Welcome to the Social Work page of the Health and Social Care Degree Apprenticeship Employer and Work-based Mentor website. We aim to make this page a useful reference point for work-based mentors, so please let us know if there is information you would like us to add.
Contacts
Apprentice Coaches
Your Apprenticeship Coach meets with you and your mentor for your Apprenticeship Progress Review (APR) meeting every 10-12 weeks. At the APR meeting, your coach will help to set targets and identify OTJT opportunities, with you and your mentor, to support your development. At the APR you will review the course training plan and your development of the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs). It is also an opportunity to discuss your academic progress and discuss the support in place at work to help you to meet your academic targets and complete assignments.
These meetings are also an opportunity to identify and discuss any other support needs. Your coach will be able to signpost you to other services at the university, such as HallamHelp, the Library Skills Centre, and the course team.
Wherever possible include your Coach in communications with the course team so they can continue supporting you. Your Coach will ensure the Apprenticeship Course Leader is kept up to date on your progress.
Some of the areas your coach can help with:
· MAYTAS
· Processing a break in study
· Referrals to Sheffield College where Functional Skills qualifications are outstanding.
· Identifying OTJT
· Signposting to other services within SHU for example, the Library Skills Centre, Hallam Help etc.
The Coaches are;
Euan Brown - Euan.Brown@shu.ac.uk
Lisa Norman - L.Norman@shu.ac.uk
Helen Rimington - H.Rimmington@shu.ac.uk
Public Sector Employer Partnerships Manager
Alison Money (Local Authorities) - a.money@shu.ac.uk
Next Mentor Training
October 2026
Link to Course Handbook
The handbook for the course can be found using the link below
Off the Job Training (OTJT)
Apprentices need to keep OTJT up to date within the past 4 weeks, and there needs to be an average of 6 hours per week uploaded by learners. Mentors have oversight of what their apprentices are adding to MAYTAS, by clicking on the “OTJT” tab on MAYTAS. Mentors should regularly see what OTJT apprentices are recording, as well as making suggestions for new opportunities.
Course News - January 2026
The L4 students have just completed their Values in Action module. The marks for the written assessment for this module have been released, and the exam marks are planned to be released in May. Students will be going out on placement from the 5th of May and will be contacting Practice Educators to arrange Placement Learning Agreement meetings in the first two weeks of placements starting.
The L5 students have just completed their Developing Practice module with assessments due in May. They will start L6 teaching on the 6th May with the dissertation module, followed by the leadership module teaching in June/July.
The L6 students have had their final recall day on campus last week. They are finishing placement and have two assessments to complete in May.
Staff Changes
No updates
Placement News and Dates
The L4 students (soon to be L5) will start their placements from the 5/5/26 (4/5/26 is the bank holiday) to around the 30/10/26 (depending on leave and other absences). There are two recall days planned on the 25/6/26 and 24/9/26. The Module Leader is Debbie Develin.
It is expected that students have formal supervision on a weekly basis whilst on placement and that a minimum of three direct observations are completed for each apprentice placement. Students also have a half day per week study day, or a full day per fortnight, whilst on placement. Further information about social work placements can be found using the link below;
Study Days Outside of Placement
When students are not on placement, they may be entitled to study time, depending on the arrangements with their employer. Employers have different approaches to study time for apprentices outside of placement, and any queries need to be addressed to the agency co-ordinator in the employing agency.
Student Assignment Queries
Students can raise assignment issues initially with any member of the module teaching team, or the module leader. Every module will have an assignment brief, and many module leaders provide additional guidance to students on the Blackboard site such as assignment structures, and examples of previous student’s work.
Students can also approach their Academic Adviser for advice. All students are allocated an academic adviser, and the details of this are on the Organisational site on Blackboard. Academic Advisers might not be familiar with the assignment details for a particular module, so they may only be able to give general guidance.
PebblePad Update
After consulting with employer partners, a decision has been made that from May 2025 all Sheffield Hallam University social work students, including apprentices, will complete placement documentation using PebblePad. If there are any difficulties using PebblePad Practice Educators, Work Based Supervisors and apprentices can contact the Pebble Help Team at SHU and details can be found via the following link:
https://sites.google.com/my.shu.ac.uk/pebblehelp/home
If queries are not able to be answered via information on the website the team can be contacted directly at PebbleHelp@shu.ac.uk