We expect to partner with local authorities in the North East. This may include Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne and South Tyneside.
Where you’ll work
We partner with a large number of high-quality local authority partners that host participants on Approach Social Work (formerly known as the Frontline programme). Through working in these areas, participants are able to support some of the most disadvantaged children in England.
Joining us on programme in 2026, you could be working in one of the following areas:
North East
Yorkshire and the Humber
We expect to partner with local authorities across Yorkshire and the Humber. This may include Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire (Northallerton and Scarborough), Wakefield and York.
North West
We expect to partner with local authorities in Greater Manchester and Merseyside. This may include, Bolton, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Warrington and Wirral.
East Midlands
We expect to partner with local authorities across the East Midlands. This may include Derbyshire, Leicester City, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire.
West Midlands
We expect to partner with local authorities in West Midlands (county), Staffordshire and Worcestershire. This may also include Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
London
We expect to partner with local authorities across London.
South East and East of England
We expect to partner with local authorities across the South East. This may include Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Luton, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Slough, Surrey, Thurrock, West Berkshire and Wokingham.
South West
We expect to partner with local authorities across the South West. This may include Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Devon, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and locations are subject to change. We cannot guarantee that placements will be available in all of the locations listed above.
We receive a high volume of applications for our programme and places fill up quickly. We will close applications for specific locations when they are full. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to ensure your best chance of securing a place in your preferred location on the programme.
Things to consider before applying
We partner with local authorities across England, all offering the same high-quality training, development and support. By being flexible about where you are placed, you can help improve outcomes for children in the areas that need social workers most.
During the application process for Approach Social Work, you will be given the opportunity to tell us more about yourself and your circumstances. Your placement will then be carefully chosen with consideration of your circumstances and the needs of our local authority partners.
Due to the fast-track nature of the programme that combines work and study, whose commute would be longer than 45 minutes during rush hour.
The following advice will help you prepare for your placement.
Consider your preferences carefully
Think about connections you might have to parts of England other than your preferred region. For example, tell us about friends or family living in other regions, the region or area you studied in, or areas that you would be willing to move to. This will help us to consider where might be desirable for you if we’re unable to offer a place in your preferred region.
Review car access
As the role of a social worker is one that involves visiting families in the community, being able to drive and having access to a car is a requirement for most local authority placements outside of London. You won’t be able to apply for a location with a driving requirement if you cannot drive. If you don’t currently have access to a car, consider whether this will be possible for you to obtain before the programme starts.
We recognise that some applicants will be medically exempt from driving. We work with individuals on a case-by-case basis in these circumstances to identify a suitable placement.
Plan your finances
On Approach Social Work, participants receive a bursary for the first year of the programme and a salary from their local authority in the second and third.
However, we recommend that applicants are proactive in planning ahead with their finances, as you may need access to other sources of finance during year one to top up the bursary to cover your living costs. We recommend using budgeting tools to support you in determining if it would be helpful to save, if possible, ahead of starting the programme.