Step Up: the first and second cohorts compared Findings from an employer-based. accelerated training route in social work in England

Authors

  • Jill Manthorpe King's College London
  • Mary Baginksy King's College London

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v18i1.849

Abstract

In England several initiatives are underway in social work education, among which are changes to application and training processes, and the development of shorter employment-based post-graduate qualifying routes. Here trainees are placed with social work employers (local authorities), receive substantial funding compared to other students, and local authority staff are closely engaged with higher education providers. This article presents and analyses the views of the first and second cohorts of trainees undertaking the Step Up to Social Work programme. Data were collected by online survey, administered at four time points. The overall response rate at each of the four points was high; ranging from 64 per cent to 78 per cent for Cohort 1 and 77 per cent to 83 per cent for Cohort 2. Comparison of data across cohorts revealed satisfaction with the training and the Step Up initiative but levels of satisfaction were increased among Cohort 2, which may be attributable to changes made following the first cohort’s experiences. The findings from this comparison of trainees may usefully inform other studies and provision of employment-based routes in social work education and the satisfaction levels achieved may be ones to which other programmes may wish to aspire.

Author Biographies

Jill Manthorpe, King's College London

Professor of Social Work, Director of the Social Care Workforce Research Unit

Mary Baginksy, King's College London

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Social Care Workforce Research Unit

References

Baginsky, M. (2009) The Views of and on Newly Qualified Social Workers. Leeds: CWDC

Baginsky, M. and Manthorpe, J. (2014) The Views of Step Up to Social Work Trainees: Cohort 1 And Cohort 2: Research report, London, Department for Education

Baginsky, M. and Manthorpe, J. (2015) Trainees' views of the step up to social work programme. Social Work Education, 34, 1, 17-31

Baginsky, M. and Teague, C. (2013) Speaking from Experience: The views of the first cohort of trainees of Step Up to Social Work. London: Department for Education

Carifino, J. and Perla, R.J. (2007) Ten common misunderstandings, misconceptions, persistent myths and urban legends about Likert Scales and Likert Response Formats and their antidotes. Journal of the Social Sciences, 3, 3, 106-116

Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2000) Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge Falmer

Croisdale-Appleby, D. (2014) Re-visioning Social Work Education: An Independent review. London: Department of Health

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (2007) The Children’s Plan: Building brighter futures. London: Department for Children, Schools and Families, http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/Childrens_Plan_Summary.pdf (accessed 20 June 2015)

Department for Education (2014) Blueprint for future of child and family social work unveiled. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/blueprint-for-future-of-child-and-family-social-work-unveiled (accessed 20 June 2015)

Dillman, D.A. (2000) Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. New York: Wiley

Frontline (2014) Community Care: Government to support fourth Step Up cohort, http://www.thefrontline.org.uk/news/community-care-government-support-fourth-step-cohort (accessed 20 June 2015)

Grant, S., Sheridan, L. and Webb, S.A. (2014) Readiness for Practice of Newly Qualified Social Workers: Evaluation study for the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). Glasgow: Glasgow Caledonian University

Harris, J., Manthorpe, J. & Hussein, S. (2008) What works in ‘Grow Your Own’ initiatives for social work?, London: King’s College London, Social Care Workforce Research Unit

Henri, T. (2013) Comment: Frontline is an affront to both parents and social workers, http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/05/21/comment-frontline-is-an-affront-to-both-parents-and-social-workers (accessed 20 June 2015)

Holmes, E., Miscampbell, G. and Robinson, B. (2013) Reforming Social Work: Improving social worker recruitment, training and retention. London: Policy Exchange

House of Commons (2009) Report of the Children, Schools and Families Committee on the Training of Social Workers. London: Hansard. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmchilsch/527/52702.htm (accessed 20 June 2015)

Hussein, S., Manthorpe, J. and Harris, J. (2011) Do the characteristics of seconded or sponsored social work students in England differ from those of other social work students? A quantitative analysis using national data, Social Work Education, 30, 3, 345-359

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) (2014) Think Ahead: Meeting the workforce challenges in mental health social work. London: IPPR

Jowell, R. (2003) Trying It Out: The role of pilots in policy making. Report of a review of government pilots. London: Cabinet Office

Laming, H. (2003) The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report. London: Department of Health

Laming, H. (2009) The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report. London: The Stationery Office. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/328117/The_Protection_of_Children_in_England.pdf (accessed 20 June 2015)

London Borough of Bromley (2011) Release of Government Funding to support the Step Up to Social Work Programme, London, London Borough of Bromley, http://cds.bromley.gov.uk/documents/s11520/Exec-1412%20Government%20Funding%20Step%20Up%20to%20SW%20Prog.pdf (accessed 20 June August 2015)

Lynn, P. (2009) Methodology of Longitudinal Surveys. Chichester: Wiley

MacAlister, J., with Crehan, L. and Olsen, A. (2012) Frontline: Improving the children’s social work workforce. London: IPPR

Menard, S. (1991) Longitudinal Research. Newbury Park: Sage

Moriarty, J. and Manthorpe, J. (2012) Shared expectations? Reforming the social work qualifying curriculum in England. Social Work Education, 32, 7, 841-53

Narey, M. (2014) Making the education of social workers consistently effective. London: Department for Education https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287756/Making_the_education_of_social_workers_consistently_effective.pdf (accessed 20 June 2014)

Ruspini, E. (1999) Longitudinal research and the analysis of social change. in E. Ruspini (Ed.) Longitudinal analysis: A bridge between quantitative and qualitative social research. Special issue of Quality and Quantity, 33, 3, July–August

Smith, R., McLenachen, J., Venn, L., Weich, H. and Anthony, D. (2013) Step up to Social Work Programme Evaluation 2012. London, Department for Education

Social Work Reform Board (2012) Improving the Quality and Consistency of Initial Qualifying Social Work Education and Training. London: The College of Social Work

Taylor, I. (2015) Discretion or prescription? Exploring confidence in qualifying social work education. British Journal of Social Work, 45, 2, 493-510

Published

2015-12-07

How to Cite

Manthorpe, J., & Baginksy, M. (2015). Step Up: the first and second cohorts compared Findings from an employer-based. accelerated training route in social work in England. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 18(1), 67-82. https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v18i1.849
Received 2015-12-07
Accepted 2015-12-07
Published 2015-12-07