Practice educator training landscape: a national scoping review

Context

As the regulator for social work in England, we maintain a relationship with our practice educator workforce through registration and our education and training standards. We previously commissioned research which highlighted the need for Social Work England to (do both of the following): 

• have a better relationship with practice educators 
• better recognise the practice educator role 

Currently, practice educators work to the practice educator professional standards (PEPS) held by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW). We do not have a formal relationship with the organisations that provide practice educator training.  

We want to understand the current shape, structure and scale of the practice educator training landscape. This will help us consider whether there needs to be further regulation to better support practice educators.  

From this research we wanted to understand (all of the following):    

• The current landscape of practice education training providers in England. 
• The level of qualification for practice education courses and training programmes in England. This includes any examples or evidence of practice education training in England which do not result in a recognised qualification. For example, certificates offered by local authorities or private training providers.   
• The duration, structure, content and cost of practice educator training in England, including how this varies between providers and across regions.   
• The entry requirements for practice educator training in England and details of how applicants are recruited onto courses.  
• Modes of delivery for practice education courses in England. For example how do providers deliver courses. Are they onsite, hybrid, online, part-time or as part of intensive training pathways?    
• An overview of the approach for training and developing practice educators in the devolved nations of the UK including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  

We commissioned the University of East Anglia to undertake this research. They carried out their review between March and June 2025. They used a multi-method approach to gather information for the review including: 

• a literature review  
• desk-based analysis of existing practice educator training courses in England  
• desk-based analysis of the provision of practice educator training in the other nations of the United Kingdom 
• focus groups with practice educators, course providers, and practice education leads 

They gathered information from 54 higher education institutions (HEIs) who deliver practice educator training. There were 72 focus group participants.   

Practice educator training – the existing evidence base 

Limited insight into the practice education landscape 

The literature review found that existing literature on practice educator training was out of date or insufficient. Most studies were over 10 years old and focused on other aspects of practice learning. Previous commissioned research considered experiences of student supervision and ongoing training and support. This was instead of a practice educator’s own initial training. 

The value of ongoing support for learning and development  

Available research highlights that practice educators value ongoing support to undertake their role successfully. The support allows them to (do both of the following): 

• effectively manage issues such as unsuitable or failing social work students 
• learn skills relating to supervision and critical thinking 
• The desired support varied based on a practice educator’s experience.  

Challenges in relation to the assessment of practice  

Previous studies highlight that practice educators find it difficult to navigate various frameworks when assessing social work students. Especially when they are also completing their own training. The Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS), owned by BASW, adds complexity alongside the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) and Knowledge and Skills Statements (KSS). These can sometimes conflict. 

Both educators and practitioners have experienced significant changes in regulation and practice frameworks. These are often managed by different bodies. As the regulator, we are working with the sector to address these challenges. 

Organisational relationships that support the practice educator role 

Research has consistently demonstrated the need for ongoing support so social workers can fulfil practice educator roles. However what this looks like in practice can vary. Challenges reported by practice educators include: 

• a lack of support for formal study 
• no workload adjustments 
• not enough time away from day-to-day tasks to reflect the additional work needed to support students 
• poor remuneration for the role 

Some practice educators have reported these challenges are being managed because employers and higher education providers have a close partnership.   

Overview of practice educator training in England  

The national picture  

45 course providers in England provided information on practice educator training. They all offered the full stage 2 practice educator training.  

Desktop research, alongside focus group discussions, highlighted an increasingly varied landscape. Local and regional contexts can influence this. For example, there were a range of partnership models operating including HEIs, social work employers and teaching partnerships.  

Some providers offered ‘split’ delivery models. This is where employers might run the first stage of PEPS training and HEIs would offer stage 2. Other models saw local authorities offering both stages of the training with support from a HEI.  

Entry requirements  

The majority of course entry requirements aligned with the BASW PEPS. Applicants needed to have: 

• 2 years post-qualifying experience 
• an ability to practice at the level of experienced social worker (as defined by the PCF) 

Research showed that employers put forward most of the candidates for HEI run courses. Some providers reserved places for key employers.   

Delivery of PEPS training  

58% of providers included in the study separated PEPS 1 and 2 training. 27% offering combined and 15% only offered PEPS 2.  

Providers approach to delivering PEPS training: 

• 49% of providers used a hybrid approach 
• 46% offer in person teaching  
• 5% host training fully online 

The time to qualify as a practice educator varied across providers. But 53% appeared to offer qualification within 12 months.  

