Student Placements

Student Placements at Worcestershire are coordinated by the Social Work Academy Team in liaison with the local Universities and Social Work Programme Providers. When undertaking a placement with Worcestershire, you will be supported by a Workplace Supervisor and/or a Practice Educator. All requests for placements should be made via individual universities who will communicate with the Social Work Academy. Email: LDAdmin@worcestershire.gov.uk 

Social Work Apprenticeships

Worcestershire County Council are currently supporting the Social Work Apprenticeship Scheme provided by Warwick University and University of Worcester. 

In Worcestershire, a Newly Qualified Social Worker is part of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment programme (AYSE). This is a twelve month programme of support run by Skills for Care and is mapped against the Knowledge and Skills statement for Social Workers.

As a newly Qualified Social Worker you will work in a Social Work Team with the additional support of an Advanced Social Work Practitioner and the Social Work Academy Team.

You can find helpful information and resources from Skills for Care ASYE (skillsforcare.org.uk)

The Social Work Academy team offer support following the completion of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE). Support includes access to group coaching sessions which enable you to consolidate your learning, become more autonomous and develop your career within Worcestershire.

A Practice Educator (PE) provides supervision, teaching and assessment to student Social Workers to develop their Social Work practice depending on their learning needs. The Social Work Academy supports trainee Practice Educators to achieve Practice Education awards in partnership with higher education establishments and in line with the Practice Educator Professional Standards.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is vital to ensure our social care workforce provide quality support children, families, and adults in Worcestershire. Working for Worcestershire you will have access to a range of learning and development opportunities to support you to thrive in your career including:

• internal learning and development offer
• career progression and development opportunities 
• leadership and management training offer 
• co-produced training and learning resources
• opportunities to undertake qualifications with local universities
• access to a comprehensive wellbeing offer 

Research in Practice is an online learning platform which supports social care professionals in their day to day work. It aims to support organisations and individuals to access, understand and apply evidence into their work with children and families, young people and adults.

Worcestershire employees have access to Research in Practice to support their practice including a programme of national conferences, workshops and online events, resources such as case law and legal summaries and bitesize learning tools to meet a range of learning styles.

One of our Social Workers says: “Research In Practice is an invaluable tool for developing knowledge that can be used in practice. There are a variety of sources from webinars, research papers and online training. I love how the online training incorporates time to go through materials before the session and how the materials support your learning” - Newly Qualified Social Worker

Find out more here: Research in Practice

The West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership aim to strengthen the quality of education and training for social work students and practitioners across the West Midlands.  

Worcestershire is part of the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership and employees can access the varied range of resources and bespoke learning events offered by the partnership.

Find out more here: The West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership