Student Placements

The issues of Drug and Alcohol misuse cut across all areas of social work and it is highly likely that, whatever area you move into post qualifying you will have not one but a number of cases on your caseload in which drug or alcohol misuse will figure.  We are keen therefore that the social workers of the future have good learning opportunities in the field.

Quality placements

We are committed to students and have invested in our capacity to deliver placements which will be enjoyable, challenging and of tangible benefit. This investment includes a post solely dedicated to student placements and on site practice educators. We are therefore able to offer placements that are high quality, interesting and stimulating and have a wide range of learning opportunities

As a part of the induction all Students are put through the Open College Network Substance misuse Level I certificate

Our Values

“Our most recent substantive external audit was for the Silver Investors in People award and the report noted that “… staff stated that the values are important to ADS and they had wanted to work for them because they share the same values. Specific examples included respecting that everyone is different so there is a need to ensure each client has a person centred care plan; having honest conversations at supervision about what was working well with clients and what they were struggling with; managers caring about staff who were supporting clients through a traumatic event and introducing pods and groups to work more effectively with clients and manage increasing caseloads.”

A Unique Opportunity

Drug and alcohol misuse is most effectively engaged with in a Health and Social Care context. Uniquely in the field many of our services are delivered in partnership with NHS Trusts. Within such services Medical, Nursing, Psychosocial and Social Work disciplines work together within one structure. This offers the opportunity of working and learning within a truly multi-disciplinary team alongside fellow professionals.

There can be few placements that are able to provide such a holistic experience than a placement within one of our services.

Service Users

Students will discover that every service user is unique, with individual and often complex needs. This is likely to offer learning opportunities in areas such as housing and finance; benefits, and wider social issues; training, education and employment; safeguarding children and/or adults and; mental and physical health needs.

The work is never boring or repetitive and there are ample opportunities to use and hone skills and knowledge and put theory into practice.

A Welcome

We offer a comprehensive induction which has a central component covering organisation wide policies including Health and Safety; and a local induction which introduces students to local procedures, the team and the local area and each student receives a student handbook.