DBS0744 Social Work Trainee

North Tyneside Council is continuing its successful work degree apprenticeship programme, delivered in partnership with Sunderland University. We are looking for new entrants to the programme, starting in September 2025, and are inviting applications from interested parties.

What is social work?
Social workers engage with individuals and families of all ages and backgrounds, working to ensure people are safe, live with dignity, and have opportunities to achieve their potential. In Children's Social Care, social workers intervene with children, young people and their families to address risks to young people's safety and development and ensure their needs are fully met.

You may work with children who have additional needs and disabilities and who are in a variety of living arrangements, including those who are in the care of the Local Authority, those living with friends or wider family members and those who may remain in the care of their parents but need additional support. Social workers will assess needs, develop plans and work in partnership with other services to ensure the child's needs are fully met, they are safe and able to thrive.

The core of social work is about treating people as individuals, safeguarding from harm, and promoting equal opportunities, guided by ethical principles rooted in human rights and social justice. North Tyneside Council's social workers operate within a legal framework which provides duties and powers to promote the welfare of children and the wellbeing of adults in our area.

We are looking for people with optimism, enthusiasm, and excellent communication skills; people who want to empower others to achieve their potential; and people who value fairness, equality, and social justice. We are looking for people with courage, determination, and the ability to grapple with complex situations to find solutions.

To thrive in the role, you will need to be a problem solver, and someone who can bring people together: working closely with families and with other professionals to find the best ways forward.

While professional experience in a social care role or working with children and young people is useful, it is not essential: experience gained from volunteering or informal caring roles would be relevant and transferable. You will gain the skills and knowledge of the professional aspects of the role through the academic and on-the-job training offered by our apprenticeship programme.

Successful candidates must be successful in two stages of application.

Application and interview with North Tyneside as your prospective employer and also application to Sunderland University for the Social Work Apprenticeship programme.

To be eligible to enrol in the apprenticeship programme, you must have a minimum of 120 UCAS points (or equivalent) or 80 UCAS points (or equivalent) plus evidence of exceptional practice experience.

Your evidence of exceptional practice will be submitted via a written essay of no more than 1500 words submitted to the university on application. You must also have Maths and English GCSE Grade C (or equivalent) and if English is not your first language you will need International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at a score of 7.0 in all components.