Perceptions of readiness for legally literate practice: a longitudinal study of social work student views

Law is a prescribed element of the curriculum for the social work degree. Research and development work have included a systematic review, practice survey and curriculum building; however, little evidence exists about the outcomes of teaching and learning of law in social work education. Moreover, doubts remain about how far students acquire legal knowledge and skills in its implementation. This survey of social work students in seven UK universities measured their law learning and their confidence in using this knowledge. Concept maps and a self-audit questionnaire were used to capture students' understanding and perceptions. A large sample was achieved across first, second and final year students. The interface between the legal rules and practice is a site of anxiety and perceived difficulty. In some areas students offer relatively confident self-assessments of their legal knowledge and skills for practising law. However, levels of confidence in other areas of their law learning raise doubts about the degree to which they can advocate for, and protect, service users. Conclusions are drawn about the effectiveness of students' law learning.