfer a'i bwysigrwydd wrth sicrhau ymarfer gorau. Cyflawnir hyn drwy addysgu a thrafodaeth i ddatblygu sgiliau a gwybodaeth rhyngbersonol a chyfathrebu, mewn darlithoedd mawr ac mewn seminarau ar gyfer grwpiau bach. Bydd myfyrwyr yn datblygu'r sgiliau i greu cysylltiadau rhwng damcaniaeth, deddfwriaeth, ymarfer gwrthwahaniaethol/gwrthormesol a chyd-destun Cymreig ymarfer. Bydd myfyrwyr hefyd yn datblygu gwell dealltwriaeth o'u hanghenion dysgu cyn mynd allan ar leoliad, ynghyd â dealltwriaeth glir o'r disgwyliadau. Byddant yn cael cyfle hefyd i weithio trwy ffyrdd o ymdrin ag unrhyw broblemau neu anawsterau a allai godi. Yna bydd myfyrwyr yn mynd allan i'w lleoliadau ymarfer ac yn dod i ddiwrnodau 'adalw' i fonitro eu profiad o'r lleoliad a'u dealltwriaeth o sut mae'r cysyniadau a drafodwyd yn gweithio'n ymarferol.

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