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The paper highlights the need of black and minority ethnic (BME) students in England to access support systems to help them overcome the challenges that they face as minority students when undertaking placement learning as part of their social work qualifying programme. It also considers the wider issue of developing supportive anti- oppressive practice with regard to all students undertaking the social work degree; i.e. ‘walking the talk’ of the values that underpin Social Work practice. Research shows that progression and retention rates for students from marginalised groups is lower than the sector averages and that specific support systems can improve the likelihood of course completion, as well as increasing student confidence.The paper evaluates a project undertaken to investigate and pilot how a mentoring support scheme and other good practice initiatives can increase the successful completion of practice learning for students from a BME background (and those with English as an additional language).

This paper considers some of the complexities of involving people who use social work services in qualifying education and some of the positive aspects of doing so. The paper reviews growing involvement and the importance of training courses and support for those who get involved drawing on evaluations.