PGCert Approved Mental Health Professional Practice / Course details
Year of entry: 2025
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Course unit details:
Practice Portfolio (AMHP)
| Unit code | SOWK60800 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 0 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Full year |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
The Programme practice requirements are contained in the course handbook and in the practice portfolio guidance, the requirements include that the student has:
· A practice placement which will provide the student with opportunities to meet the required competencies. The student will have regular AMHP supervision from an AMHP, and the student will shadow their Practice Educator and other AMHPs who are undertaking the role.
· The student will produce a Practice Portfolio, which will contain evidence of how the student has achieved competence in each of the competencies; a Practice Assessor report, direct observations of the students practice by the AMHP, a reflective evaluation of the student’s learning, a log of all their training and finally a statement from their practice assessor that the student has been deemed competent.
NB. A Practice Portfolio without that statement cannot be passed.
Aims
- To produce students who have the knowledge and skill to undertake the statutory duties of an “Approved Mental Health Professional” as detailed in the Mental Health Act 1983 and as amended by the 2007 Act.
- To produce students who have satisfied the competencies for practice as outlined in Statutory Instrument ( SI 2008/1206)-The Mental Health (Approved Mental Health Professionals) ( Approval) ( England) Regulations 2008 and the equivalent Statutory Instrument for Wales.
- To produce students who have satisfied the AMHP requirements in full as outlined in both the handbook and in the practice portfolio guidance.
- To ensure that the students are competent and that their appointing Local Authority can approve them to act as Approved Mental Health Professionals.
Learning outcomes
| Category of outcome | Students should be able to |
| A . Knowledge and Understanding | Have met the requirements of the AMHP competency framework knowledge and learning. |
| B. Intellectual skills | Have the requirements of the AMHP competency framework in relation to intellectual skills. |
| C. Practical Skills | Meet all the requirements of the AMHP competency framework in relation to practical skills. |
| D. Transferable Skills | Be able to adapt and utilize skills in a range of other areas of Mental Health Practice |
Teaching and learning methods
| Activity |
|
| Direct teaching | Within units 2,5,6,7 and 8 |
| Tutorials / group learning / seminars |
|
| Independent study | 70 hours |
| Clinical practice ( including supervision) | 380 hours |
| Total hours | 450 |
Employability skills
- Other
- Provides supervised, first-hand experience of assessing mental health crisis situations and applying the legislation appropriately.
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Portfolio | 100% |
Feedback methods
The Practice Portfolio will be marked as either a pass or fail.
The criteria are that the student is assessed against the competencies as laid out by Social Work England and the statutory requirements.
The Practice Portfolio will be returned to the student if all the requirements are not met within the portfolio.
Study hours
| Placement hours | |
|---|---|
| Placement | 380 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 70 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Anna Beddow | Unit coordinator |