Welcome to your Approach Social Work programme bulletin

The 2024 Approach Social Work programme bulletin will keep you informed with updates on pre-programme checks, local authority placement and readiness for practice.

Please make sure to read every bulletin as it includes crucial information and tasks necessary to begin the programme. If you've missed an email, you can find all past bulletins stored on the portal. 

Readiness for Practice teaching stage guide

For those allocated to a local authority, the Frontline operations team is excited to share information about the upcoming Readiness for Practice teaching stage in July.

This five-week stage runs from Monday 15 July to Friday 16 August 2024. It includes online learning, self-directed study, a three-day residential at the University of Warwick, and two in-person regional days.

We've created a guide to help you prepare for this period. It contains all the essential information you need and is a must-read for the programme.

Community spaces and affinity groups

During the readiness for practice stage, we offer participants the opportunity to join community spaces and/or affinity groups. Frontline would like to know which of these group you are interested in. Below you can find a description and aim of each of the groups.

Affinity groups

Peer-support groups, run by participants such as yourself, during the readiness for practice stage. Participants in similar situations or from similar backgrounds can get together to share their ideas, experience, and advice on any element of the programme. The groups are optional and participant-led with no staff involvement. Each group will have participant facilitators, who will receive information on how to run an affinity group.  Please complete the Expression of Interest Form  by Thursday 13 June to vote for which community spaces and/or affinity groups you would like to partake in at the Readiness for Practice stage. This does not mean you are signing up to the groups but is just to gauge interest.

Community spaces

Provide participants from minority and marginalised backgrounds a supportive environment to develop networks and a sense of belonging. Community spaces allow them to voice experiences of discrimination encountered in our programme and practical learning. Facilitated by Frontline staff (practice tutors), this space aims to empower participants to challenge oppression confidently, supported by peers and tutors, ensuring they do not face these challenges alone.

'Bringing self to social work' webinar

Join us next Tuesday for our next webinar, considering how social workers bring their self to their work. We'll be joined by Delin, social worker and social work trainer, who'll talk us through the importance of bringing your own identity, biases, and self-reflection to the work you do with vulnerable children and families. 

Pre-programme survey

Ahead of starting the Readiness for Practice teaching stage, we need you to provide some additional information. This includes your bank details, in order to process your bursary payments, and information about any additional requirements you might have during the readiness for practice residential.

You will soon receive an email asking you to provide this information via a short survey, please look out for this and ensure you fill in the form as soon as possible.

Recommended for you

In every bulletin, we'll suggest documentaries, podcasts and books — optional but insightful resources for those keen on exploring social work before the programme begins. Expect us to offer something to read, watch, and listen to regularly.

👂Listen to this podcast: Adoption, Fostering and Tea - podcast series from charity The New Family Social, who provide support and guidance to LGBTQ+ adopters and foster carers.

📺 Watch this documentary: Split Up in Care: Life without Siblings - short documentary by broadcaster and author Ashley John-Baptiste, exploring issues causing, and caused by, the separation of sibling groups in the care system. 

📖 Read this book: Shuggie Bain - multiple award winning novel following a young Glaswegian boy as he attempts to stay with, and care for his mother as she struggles through alcoholism.