Social Services
Health

Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health

(1) what steps he is taking to support newly qualified social workers to find employment relevant to their qualifications;

(2) what recent steps he has taken to promote social work as a vocational career for young people.

Paul Burstow (Minister of State (Care Services), Health; Sutton and Cheam, Liberal Democrat)

While it is the responsibility of newly qualified social workers to find employment for themselves arid the responsibility of employers to recruit, the Department funds Skills for Care to provide a programme to enable newly qualified social workers to make the transition to the world of work in adult services.

The Department continues to support the work of the social work reform board and their programme to make social work a more attractive profession.

The Skills for Care framework for Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) recognise that NQSWs need a range of support at different stages of their careers. They need:

Support to build on the expertise and knowledge they, have developed on. qualifying programmes and how to apply this to a practice setting as a qualified worker;

Good quality induction to the profession and to their organisation;

Access to the correct type and level of quality supervision; and

A structured process of continued professional development which supports them to develop their career beyond the first year in practice and to meet registration and post-registration training and learning requirements.

It also recognises that managers need support so that they can provide the most appropriate environment possible for NQSWs and, in particular, meet their supervision and ongoing development needs.