Social care nursing is an equal, essential, and rewarding part of the nursing career landscape.
It offers time to build meaningful relationships, space to think creatively, and the chance to provide holistic care that sees each person, not just their condition.
We’re proud to invest in future professionals; in FY25 we supported 274 student nurse placements across 38 homes and 17 universities.
Our placements prepare nurses, nursing associates, and allied health professionals to provide safe, compassionate, and person-centred care.
We’ve achieved the ‘Gold standard’ from Skills for Care, confirming we meet all recommendations in their ‘Strategy to enable social care placements for student nurses and nursing associates’.
Student placement opportunities
As a nurse-led complex care provider, we offer clinically rich, educationally structured, and person-centred placements that bring learning to life.
Students access opportunities across adult, mental health, learning disability, and dual-trained pathways, plus nursing associate and allied health roles.
Each placement offers insight into complex care, helping learners build clinical knowledge, leadership skills, and confidence in the social care sector.
Professional support for students
We create a positive, supportive learning environment for every student.
Our dedicated Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) leads placement activity, working with Higher Education Institutions, regulators, and teams to deliver high-quality, well-supervised placements.
They also offer guidance throughout each placement, helping learners and educators navigate challenges and celebrate progress.
We also provide weekly Practice Supervisor and Practice Assessor (PSPA) training to keep educators confident, competent, and aligned with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards.
"My placement at Ravensdale gave me hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of compassionate care.
"The supportive team and meaningful interactions helped me grow both personally and professionally.
"I’d highly recommend this placement to anyone."
Student Nurse at Ravensdale
Student induction
We ensure students feel welcomed, valued, and informed from their first day.
Our tailored welcome booklet introduces the rewards of social care nursing, challenges common myths, and showcases diverse career opportunities in the sector.
Each learner receives a clear induction that explains who we are, what we do, and our approach to person-centred care.
This support helps students feel part of the team, boosts confidence early on, and ensures they can make the most of every learning opportunity.
Information for Higher Education Institutions
We work closely with Higher Education Institutions to offer high-quality placements for student nurses, nursing associates, and allied health professionals.
Our collaborative approach ensures placements are aligned with academic requirements.
We welcome opportunities to build new partnerships, strengthen existing ones, and create impactful learning experiences that shape the future health and social care workforce.
To find out more about placements with us, please email: ksmith@exemplarhc.com
What type of care does Exemplar Health Care provide?
Exemplar Health Care specialises in caring for individuals with multiple diagnoses, co-morbidities, and complex needs arising from conditions such as dementia, mental health conditions, neuro-disabilities, and physical disabilities.
We also have four registered learning disability services.
Where are your care homes?
We have over 60 care homes across England.
What do your placements involve?
Students work under the supervision of an experienced and trained Registered Nurse, completing a minimum of 37.5 hours per week. These hours include protected time for learning, reflection, and completing the Practical Assessment Document (PAD).
During the placement, students will gain experience in:
supporting people with their daily living activities
taking part in meaningful activities and trips out
liaising with internal and external professionals
contributing to meetings about a person’s care needs and risks
completing accurate, person-centred care documentation
reviewing care plans
supporting safe medication management.
What preceptorship support is available for newly Registered Nurses?
We’re committed to supporting newly registered nurses as they transition into social care practice.
We’ve invested in structured induction, preceptorship, and leadership programmes that build confidence, competence, and professional identity.
We offer a limited number of 12-month preceptorship programmes, which include six weeks of supernumerary time and ongoing support throughout the year. This protected period allows new Nurses to settle in, learn safely, and grow at a manageable pace.
Across our homes, 78% of our nurses are trained as Practice Assessors or Practice Supervisors, so newly qualified colleagues are guided by experienced mentors who understand both the clinical and emotional demands of nursing. This ensures every new registrant has the support they need to thrive in their first registered role.
Explore care homes across England for adults with complex needs.
Get in touch to discuss a complex care placement for someone you support.
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