ScOPT is the Scottish Organisation for Practice Teaching, a membership organisation for social work practice teachers and others involved in social work education in Scotland. It provides services for its members, promotes good practice, and represents practice teaching as a professional activity to bodies in Scotland that oversee, develop and regulate Social Work Education. For more detail, please feel free to download the ScOPT Constitution (PDF document)
ScOPT evolved from the Scottish Forum for Practice Teachers, which first met in November 1997.The forum was inspired by the experience of Scottish practice teachers who attended events hosted by NOPT, an English organisation for practice teachers. They were struck by NOPT’s facility to share ideas, develop practice and reduce the isolation felt by many practice teachers. In the spirit of devolution, ScOPT was formed at a conference held in Dundee in 1999– Four Cheers for Change!
ScOPT’s membership has always come from the length and breadth of the country, from Shetland to Stranraer. They work for local authorities, in the voluntary sector, HEIs and independently, but are mainly singleton practice teachers. Increasingly, we hope to draw numbers from people undertaking the new Practice Learning qualifications.
Within two years of establishing itself, ScOPT had agreed its constitution, published a Code of Practice, established its own website (www.scopt.co.uk), and an annual conference incorporating the AGM. The next year brought the appointment of an administrator, the publication of a regular newsletter and "Tools for the Job", a collection of practical methods and exercises to help practice teachers manage the quality of the teaching and learning they offer social work students.
In 2005, the constitution was amended in light of professional registration with the SSSC, the paper, Confidence in Practice Learning, and the new social work degree. ScOPT represented the views and interests of practice teachers at a national level during the development of the new degree. We have revised and updated the toolkit, to keep it relevant for 21st century social work education. For the future, we aim to promote research into practice teaching and seek to involve students, our "service users", in developing good practice in practice teaching.
Kathleen Allison, Practice Learning Co-ordinator
Scottish Social Service Learning Network (West), Studio 49, St. James Clark Building, Abbey Mills Business Centre, Paisley PA1 1TJ
tel: 0141 848 1500 email: kathleen.allison@scopt.co.uk
Bernie O'Beirne, Learning Development Officer
Fife Council, Social Work Office, Ramsay Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY1 1UH
tel: 0845 155 5555 email: bernie.obeirne@scopt.co.uk
Kirsty Kennedy, Practice Learning Co-ordinator
East Dunbartonshire Council, Omna Building, Westerhill Road, Bishoppbriggs, G64 2TQ
tel: 0141 761 4817 email: kirsty.kennedy@scopt.co.uk
Tara Hamilton
PO Box 21163, Alloa, FK10 9BD
tel: 0845 643 4061 email: tara.hamilton@scopt.co.uk