PYMWCS: Working, Assessing and Engaging in Community and Primary Care Settings

Module code: PYMWCS

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2 / Summer / Semester 1

Module convenor: Ms Fisayo Adunola, email: f.adunola@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Alison Wheeler, email: alison.wheeler@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 5 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

As per the national CWP diploma curriculum (2022): “CWPs provide support and evidence-based interventions in community-based and primary care mental health services. Successful implementation of this requires the CWP to be fully cognisant of the health care systems and mental health practice within these settings. This module consists of two main areas: the community and primary care context and assessment and engagement of children, young people, and their families specific to these settings. CWPs will operate at all times from an inclusive values base which promotes recovery, and recognises and respects diversity. They must be able to respond to children and young people’s needs sensitively with regard to all aspects of diversity. This module will, therefore, expose them to the concept of diversity, inclusion and multi-culturalism and equip them with the necessary knowledge, attitudes and competences to operate in inclusive values-driven services and settings.”

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Operate effectively in an inclusive value-driven CYP mental health and community context, assessing and engaging mental health difficulties in the context of community MH and primary care environments in collaboration with CYP, their families and voluntary sector, primary care and social care staff.
2. Recognise and work with existing expertise in these settings using the framework of community psychology and systems theory, establishing and maintaining good working relationships with community workers such as youth workers, volunteers, peer workers, and other individuals working to support the wellbeing of children/young people/families.
3. Utilise systematic and advanced knowledge and awareness of social epidemiology, social determinants of health and health inequalities, and associations between ethnicity, socio-economic factors, and health disparities as they relate to child and adolescent mental health.

Module content

As per the national CWP diploma curriculum (2022):

“First, CWPs will understand the community and primary health care settings, and the context in which they will be working, including legislative and policy frameworks, how services are organised and challenges working with mental health issues in these settings. CWPs will then learn assessment and engagement skills particular to these settings, including an emphasis on supporting co-production and expert by experience involvement. This includes engagement skills with children and young people, families and health care staff, assessment, diagnosis and signposting skills and neurological development.

In addition, while based in and working with statutory and third sector community based and primary care mental health services, CWPs will establish links and well-being related knowledge exchange with community organizations and civic institutions used by children, young people and families, such as faith based settings (Mosques, churches, synagogues), voluntary sector organisations focused on violence prevention, social care organisations, homeless youth, domestic violence organizations, refugee resettlement settings, ethnic community organisations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) organizations and populations, minoritized groups in rural settings, organisations for individuals with disabilities but also youth clubs, scouts, primary care settings, play centres, in fact anywhere where children spend time out of school (in fact when they are absent from school). We anticipate that there will be regional differences in the nature of CYP MH service outreach as there are significant differences between trusts about implementing transformation plans for enhancing community mental health offers. The role of CWPs is designed to meet the profound mental health needs in the community which we are often not reaching via the statutory sector which CWPs working in the community in VCSs could readily do. Development of working relationships with organizations that access children, families and young people in populations that CAMHS finds hard to reach, and vice versa, are of particular importance in achieving equity of access to mental health services and reducing health inequalities. Where suitable local partnerships and supervisory arrangements exist, placements of trainees in community organisations may be considered as a learning opportunity.”

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching sessions to develop critical awareness of theories, research, policies & legislation.

Experiential and skills-based workshops provide students with a strong foundation in the clinical procedures of low-intensity practice, addressing the most up-to-date research developments.

Skills-based competencies will be developed through small group experiential work and role plays in workshops.

University-directed learning sessions utilise e-learning packages, guided research / reading, and individual or small group reflective exercises to support learning.

Self-directed study to include general reading for each module.

Study hours

At least 28.5 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve all of the following to pass this module:

1. A minimum of 80% live attendance is required for each module
2. An overall module mark of 50%

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students receive formative feedback opportunities on a range of tasks undertaken as part of the University Directed Learning days (such as written blogs, PBLs etc) within this module which feed forward to the summative report.

Reassessment

Additional costs