Employer funded social work qualification

[fatfingers]

Has anyone done one? I am thinking of asking my work if they'd be prepared to fund me through my MA social work (answer will probably be no but its worth a go!) How many days a week do you have to go to Uni - is it 1 or 2? Can you do your placement at your own work place? I'm just not sure how it works when you are employed already...

Hi there, yes I did! Mine was via The Open University and funded by my employer. I was a care management assistant with the Local Authority for 5 years (which was the requirement to be able to apply). The Degree took 4 years and I was allowed one day a week study leave. The tutorials were always on a weekend so I obv used my own time for this. Placements are within your own Local Authority but they are reluctant for it to be your current work place as they like you to have a taste for something new and there may be conflicts of interest in your current work place. The t's & C's were that I had to stay with the Local Authority for 2 years as a social worker post qualifying but they would pay the full fee's. If I left before the 2 years then I would have to pay the fee's back which is fair enough. I can highly recommend the OU for study, I found it to be flexible and very supportive. Some courses differ though, a colleague did hers at the local university and had to attend two days a week which is a big commitment for an employer. On the other hand, her Degree was 3 years instead of 4 so swings and roundabouts really. HTH