Social Work: Education

(asked on 18th January 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of spending on social work education.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 23rd January 2019

This government recognises the need to invest in social work. Since 2010 we have invested over £800 million in the training and practice of social workers. Our reforms aim to ensure that child and family social work remains an attractive career choice, and that more people are supported to remain in the profession.

More than 1,700 people have been trained through our fast-track programmes, Frontline and Step Up to Social Work. Alongside this, 22 teaching partnerships, involving 108 local authorities and 50 higher education institutes, are helping ensure that social work students are better prepared for the realities of practice.

We recognise that the quality of supervision and wider leadership can be key to recruitment, retention and opportunities for development and career progression. That is why we are investing in reforms, such as improving leadership and providing high quality continuing professional development (CPD).

As we move towards the Spending Review, we will keep the level of investment in social work education under review.

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