Reframing Social Care within the Context of Professional Regulation: Towards an Integrative Framework for Practice Teaching within Social Care Education

As CORU commence regulation of social care education, educators are tasked with ensuring that graduates meet the threshold standards set by the Social Care Workers Registration Board (SCWRB) (2017a) in the Standards of Proficiency for Social Care Workers. This paper focuses on Domain 3 of these standards which outlines the proficiencies required to deliver a safe, effective and quality service, including proficiencies pertaining to assessment, intervention and evaluation. There is limited literature in Ireland in relation to how assessment, intervention and evaluation take place in diverse social care settings. As social care educators with qualifications and professional experience in social care practice, the authors will utilise their knowledge and experience to contribute to this knowledge base. Opportunities and challenges presented by this domain are discussed, and an integrative teaching tool is offered to support students to work towards proficiency in this area.