A: Local authorities have varied working from home policies, so it will depend on where your placement is. On the programme, in year one you’re a student on placement at the local authority and still learning the role, so you’ll need to be office based so that you have a rich learning environment surrounded by experienced social workers, and so that the local authority can ensure you’re practicing in a safe manner. In years two and three some of our local authority partners allow flexibility in working from home, depending on the operational requirements of the service and the organisational policies.
Approach offer holder portal
Congratulations on securing an offer for Approach Social Work! This page will serve as a central location for resources to assist you in navigating through our pre-programme checks. In the run up to the programme, this is the space where we will continue adding the resources and tools you need to prepare for your journey into social work, so watch this space.
Our mission
Frontline is a charity with a mission to make life better for children at risk of harm, by improving the services that support them.
Hundreds of thousands of children experience or are at risk from abuse and neglect at home, sexual and criminal exploitation outside the home, and other harms. For these children, the right support and protection can make all the difference.
That’s why we develop excellent practice and leadership in social work and other children’s services. And we are cultivating innovative new approaches to child protection and driving positive systems change for children.
Information guides
We’ll link here any information or guidance that you’ll need to navigate our pre-programmes checks so that you can access information in one central place.
Programme and adjustments information
Bursary and finance information
Withdrawal and deferral guidance
Additional FAQs
We’ll try and upload the answers to popular FAQs we’re hearing from you.
Q: What are the flexible working policies like in local authorities?
Q: What happens if you feel unsafe during a home visit? What precautions can social workers take to prevent being in those situations?
A: Firstly, in your placement, you will never been sent out to a family on your own straight away. Your initial home visits will be done jointly your CSW or with an experienced social worker. Through observing and receiving this support, your confidence in home visits will build and you’ll learn more about how to navigate situations. However, there are rare occasions where you may feel unsafe. Your CSW and team should have a system to ensure people know where you are and that you are able to check-in after home visits. It may be called ‘the lone worker’ policy. Within this, there should be guidance for if you feel unsafe on a home visit.
In my experience, I’ve thought about where I sit in a room, maybe close to an exit door. Or I’ve said to the family “I just need to step outside to call my manager”. Or within the home visit, you can call a manager or colleague and ask them a coded question like “can you check if I left my paperwork in the purple folder”. Most teams have a coded question like this that will alert people to you feeling unsafe/in danger. Despite all of this, I must stress that these are not frequent occurrences and I would say trust in the relational skills you will develop on the programme as the main tool for navigating difficult situations.
– Eugene, Fellow