Why we need to make a change in children’s social work
Social workers in England support over 680,000 children and their families every year. At any given time there are around 400,000 Children in Need
6% of care leavers between the ages of 19-21 go to university compared to 43% of all young people
Only 14% of social workers identify as men, compared with 54% of Children in Need
There are 50,000 children in England who have a child protection plan, with neglect being the main concern for almost half of these
56% of children sentenced in the youth justice system had a social worker.
23% of social workers are minority ethnic, compared with 29% of Children in Need
Sources: Department for Education, 2018 and 2021; Ministry of Justice and Youth Justice Board, 2020.
Children in Need are a legally defined group of children, assessed as needing help and protection as a result of risks to their development or health. This group includes children subject to Child in Need Plans, Child Protection plans, Looked After Children, young carers, and disabled children. Children in need include young people aged 18 or over who continue to receive care, accommodation or support from children’s services and unborn children.
How to get into social work
There are many routes into social work, each suited to different people at different stages of their lives. Ours, the Frontline programme, is a two-year, salaried training programme that offers you a unique opportunity to work directly with children and families, helping them make positive changes in their lives. The people we train work in some of the toughest environments but do some of the most impactful work, helping to secure safe and stable homes for children in England.
Other programmes include Step Up to Social Work, a 14-month programme of study at a university and hands-on social work placements, and Think Ahead, a two-year programme focussed on mental health social work that combines a master’s degree with on-the-job training.
You can also choose to do an undergraduate degree in social work or a master’s degree if you already have an undergraduate degree. And if you don’t feel university is right for you, a social work apprenticeship offers three years of on-the-job training, leading to a social work degree.
Frontline programme participants’ stories
Jill
Jill Sinaguglia had some time to reflect on her career during the pandemic, and decided to apply for the Frontline programme. She shares her reasons for pursuing social work, and her positive experience of the Frontline programme so far.Nick
"The Frontline programme appealed to me as I was very attracted by the idea of practice learning. I was keen to work directly with children and families as soon as possible. I was also really interested by the unit model, and the concept of sharing ideas and hypotheses within a small, close-knit team."Sally and Jacob
Two Frontline programme participants, Sally and Jacob, worked hard alongside parents-to-be, Lacey and Lee, to ensure that baby Logan would be able to remain safely in the parents’ care once born, but with intensive support from professionals.Tommy
Tommy Gale talks about his journey to becoming a social worker and the Frontline programme.