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Do it for developing excellence in practice

About the academy

Led by the Head of Service for Quality Assurance, Reviewing and Safeguarding Service (QARSS) and the Principal Social Worker (PSW), the Academy supports frontline staff through the provision of the latest training to ensure they can deliver the best outcomes for the children, young people and their families.

The Academy is tasked with:

Developing and promoting Restorative Practice. Ensuring the quality of practice through quality assurance, practice evaluation and audit.

Driving practice improvement and servicing statutory and regulatory reporting requirements through providing performance management information and analysis.

Growing and supporting DCC’s workforce by putting our learning into practice, delivering learning and development, and the Social Work Academy.

Developing and delivering a clear ‘Employee Practice Support Offer’ that considers the impact of social work and social care practice on front-line practitioners and leaders and provides a framework for a stable workforce.

Maintaining DCC’s policies and procedures, aligning with national requirements and reflecting practice changes

Academy training programmes

If you want to become a social worker in Children’s Social Care, we have a number of programmes available, which will allow you to earn as you learn and join us here in Devon County Council.

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Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme

If you are a newly qualified social worker, our ASYE programme was created especially for you. This two year programme will help you transition from newly qualified to experienced social worker. It is nationally renowned and attracts applicants from all over the UK.

Approach Social Work programme

If you have a degree (but not in social work) and would like to change careers and become a social worker and have a guaranteed job at the end of it. The Approach Social Work programme (formerly known as the Frontline programme), offers three years of paid training and a fully funded MSc in Advanced Relationship-Based Social Work Practice. Allowing you to develop the skills you will need on the job. You can apply to do the work experience part of the programme here in Children’s Social Care with DCC.

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Return to Social Work Practice (RSWP) programme

The RSWP programme was developed to support social workers wishing to return to practice after a career break. The programme aims to help returnees to complete the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) required to re-register with Social Work England (SWE).

Apprenticeships- Degree/PGDip

We also offer a social work apprenticeship, allowing you to do on-the-job training while studying towards your degree with the Open University.

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Overseas Transition programme

Our Overseas Transition programme offers fully qualified social workers from overseas, with proven experience in Children’s Social Care, sponsorship to move to the UK and join us in Devon.

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Career Opportunities

Children’s Social Care vacancies

View Jobs

Why we do it for Devon


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