Two hundred graduates to pilot controversial social work ‘summer school’

Two hundred “high potential” graduates in England will be asked to pilot a controversial fast track entry route into children’s social work from next year.

Organisers of the Frontline programme have invited interested parties to bid for a contract to develop the curriculum and deliver the training.

The tender reveals that the initial pilot will consist of two cohorts of around 100 participants each. Successful applicants will undergo a work-based programme of education and development, based loosely on the Teach First scheme.

The 200 graduates will attend an intensive summer school to receive initial social work training, before being placed with a frontline local authority team.

They will then complete an intensive 12 months of on-the-job training supplemented with academic learning, upon successful completion of which they will be certified to practise. This will be followed by work in year two to achieve a master’s degree in leadership in social work.

Frontline’s organisers have already developed an outline curriculum, but require a partner to develop it further and secure approval for the course from the Health and Care Professions Council. This partner would also be responsible for delivering the training programme and overseeing the accreditation of its participants.

“Frontline is a pilot programme which seeks to recruit high potential university students and career switchers and develop them into outstanding children’s social workers,” the tender says.

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