Practice Education in Bolton
Social Work students on placement in our adult and children’s social work and social care teams are a valued and integral part of the SW profession as they offer us fresh insight, new ideas, questions and critical analysis; as well as being the practitioners and leaders of the future. In Bolton the ‘Practice Teaching’ and assessment of those students is an essential requirement in making sure those future social workers are properly supported, developed and managed as they progress through their training and into newly qualified SW posts.
Bolton council is enthusiastic about developing strong and strategic partnerships and collaboration with other employers across GM, higher education institutions and other training providers. It believes and advocates Strong partnership working in order to support the training of high-quality social workers, resulting in improved services for children, young people, adults, families, and local communities. In terms of training opportunities to become a qualified social worker we offer:
- The Step up to Social Work programme
- Front line
- Social Work Apprenticeships
Practice Teaching
We have a clear policy for recruiting, training, and supporting practice educators and we are committed to providing high quality placements and support for social work students on those placements. We also offer support, training, and guidance to our SW students around recruitment in order to retain those students who are keen to work with us in providing a high standard of service. It is essential that the commitment to social work education and continued professional development is reflected through the training and support of our Practice Educators. Practice Education is part of our social work ideology and is viewed as an important contribution to the development of the profession. It is recognised within our SW Progression programme demonstrating a commitment to a learning organisation where there is investment in aspiring social workers through to senior managers. We offer a range of Placement Opportunities including:
Children’s Services
- Referral and Assessment
- Safeguarding
- Integrated Front Door
- Early help
- Looked After Children
- Fostering
- Adoption
- Children With Disabilities
- Family and Friends
- Complex Safeguarding and Youth Justice
- Leaving Care
- Fostering
Adult Services
- District adult teams North, South & West
- Integrated Hospital discharge
- Transition
- Early intervention
- Safeguarding
- Community Learning Disability
- Intensive support
- Intermediate tier services
- Community Mental Health teams
- Older people and mental health service
Induction and our ASYE programme
In Bolton we have an induction programme for all new social care and SW starters. Our SW Induction lead liaises with HR and managers and meets with all new social care staff within the first two weeks of employment. New starters are also linked to a ‘buddy’ from within their team as well to act as a go to person for the first few weeks.
We have a robust ‘Assessed and Supported Year in Employment’ (ASYE) programme for our newly qualified social workers (NQSW’s) that leads through to a year of consolidation and then on to opportunities for progression to senior social worker and management.
We recognise that NQSW’s come to us with different experience and knowledge, and we therefore treat all our new starters as individuals with personal individual development plans linked to the SW post qualifying standards.