Costs and academic credits associated with training 

The cost of PEPS training varied. Courses ranged from being free to around £4,000. HEIs offer discounted fees for employers if they have an existing relationship or if they can also offer pre-qualifying social work placements. High costs of PEPS training can affect independent practice educator candidates. 

Similarly, the amount of credits awarded varied across courses. Some courses awarded no credits and others awarded up to 60 credits. The courses that awarded credits were a level 7 and delivered by a university. Courses delivered by teaching or informal partnerships were more likely to not award credits.  

It is evident that there is a complex relationship between PEPS and post-graduate awards. Some offer it as a standalone PGCert and others include modules on practice education as part of their master’s in advanced social work.  

Length of courses and course content  

Similar with other aspects of delivery, the length of practice educator training also varied. It wasn’t possible to associate course duration or teaching days with the number of academic credits on offer.  

The methods used to deliver PEPS training varied. However, of the courses reviewed, the content was broadly similar and enabled trainees to evidence the 4 domains of the PEPS. Most providers referred to the indicative curriculum outlined in PEPS guidance which includes topics on (all of the following): 

• supervision and relationship-building 
• adult learning theory and supporting diverse learners 
• assessment and support 
• self-reflection 

Regional summary 

The regional picture of practice educator training showed how the approach varied between regions.  There were also variations within the regions. These variations mainly relate to the delivery model used. Partnerships with local authorities and higher education institutions often influence this delivery model. 

There are big variations regionally: 

• In both the North West and South West, practice educator training is almost exclusively non-accredited. It is also delivered by local authorities with input and support from HEIs.  
• In London, the East of England, the East Midlands, and the North East, accredited HEI courses deliver the training. 
• The West Midlands, the South East, and Yorkshire and Humberside have a mix of the 2 approaches. 

Models of practice education in the devolved nations 

While the devolved nations have different approaches to the provision of practice educator training, there is regulatory involvement. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and Social Care Wales all have standards which relate to practice educator training. They all have oversight of education and training in this space. The methods of delivery across the devolved nations are not dissimilar to the approaches seen in England, with HEIs working alongside local authorities and trusts. As a result, there may be less variance in how courses are delivered.  

A notable feature was the provision of guidance available to the practice educator workforce. The regulator or bodies working alongside the regulator developed the guidance and included useful resources to aid practice. In Northern Ireland there was also evidence of a specialist award which embeds practice educator training. This is a part of a clearly defined career pathway.    

The perspectives of key stakeholders  

6 regional focus groups explored 3 main topics (all of the following): 

• experiences of practice educator training, including strengths and weaknesses 
• the relationship between practice educator training and career progression for social workers 
• views on the future of practice educator training 

Consistency of practice educator training  

There was an overall consensus that the refreshed PEPS framework was beneficial in offering guidance and a level of structure and content. It also encourages innovation. Stakeholders valued how flexible the delivery of the training was so that it could meet regional need, with different partnerships supporting delivery. Participants valued the focus on anti-discriminatory practice and guidelines that prioritised values through the PEPS framework.  

However, the flexibility of approach could be a potential contributor to a lack of quality assurance and inconsistencies in training.  

Support for social workers to undertake practice educator training  

Focus groups highlighted that high caseloads and limited organisational support make it difficult for social workers to train as practice educators. The two-stage PEPS model can be a barrier and qualified educators often lack ongoing support. This can lead to qualified educators feeling undervalued. While support isn’t deliberately withheld, the complexity of practice makes it hard for employers to prioritise the role.  

Practice educator training and career progression 

Training is a key step in career development. It can often lead to managerial or education roles. While this can reduce the number of active educators, having them in leadership is also valued. There was interest in linking training to formal career pathways, as seen in other devolved nations.  

The future of practice education 

Participants called for training to better support diverse and neurodiverse students, and to promote inclusive practice. There was interest in a standardised, quality-assured training model, but participants raised concerns about disruption and deterring potential educators. 

There needs to be further research to understand student experiences and improve training accordingly.  

What happens next?

The research findings have been useful for us to better understand the practice educator workforce and the education and training opportunities available. This research was a necessary step towards developing our approach to the regulation of practice education. It will inform our work around exploring what quality assurance of practice education courses could look like.  

We will continue to progress our work to build a more robust understanding of practice education.  We will develop regulatory frameworks to help ensure quality and consistency in education and training. We will engage with the sector throughout this work, ensuring opportunities for key stakeholders to feed into proposals and share their views. We will also seek to explore further research opportunities to deepen our understanding in associated areas.  

To access a copy of the full YouGov research report into social work and continuing professional development (CPD) visit the Research reports - Social Work England section.