The Berkeley Social Welfare MSW field program has established the following universal criteria for supporting student safety in field education at all times.
- Students should be in full compliance with all mandatory insurance, health screening and immunization requirements prior to starting any field placement. Students should maintain this compliance throughout their graduate student career, including timely satisfaction of any new or additional requirements that may be mandated by the University of California, Berkeley Social Welfare, or any agency hosting social work student field placements.
- Students should complete all mandated pre-placement safety training and orientation requirements by established deadlines.
- When in field placement, all students are required to follow the occupational health and safety requirements of the placement site at all times.
- Agencies hosting social work student field placements should have explicit, written safety and security policies and procedures in place that meet the policies for safety, security and privacy outlined in this guide. Field placement sites should require student interns to follow the same safety and security policies and procedures that are required for all agency staff. Agency-based Field Instructors should orient students to all agency safety and security policies and procedures, and review them regularly throughout the student’s placement experience. At a minimum these should include:
- Required health screenings and clearances, including immunizations
- Building and office security
- Home visits
- Client transportation
- Working with clients who may pose a safety risk
- Emergency preparedness and response
- Confidentiality of client information and agency data
- Use of social media and technology
- Safety and security of remote and telehealth services
- Personnel policies for the prevention of and response to incidents of harassment or discrimination.
- Agencies hosting social work student field placements and all students in field placement should adhere to established public health guidelines, and be fully compliant with all public health directives or emergency orders that may be implemented or currently in effect at any time.
- Agencies hosting social work student field placements should provide training opportunities for students to develop knowledge, skills and abilities related to safe social work practice, social workers' responsibilities for emergency preparedness and disaster response.
- Field placement agencies and agency-based Field instructors should establish and implement protocols for providing support to students who express concerns about their safety in field placement.