Starting a social care career

Becoming a social worker

The role of a social worker is to support and protect vulnerable children and adults, their families, carers and communities. The work focuses on helping individuals to maximise their potential within society.

Depending on your role, you will work with: 

• vulnerable adults or children
• older people
• people who have a disability
• people who have a physical or mental illness
• children we care for
• children who have emotional or behavioural needs.

This short video from Social Work England explains what it means to be a registered social worker, and what social workers do. You can find out more about undergraduate and post-graduate routes into social work from the national careers website. 

Social Work Degree Apprenticeship

This trainee role involves completing a Social Work Degree Apprenticeship over three years, while learning and studying, alongside gaining practical work experience. The apprenticeship is a full-time post (this is a requirement of the apprenticeship), with one day each week attending university to complete an honours degree. During this time, apprentices will gain practical work experience while studying towards an honours degree and meeting the requirements of the apprenticeship programme. 

 Essential criteria for applicants:

• Must be 18 or over to apply
• Must have been a resident in the UK for at least 3 years
• Must have achieved a Level 2 qualification, including GCSE in English at grade C/4 or equivalent, and you must be in possession of the original certificate
• A commitment to personal and professional development, including the ability and willingness to complete the Social Work Degree Apprenticeship Standard
• Must be able to drive or access a variety of locations, such as those across Oxfordshire
• Will not have started another social work degree course already and have earned credits.  

Successful candidates will need to pass both our recruitment process and the selection process through Buckinghamshire New University. This will include interviews, a written task, a Disclosure and Barring Service check and an occupational health check.

Further information regarding the programme can be found here: Social Worker Degree Apprenticeship (Level 6) | Buckinghamshire New University 

If you would like further information, please contact:

Penny Fraser, Children’s Social Care Apprenticeship Coordinator 
Email: Penelope.fraser@oxfordshire.gov.uk 

Sinead Dixey, Adult Social Care Apprenticeship Coordinator 
Email: Sinead.dixey@oxfordshire.gov.uk

The opportunity to apply will be posted on our Jobs and careers with Oxfordshire County Council page.

Approach Social Work

Approach Social Work, previously Frontline, is a social work charity working to ensure that all children in England have a safe and stable home and that their chances in life are not limited by their social or family circumstances. 

They create social change for these children and their families by developing excellent social work practice and leadership through their programmes, and by building a movement of leaders in social work and broader society as part of their Fellowship.

Approach Social Work is a paid 3-year programme that allows you to earn as you qualify as a social worker and complete a fully funded master’s degree in Advanced Relationship Based Social Work with Children and Families in year 3. You will receive a tax-exempt bursary in year one. In years 2 and 3 you would be paid a salary by the Local Authority.

Oxfordshire has worked with Approach Social Work since 2019, hosting hubs for trainee social workers in our Children’s Social Care Family Solutions Plus teams, who then move into Newly Qualified Social Work roles with us.  

You can find more information and apply through Approach Social Work 

Step Up to Social Work

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 the 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.

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

You can find further information about the programme and apply through  Step up to social work - GOV.UK