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Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work > Practicum > Guidelines and Procedures > Supporting Practicums: Addressing Concerns and Resolution Processes

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Supporting Practicums: Addressing Concerns and Resolution Processes

A successful practicum can be facilitated with thorough preparation, fulsome orientation, well-planned structure, communication of expectations, and ongoing feedback. Early recognition of challenges and feedback regarding barriers to learning are also essential for success. Students, Field Instructors, and Faculty-Field Liaisons (FFL) should communicate their observations and concerns to each other as soon as they are identified. Students are better served by early recognition of significant performance difficulties. It is important that any personal information be treated confidentially by the practicum participants (student, Field Instructor, relevant agency staff, FFL, and Practicum Office). Given the power dynamics in the Field Instructor-student relationship, either party may choose to use alternative disclosure pathways outlined in  “How Can I Give Feedback on My Practicum?” 

Guiding Principles 

The University of Toronto’s equity policies, the FIFSW mission statement, and our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion inform all aspects of the practicum, from the selection and interview process and throughout the practicum course(s). Field personnel and students are instructed to read and respect the Ontario Human Rights Codes, social work ethics, and professional standards.

Students who believe they may be experiencing harassment or discrimination are encouraged to consult immediately with the Practicum Office, FIFSW supports, and/or the following specialized resources: 

Acknowledging when support is needed 

It is the responsibility of both the student and Field Instructor to identify any problematic behaviour patterns or major issues in the practicum and to document their efforts to address these difficulties in the learning and teaching experience. Common issues presented by students and Field Instructors include:  

  • lengthy orientation that has not been communicated
  • minimal student access to clients, meetings, activities, etc. 
  • late, insufficient, or unbalanced feedback 
  • difficulty completing basic practicum tasks without considerable assistance
  • difficulty applying theory to practice
  • professional communication challenges
  • lack of access to student work 
  • discrepancy between stated learnings on the PAS and actual experiences 
  • lack of supervision and/or coordination between multiple Field Instructors 
  • lack of adherence to practicum site policies and procedures 
  • limited progress on learning goals despite field instruction and ongoing feedback 

While concerns can arise at any stage of the practicum, the Midterm Evaluation is when they are most commonly identified, particularly when a student receives a score below 3 in one or more social work competency domains. The Faculty-Field Liaison (FFL will always connect with students and their field instructor(s) if there is a score below 3 in an evaluation.

Most concerns can be addressed between the student and field instructor through identifying, discussing, and planning remediation for the issues. However, should the issues not be resolved through this process, the Faculty-Field Liaison (FFL) and, when applicable, the Education Coordinator (EC) should be contacted. The FFL will arrange a Review Meeting with the appropriate stakeholders. Appropriate referrals to campus resources may also be made.

The Review Meeting:

Preparation for the Review Meeting: 

  • The student may provide available notes, audio/video recordings, process recordings, or other methods of observing direct and/or indirect practice; 
  • The Field Instructor provides evidence of constructive feedback; 
  • The FFL reviews materials provided by the Field Instructor and the student. 

During the Review Meeting: 

Participants will work toward a clear identification of problems in learning and teaching. The FFL will assess whether regular field instruction procedures, as outlined in the Learning Contract (e.g., nature and number of assignments, field instruction sessions, specific feedback), have been followed and:

a) Whether a ‘plan for success’ is needed and feasible, which addresses:

    • specific learning objectives, supports needed, and behaviour changes expected of the student and/or Field Instructor;
    • dates for submitting evidence of stated behaviour changes and for subsequent meeting(s)

OR

b) In consultation with the Assistant Dean of Field Education, whether practicum termination and further support is needed. 

The FFL will document the process and outcome of the Review Meeting and provide a copy to the student, Field Instructor, and Assistant Dean of Field Education. 

When further support is needed 

If practicum concerns are not resolved through a plan for success, the FFL will notify the Assistant Dean, Field Education who will convene a meeting with the student and appropriate field and faculty personnel to assess relevant issues. The student may bring a support person to the meeting. The FFL will document the process and outcome of the meeting, with copies provided to the student, Field Instructor, and Assistant Dean, Field Education. 

Should the issue be related to student competency: 

  • The FFL and Assistant Dean will establish remediation conditions to be met before the student can renegotiate a practicum. Students who terminate the practicum will normally defer their next practicum to the next semester. While every effort is made to find a new practicum, the Practicum Office cannot guarantee when a replacement practicum will be secured. The replacement practicum must comply with SGS registration timelines to commence in September, January, or May and cannot begin outside of those timelines. This may result in additional registration fees. 

Should the issue be related to Field Instructor competency: 

  • With student consent, the Practicum Office will support the Field Instructor in addressing identified behaviours through consultation and professional development opportunities. 

Practicum Termination 

FIFSW recognizes the right of the practice setting, ideally after consultation with the agency director/Education Coordinator and the Practicum Office and in writing, to terminate the practicum if the student’s behaviour is unacceptable and/or client service/patient care is compromised. (See the University of Toronto Standards of Professional Practice Behaviour for all Health Professional Students). 

At the discretion of the Assistant Dean, Field Education and Associate Dean, Academic, as well as the subsequent Field Instructor, with demonstration of competencies achieved, some student time in the terminated practicum may be credited to the student’s next practicum. (See section on “Grading” for further clarification.) 

As noted above, in exceptional circumstances, the Practicum Office may pre-empt some of these stages.  

To complete the practicum course requirement and receive a credit for the practicum, the student must demonstrate social work competencies as per the  practicum evaluation tool and complete the negotiated number of practicum hours. When this does not occur, a No Credit (NCR) will be assigned. No Credit (NCR) is the equivalent of a failure (FZ) grade in an academic course and is subject to the same regulations as other courses as outlined in FIFSW Policies & Procedures (see Failed Courses). 

Remediation

Remediation is a collaborative process involving the FFL, Assistant Dean, and MSW Program Director, designed to support students who have experienced a performance-related termination from practicum. The goal is to address identified competency-based challenges before considering a new practicum. This process offers students a structured opportunity to reflect on the concerns, engage in targeted learning, and strengthen their readiness for future practicum success.

A range of remediation measures will be considered, depending on the specific concerns identified by the former practicum site. These may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Written Assignment: Students are expected to thoughtfully articulate what they learned during their practicum, offer their perspective on why the practicum ended, and reflect on what they could have done differently, if anything. They should also identify what they need from a future practicum and Field Instructor to meet practicum requirements and share any other relevant reflections.
  2. Connection to campus resources for skill development:
  3. Role play & simulation exercises
  4. Individualized mentorship and support
  5. Completion of additional hours with an MSW

Securing a new practicum 

A new practicum match can only be pursued once the previous practicum has been formally terminated. The re-assignment process will begin after the student has meaningfully engaged in the remediation process and demonstrated a willingness to reflect on the challenges encountered and articulate how they plan to approach a future practicum differently. A Practicum Coordinator will support the student in securing a new opportunity.

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