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Step Up to Social Work

Salary details: £ - £

Location
County Wide
Reference
JOB/25/00045
Salary details
Tax-free bursary of £21,995
Job term
Full Time
Appointment type
Fixed Term 14 Month Programme
Hours
Full Time
Closing Date
25 March 2025

Step Up to Social Work – A work-based route to train and qualify as a social worker within children’s services 

Social work is both a challenging and rewarding career through which you can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children and families. You will need to be able to build relationships with families facing difficult times, show a lot of patience and be a good listener. You will also need good observational skills, analytical thinking and sound judgement to make the right decisions and protect children.  Social work regularly tests resilience, stamina, and resolve - all of which you will need to succeed. Social work can be life changing for those you support.

The Step Up to Social Work programme is a unique opportunity to receive support while you are training to start a new career in social work. On the 14-month training programme, you will receive hands-on experience of working in a real-life social work role through placements in a local authority whilst undertaking your qualification. Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work enabling you to apply to register and practice as a social worker. 

This will be the ninth cohort of Step Up since 2010.  The programme has successfully supported over 2,900 social workers to enter the profession across England.  We have a long and established relationship with the East Midlands Regional Partnership for the step up to social work programme. This is a program managed between a number of Local Authorities regionally and The University of Central Lancashire.

To be eligible to apply to this programme you need to have:

  • an undergraduate degree qualification  2:2 (level 6) or above (in any subject)
  • an English or English Language  GCSE grade C / level 4 (or an approved  equivalent)
  • a minimum of 6 months’ full time (or equivalent) direct experience working with vulnerable children, young people, and/or families / carers / vulnerable adults

You will need to be able to produce all of your original certificates as part of the application and assessment process. If you cannot find these, you can order replacements online.

The Department for Education covers the cost of your university tuition on the programme and provides a tax-free bursary of £21,995 paid over the duration of the programme to support you during your training.

For more information and to how to apply:

The application window for the programme is open between 17th February – 25th March 2025, with assessment centres (for shortlisted applicants) scheduled for June and July 2025.  Successful applicants will start the programme in  January 2026 and will complete their training in March 2027.

The Step-Up website is now live for you to find out more information, register an interest in the programme and to apply from 17th February 2025 – click here.

There has also been produced an FAQ document for interested applicants. This is available here.

Derbyshire County Council is facilitating some Step Up drop-in information briefings, for anyone who wants to know more will take place on:

These sessions will be an opportunity for you to ask questions about the application process,  the course content and working for Derbyshire County Council.

If you can’t attend either of those briefing you can contact us directly with any questions or queries:  tracey.hyslop@derbyshire.gov.uk or fiona.musselwhite@derbyshire.gov.uk