II Planning the care environment

This article reviews the experience of a two year post-graduate CQSW course in organising the first year placement as a cluster in which six or seven students are placed in different social work agencies but in the same geographical area. It outlines the advantages of this model of placement planning and practice teaching for students, practice teachers, student units, and college tutors. Particular attention is drawn to the support and stability offered to students and to the opportunity to demonstrate links between theory and practice in the teaching of community social work. It is suggested that this model may provide one way in which student units might develop as training resources for the local area, and help the development of closer collaboration between agencies and colleges.