Step Up to Social Work

The job itself

Start a new career in child and family social work

The Step Up to Social Work programme in East Riding opens for recruitment today, Monday 17 February, for aspiring social workers to apply for a place on the training programme.

Step Up to Social Work is a 14-month, full-time training programme for talented graduates and career changers to become the next generation of child and family social workers supporting vulnerable children, young people and families. It is designed for people who want to become a social worker but do not have a degree in social work.

Successful applicants train through a combination of academic study and hands on social work experience.

The programme is for people with experience of working with vulnerable children, young people, families or adults, and who can demonstrate emotional resilience and potential for success. Step Up to Social Work aims to attract applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education, said: “In East Riding we have six places available for the Step Up to Social Work course. It is a fantastic opportunity for people who would like to become children and family social workers.

“Social workers make such a difference to the lives of children and families, and it is a highly rewarding career.”

Applications are open until 25 March and successful students will begin the course in January 2026, completing training in March 2027, gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work.

Candidates are eligible if they have a minimum 2:2 degree qualification (level 6), six months’ full-time (or equivalent) direct experience, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, of working with vulnerable children, young people and/or families, carers or vulnerable adults, and a GCSE in Maths and English or English language at grade 4 (C) or above (or an approved equivalent).East Riding’s Adult Learning can support people to gain qualifications or work experience: Adult Learning and Employability

The Step Up programme is backed by the Department for Education to support 700 individuals to enter the social work profession in local authorities across England in 2026. Students will be supported with training costs and a bursary of £21,995 over the duration of the programme to support them whilst in training.

The programme runs every two years, and this will be the ninth cohort of Step Up since 2010, which has supported over 2,900 social workers to enter the profession across England.