Children’s Social Work across the North East is due for a boost, with 39 new trainee social workers starting their placements in local authorities this Wednesday.
Two partnerships across the North East region were successful in attracting funding from the Department for Education for the Step Up to Social Work programme. Success for both partnerships, led by Darlington Council and North Tyneside Council means that all 12 local authorities in the North East will train Step Up to Social Work students for the first time.
The academic course is provided by Manchester Metropolitan University who deliver the course at the Sunderland Glass Centre in partnership with local authorities.
The 39 trainees will begin their work-based training in local authorities on 3rd February 2016 and will become fully-qualified social workers in early 2018.
Barbara Shaw, Corporate Director of People Services at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and Co-Chair of the North East Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) said: “This is the first time that local authorities in the North East have participated in the Step Up to Social Work programme and we believe it is going to help us develop and strength our workforce. Social workers in the North East provide exemplary services to vulnerable children, adults and families in the most difficult of circumstances and Step Up to Social Work is a new way of entering a challenging yet rewarding profession in the North East.
“By working directly with local authorities the students will be able to see and experience first-hand the wide range of services that the council provides, and the multi-faceted nature of local authority social work and this will strengthen their training as they go on to becoming fully qualified social workers in a relatively short period of time.
“We look forward to welcoming the students into their placements and seeing their progress over the next 14 months.”