About Us
The National Practice Teaching in Social Work Initiative (NPTSWI) is a collaboration of the six social work education providers in Ireland (University College Cork, University of Galway, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Maynooth University & Atlantic Technological University), supported by the Irish Association of Social Workers and led by UCC.
The aims of the NPTSWI are to greatly enhance the professional profile of practice teaching in social work and to promote collaboration among stakeholders. An important aspect of this initiative is to work with organisations, managers and practitioners to build a culture and context for practice teaching in social work, similar to that pertaining in healthcare e.g nursing and medicine. The NPTSWI is a shared space where employers and education providers can meet to communicate and collaborate on matters of mutual concern and interest, including the expansion of social work placement provision. Collaboration between the Higher Education Institutions includes:
- The creation of a website of teaching and learning resources for practice teachers in Ireland.
- A calendar of online CPD (continuing professional development) events for national practice teachers in collaboration with the IASW (Irish Association of Social Workers).
- The development of a national practice teachers' network.
The NPTSWI is supported through funding from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).
