During the pandemic, I had time to reflect on my passions and what direction I wanted to focus my career. Ultimately, that led me to social work and through my own research I discovered the Frontline program.
Frontline is a two-year access to social work program, that includes a student year within a local authority and an option to complete a dissertation for a master’s degree in the second year
I did my student year in Rose Hill, central Oxford, where a consultant social worker guided me through low-level cases. This hands-on approach, with occasional university learning days, allowed me to learn directly from working with children and families.
By the end of the first year, I felt I had an advantage over colleagues who came straight from university, as I already had a year’s worth of experience.
Transferring from a law degree was a big change, but I knew my passion was leaning towards working more directly with children and families. You really can transfer into social work from any background, as it’s as much about competencies as qualifications.
Through the Frontline course, I was part of a unit with four other students placed in Rose Hill. We were quite close-knit, meeting every Friday morning to focus on theory and discuss family cases. After the first student year, we dispersed to different locations. I ended up in Barton, some colleagues went to Vista, and one fellow unit member came to Barton with me.
During my student year, I handled lower-risk child in need cases and then after registering as a social worker, I started my ASYE (Assisted Year in Supported Education). During this year, you’re enrolled in the Social Work Development Centre and are required to complete a portfolio to track your progress.
The online ‘Learning Zone’ is an incredibly useful tool, as it offers online training which you can do in your own time. I find it helpful to search key words/phrases which I’m unfamiliar with and brush up on my training. Social work is vast, and often you don’t know what you don’t know, so it’s helpful to browse and find the answers you’re looking for.
When you first qualify, your caseload is managed and capped to ease you into the role. You have a team manager, a supervisor from the development centre, and a practice educator guiding you through your ASYE.
The weekly development centre sessions are a great way to meet colleagues from different parts of Oxfordshire and it helps build relationships with your colleagues. You’ll welcome that support when you’re first starting out in social work and it’s nice to know other people are in the same position as you.
The most rewarding part of my role is the direct work with the children. I work with a mix of teenagers and young people, and over time, we become a part of each other’s lives.
They get used to seeing me, and we build special relationships. It’s the best part of the job and that’s what keeps me going during the more difficult times.
We’re a close-knit team and that makes coming into work so much easier and more enjoyable.
I’ve found everyone to be incredibly knowledgeable and more importantly, eager to pay it forward; the better I am at my job, then the stronger our team becomes. That’s a great environment to work in and it’s been a huge benefit to have people pushing me to be better every day.
A senior practitioner is a more experienced social worker, and they handle more complex cases. After that, I’ll see where my career takes me.
I want to stay within Oxfordshire County Council because there are many social work-related roles and frequent internal vacancies. During my ASYE, I was exposed to various services and teams, which showed me the flexibility and opportunities available within the organisation.
I love the multi-agency aspect of my role, working with the police, NHS, and schools. It’s a big part of what I enjoy about my job.
One thing that stands out about Oxfordshire compared to other local authorities, is the level of support for newly qualified social workers. Colleagues from other areas have praised how well-supported we are here.
My advice is to utilise all the support available. You’ll have three different managers you can approach with anything, and no question is a silly question.
Often, you’ll find others have the same questions at the development centres. Make use of the people around you, the support available, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!