I’m Sofie Franklin and I graduated from De Montfort University in 2009 with a BA Honours in Social Work. The modules I studied at university include social work theories and methods; law; rights and policy; research and ethics; social work skills; policy and evidenced-based practice; inter-professional education and society; and organisations and people. I thought that these modules would equip me with the relevant knowledge, skills and values required to work effectively with service users in a variety of social work and social care settings. Whilst they did to an extent, it wasn’t until I was able to put what I had learnt into practice, through good quality placements, that I was able to apply theoretical frameworks and concepts relevant to day-to-day social work.

In my final year, I completed a fantastic placement at CAFCASS which I felt was my first proper exposure to what real social work was. This enabled me to develop my skills and knowledge in working with families going through the court process of either private or public law. This experience was monumental in equipping me with the necessary skills to work effectively as a social worker and I graduated from university, feeling prepared and ready for a social work position.

However, two years later, I am still not working as a qualified social worker. I have applied for 10 children’s services roles since qualifying, including Children in Need, Initial Response, Leaving Care and Family Support Teams. I have gained four invites to interview and have been unsuccessful on each occasion. The feedback gained after each interview came down to a lack of relevant experience, in particular, child protection experience.

To address this, I decided to gain employment as a family support worker, which I have now been doing for over a year. Doing this has proved invaluable and has given me the opportunity to build on my child protection experience. However, there seems to be a complete lack of opportunities for NQSWs in social work departments but still an abundance of unfilled agency roles, which agencies refuse to put me and other NQSWs forward for. Is this the beginning of a lost generation of social workers?

In order to gain a deeper understanding into the issues NQSWs and local authorities are currently facing, I am planning to speak to team managers from a number of local authorities. I also want to hear from other NQSWs about their experiences of being newly qualified, whether in employment or not. The questionnaire aims to gather more information around your experiences of trying to gain employment and also your views on the current job market. For the questionnaire email me at sofie.franklin@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you one.

Print | Back | Forward to a friend »

Forward to a friend

Name:*
Your Email:*
To Email:*
Message (Max. 200 words):* Your comments
Verfication*

I read all of your comments with great interest. I am currently completing my postgraduate social work degree (due to graduate June 2013), and am really worried about the lack of opportunities that seem to be available to nqsw! Through reading your comments it appears that after graduating, trying to gain experience else ware in social care is the best option before applying for social work positions. Is there any further advice any of you could offer me at the minute to try to give me a bit of an advantage when graduation time comes round and it's time to start applying for positions?

Jackie
22 Oct 2011

I qualified as a social worker in 2008, due to my father being diagnosed with cancer I was unable to take up employment and became his full time carer. Now that I am thinking of starting work again, I am appalled by the lack of support, advise and guidance that is being offered to newly qualified social worker. Due to not having any post-qualifying experience I have been unsuccessful in getting into employment. I have called various boroughs for voluntary work but they all have stated the same thing. THEY DO NOT TAKE ON VOLUNTEERS! If they want us to gain experience, then why cant they take on volunteers surely that would work out better for the interest of the organisation?? It is very disheartening to see that there is a social worker post being advertised everyday, yet uptakes of newly qualified social worker has a taboo!!! More needs to be DONE to HELP US!!

Ali
29 Sep 2011

Hi all. Thanks for your comments. I feel your frustration. I looked only yesterday for NQSW/level one SW positions and there are none what so ever. The local authority I work in as a support worker has recently transferred all of their lower risk social work cases to family support teams to reduce social workers' caseload therefore not having to employ any more social worker. These cases would be perfect for NQSW to take on and would be managed by people who have the necessary skills and training in order to deal with these cases as effectively as possible. Have any of you tried agency support posts? Also i am aware that some local authorities will take on volunteers so may be worth contacting all local authorities in and around your areas as this could be your much needed "foot through the door". Also, how are you all managing to collect your PRTL hours?

Sofie
16 Sep 2011

I am going to start the third and final year of my degree programme in Social Work and will become NQSW in a matter of months. I am looking forward to this. However, the lack of job opprtunities for NQSWs particularly in England is a cause for concern for me. Is it not time that admission into the programme is tallied to social work vacancies?

Kayode
13 Sep 2011

l am a qualified in 2010 with a BA (Hons) Applied Social Work. l have been having difficulty finding a job as a Social Worker as there is so much emphasis on at least 2yrs post qualifying experience. l have also applied for Social Work assistant positions and have been turned down due to lack of adequate experience despite having placement experience. l frustrated to say the least. Why is there lack of support or employment for newly qualified Social Workers? How do u gain more experience when you are given the chance to practice in the first place? l have experience as a Support Worker for than 4years now but apparently this doesnt count. All l need is a chance to prove myself. How do l even get the chance? l have tried to apply countless times and l am so disappointed. l am passionate about making a difference in the society but at the moment l just feel like my potential and qualifications are going to waste.

Jenifa Chinhengo
10 Sep 2011

I think it is very vague for newly qualified social workers to be asked for experience. If you dont give us chance to gain those experience how do you expect one to gain the experience you want from her. Am still disappointed.

Ramlah
08 Sep 2011

I qualified in 1979 and started my first job, within days of finishing, in a local authority generic social work team. I had a general caseload of whatever came through the door, good supervision, lots of advice and encouragement, and the opportunity to accompany and assist the more experienced workers with the complex cases. Over the following 3 years, I got a chance to have a try at everything and learn what SW was about, and eventually to do the complex work on my own. These days SW teams are small and referrals are prioritised to the point where only complex cases are worked, so there is no scope or time for teams to train up staff on the job or take on beginners. If agencies that employ SWs no longer have the time or resources to 'grow their own' who else will?

Marian August
08 Sep 2011