Most of the social work world has welcomed the new social work degree with open arms. It is a chance to improve the status of this profession and make it more attractive as a career.

Under the previous regime, many students with an interest in social work at an earlier age missed out on the opportunity to use higher education as a route into social work practice. As a result, many chose other careers such as teaching and nursing where they could gain a vocational qualification at graduate level. Some transferred to social work at a later date but for many this was never practically or financially possible.

Students are no longer required to have experience but they are expected to show the ability to learn and develop with a level of awareness. Questions have been raised on the suitability of students with limited practical experience working in complex and potentially risky situations. But the social work degree is designed to acknowledge these issues, and extended placements give students the chance to gain practical experience in a supportive environment.

But we need to make sure we do not swing the balance too far and create social work training that is inappropriate and impractical for the mature learner. Stockport College, which runs a part-time and a full-time Diploma in Social Work programme, has always attracted experienced practitioners and a significant number of mature students.

Mature students - with their considerable practical and life experience - have a great deal to bring to social work training and practice. But more support is sometimes required to compensate for their lack of recent academic experience. The key lies in persuading students that they can learn and meet academic requirements, and this involves building their confidence and self-esteem. This is an area that cannot be overlooked. Mature students have invaluable knowledge, skills and experience but need a supportive environment to transfer these to social work.

It is essential that we train a diverse workforce to meet the needs of a diverse society, and we must welcome younger students, who bring a fresh outlook. The challenge for social work educators is to recognise the potential and to ensure that learning opportunities are flexible enough to meet a diverse range of educational needs.

Ali Gardner is a lecturer at Stockport College of Further and Higher Education.