Any social workers here done the 'Step up' programme?

[Barrenfieldoffucks]

I'm considering it...has anyone done it who would like to talk to me about it?

Is Social Work the no-no so many people seem to tell me?

Not done it but also considered it. I decided against it for now while DC are still around as I imagine the emotional strain is pretty high. But would love to hear from people who have done it.

That was one of my concerns.

I have just sent my application. I had also applied in 2016! Looks like a good program. I am currently a teacher.

I didn't do it, but did training on the BA in SW.

The Step Up programmeseemed easier than the BA.

I will say though that those doing it seemed more naive to what the job entailed than those of us who'd done the Access Course to do the BA.

But there are lots of roles for SWs, especially newly qualified ones.

Tbh, things are shit with the lack of funding.

The system, intervention, isn't fit for purpose or doing the job its supposed to.

I left just after the Torys came to power. My Sister left last year and the old colleagues that I kept in touch with have either left, or are miserable.

In Children's Services, you're keeping a % of children alive. There's some work done with Families, but not as much as was being.

The cuts hit the services to children, hard, even though they were pledged not to. It was within weeks. After school clubs ran by Family Support and Services for disabled children.

Adult Services, Charity providers, community centres, all cut back.

Mental Health can be about keeping people alive and sometimes nothing more.

Hospital, Homeless, Refugees SW? You can imagine.

But there's more the admin etc side that you can ignore how shit it is what's on offer.

I wondered about it (also ex teacher!) But decided id really struggle with not bei ng able to offer enough support or afford proper intervention and knowing i was failing people :(

I trained as a social worker through this programme on the 1st cohort. I found it to be a great course, mainly in terms of the placement quality, as they were predominantly statutory placements, which aren't always available for BA students. The fact that people tend to come onto the course from other careers rather than as school leavers means that everyone has more life experience and I think that really helps (obviously mature students doing a BA would also have this).

I wouldn't have been able to retrain without the programme so I'm really grateful for it. I started my family just after finishing though so can't speak to trying to complete it with young children, although many of my cohort managed this. It is pretty intense due to being such a short time period, but I felt perfectly able to move into front line work at the end of it and am still enjoying my job several years later.

Happy to answer more specific questions about aspects of it if anyone has any (sorry if my paragraphs disappear, they have a habit of it)

UnderTheSleepingBaby, when was that?

It's been at least 12 years were you couldn't do it from School to BA and you had to have experience with working with vulnerable people, or in a Social Care setting.

Statutory placements became mandatory.

Who are your Client Group?

I did it in 2016/17 - what sort of things are you wondering about?

I'm now in child protection since qualifying; got a job straight away

As for the job, yes it's hard, no we dont get recognition/appreciation in press etc, everyone is scared to begin with BUT when you close a case because they've transformed their life and the child waves you good bye with the hugest smile..... no better feeling ever (and it happens more than you imagine!)

It's stressful, full of paperwork etc like all similar jobs but the intervention stuff is brilliant and I love it.

I don't know really. 😂🤷 I am very keen on the idea of being in social care, but hear such horror stories. And i don't know how I'd manage with three young kids... emotionally or logistically. I've effectively been a sahm for the last 9 years so juggling isn't something I'm used to.

When you study do you physically go to a university etc ?

I’m also a teacher and thinking about applying. Really interested to know how easy it was to get a job (and-sorry!- what’s the pay like?)

Sorry, jumping on this thread because I'm also thinking about applying.

Any opinions welcome. I'll be applying to start next year when DD will be nearly 3 and I'm a single parent.

I'm also considering the Think Ahead programme. Has anyone done that or got any opinions?

@TheZeppo they're crying out for SW and most local authorities have an academy to support straight out of university.

Yes studying at university and then placements at workplaces.

ASYE pay is around 30k and moves up pretty quickly to 34/35k within first year/18 months, once you've passed ASYE, then up to near 40k for senior SW roles (takes approx 2/3 years from qualifying (I'm in south east England)

ASYE is the assessed and supported year (first year post qualified and you have observations and essays/reflective accounts in a portfolio)

Ah fuck it, I'm going to apply. I've got the quals and experience from pre kids, and I may not even get through anyway. Other people work full time etc with kids and they're all still alive, right? 😂

Oh wow the pay is more than teaching.

Thank you LewisFan that is really helpful.

Swimmingjustkeepswimming it appears so, but I think only the starting salary?

Lewisfan are you in London? Just asking because the salary you've stated there seems higher than what I thought it was.

The pay is a ALOT higher than teaching.

Seems comparable to me actually. If you are on UPS3 then that’s just shy of 40k.

That said, it is lots higher than an NQT salary!

I think unless you want to be a head of department or become SLT there is actually minimal progression in teaching. Alot of people are saying how can you want to leave when you get decent holidays and well paid but i dont get much job satisfaction. I love teaching but there is so much more to it.

Very true about progression up the ranks. I’d rather stick pins in my eye than be on the SLT

Another question- I understand that you have to commit to staying in social work (or have to pay back the bursary). I’m just wondering how long that is? One, two, three years?

(Namechange because I try not to talk about my job on the internet..)

I didn't do Step Up but Frontline, a few years ago now! I agree that the quality of placements seems much more valuable to managing the start of your career than BA routes - we still have newly qualified social workers come to us from BA courses without having any statuatory placements who are starting from a massively less confident and competent place - that is not to say they don't go on to be great social workers but certainly makes those first few years harder.

As a PP said, the reward and satisfaction this job gives you makes the hard days pale in comparison - it is so so worth it! Seeing a mum clean from substances for the first time in 15+ years, and knowing you played a role in getting her there, really floors you with how humbling it is.

I know a lot of parents who have had young and older children doing Frontline and Step Up - it is demanding but doable. I think to do the job generally it is important to think about what your emergency child care support is. It is not often, but I'd say at least once a year I am out until or past midnight dealing with an emergency that has started during work hours - you can't just walk away at 5.30.

Has anyone heard back from their application?

And thank you @turtlegroove - I missed your response first time round!