Step Up to Social Work Cohort 7 Support Contractor

Step up to social work complements our reform programme and our commitment to raising the quality of social work practice, with a particular focus on the practice of child and family social workers undertaking statutory social work.

Local authorities (and trusts or other organisations delivering statutory children's social care services on behalf of local authorities) are invited to bid to participate in the seventh cohort as part of a regional partnership.

Previously, step up was delivered by 136 Local Authorities (LAs), working together via 22 regional partnerships. We expect similar numbers of LAs and regional partnerships to participate in cohort 7, offering up to 700 places between them. Trainees are based within LAs/regional partnerships which contract with HE providers of social work education to deliver the training element and accredit qualifications. We expect all regional partnerships to take part in cohort 7.