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.
Marianne Hughes, Practice Teacher
Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council, 14 Ashley Place, Edinburgh EH6 5PX
tel: 0131 555 9105 email: marianne.hughes@scopt.co.uk
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
Maureen Ross, Senior Social Worker
Practice Learning, Social Work Training Team, Aberdeen City Council, Room 325, 3rd Floor, Summerhill Education Centre, Stronsay Drive, Aberdeen, AB15 6JN
tel: 01224 346 340 email: maureen.ross@scopt.co.uk
Kirsty Kennedy
East Dunbartonshire Council, Omna Building, Westerhill Road, Bishoppbriggs, G64 2TQ
email: kirsty.kennedy@scopt.co.uk
Tara Hamilton
PO Box 21163, Alloa, FK10 9BD
tel: 0845 643 4061 email: tara.hamilton@scopt.co.uk
Linda Grierson
Fife Council, Social Work Office, Ramsay Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, KY1 1UH
tel: 08451 55 55 55 (then when prompted) 470696 mob:07515 291266
email: linda.grierson@scopt.co.uk
Rona Gray, Independent Practice Teacher
tel: 0790 570 5279 email: rona.gray@scopt.co.uk
Bernadette O’Beirne, Service Manager
Sycamore Project, 44 Whytemans Brae, Kirkcaldy, Fife
tel: 07717 535830 email: bernadette.obeirne@scopt.co.uk
Maggie Dickson, Practice Learning & Development Manager
Circle Edinburgh, 18 West Pilton Park, Edinburgh, EH4 4EJ
tel: 0131 552 0305 email: maggie.dickson@scopt.co.uk
Mairi Gillies, Practice Teacher
Highland Council, Kinmylies Building, Inverness
tel: 01463 703406 email: mairi.gillies@scopt.co.uk
Megan Cambridge, Service Manager
Social Work Training Team,9 North Guildry Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1JR
tel: 01343 557285 email: megan.cambridge@scopt.co.uk