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.
Induction
The new cohort of L4 students will be starting their induction on campus on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th of September. The details for the induction were sent directly to students on the 8/9/26. Induction will be followed by two days of teaching on campus on the 16th and 17th of September.
Course News - September 2026
Following induction, the L4 students will begin their teaching on the Personal and Professional Development module, and then shortly followed by the Community Wellbeing module.
The L5 students are completing their midway reviews and looking to finish their first placement towards the end of October. They have a recall day on the 24/9. They return to university for teaching on the Working with People over their Life Course module on the 5/11.
The L6 students will be handing in their Professional Leadership presentations on the 17/9 and return to teaching on the 23/9.
Staff Changes
In July we were joined by Bob Levesley who is on a one year full time secondment from Sheffield Adult Services.
Placement News and Dates
The L5 students are on placement 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. The L6 students will be on placement between the 2/11/26 – 30/4/27 (depending on leave and other absences). There are two recall days on the 9/12/26 and the 3/2/27. The Module Leader is Bridget Otter.
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