More than a learning plan: using professional practice standards to bridge the gap between student and social worker

Preparing social work students for practice in increasingly complex and dynamic work environments is a key aim of social work field education worldwide. Yet, given the broad and evolving nature of social work practice, the learning pathways from student to graduate can be unclear. This article reports on a field education learning and assessment framework and associated placement Learning Plan (LP) developed to support the transition from student to graduate social worker. The 2023 revision of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Practice Standards provided an impetus for the authors to reimagine the field education curricula at Deakin University to strengthen student progression from university learning to professional practice. By embedding the AASW Practice Standards within the learning framework and plan, the authors sought to amplify the links between field education experiences and professional practice, supporting students to work at the intersection of theory and practice and identify the skills and knowledge they require as qualified social workers. This article illustrates how learning and assessment frameworks that constructively align with Professional Practice Standards can contribute to bridging the gap between student and graduate social worker.