Abstract
Simulation in social work is being embraced as an opportunity to create authentic practice experiences for students to develop skills. Simulation literature to date largely has focused on the development of skills and not the assessment of student competency within placement. With rising student numbers and limited placements, breakdowns in the placement setting are becoming complex to navigate. Given the various tensions present in the placement, appropriate measures to assess placement competencies following complex placement breakdowns are needed. This article presents a case study example where simulation was utilised in response to a complex placement breakdown to assess the student’s competency.