Newham to lure students with £10k

Newham Council has launched a scheme offering final-year social
work students a £10,000 grant as it tries to tackle staff
shortages.

The east London authority has made the “golden grants” available to
UK masters or BA final year social work students in return for at
least two years’ service once they qualify.

The council said the scheme, which has 16 places, was one of
several measures to tackle its need for more front-line social
workers.

It admitted there was “always a risk” that staff could leave the
council after only two or three years. But it said there was
evidence to suggest that social work students tended to work for
the organisation where they undertook their final placement.

Last year Newham set up a scheme for Asian graduate trainees, and
it plans to recruit more this year.