Children's social care workforce ASYE social workers

In your first year of practice as a newly qualified social worker you will embark on the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE). This is a nationally recognised employer-led programme of learning, support and assessment for social work graduates to ensure an effective transition from student to practitioner. The ASYE involves a 12-month programme of learning and development opportunities, peer group supervision, and regular support and review from your ASYE Assessor and team manager. In Shropshire, we are delighted to offer you a fantastic programme which we hope will inspire you to further your career here.

The ASYE programme is comprised of:

  • Workshops
  • Peer supervision sessions
  • Creating a portfolio of evidence which is regularly reviewed

Workshops cover topics such as assessment and analysis skills, section 47 investigations, contextual safeguarding, working with police, working with education, creating outcome-focussed plans for children, working with difficult, dangerous and evasive adults, working with substance misuse. There is also a fantastic training offer for all social work staff in addition, which ASYEs also access. 

The ASYE programme and your role within the team are inextricably linked. Successful completion of the ASYE necessitates that newly qualified social workers meet performance expectations within practice (assessed using the PCF at ASYE level and the Knowledge and Skills Statement 2018), as well as completing ASYE written work to the required standard, and attending training and fulfilling all of the additional ASYE requirements, which are:

  • Being observed in a range of practice situations
  • Producing critical reflection logs and the corresponding ‘professional development plans’ in which learning and developmental objectives are set on a continuous basis
  • Obtaining feedback from children/parents and professionals
  • Obtaining feedback in relation to practice related written work (eg assessments)

We have arrangements in place for internal and regional moderation of ASYE portfolios of evidence, to ensure that we continue to promote an excellent standard of practice for our newly qualified workers.

We seek to work collaboratively with our newly qualified workers to foster a positive learning culture where we learn from their feedback about their first year in practice and continue to strengthen and improve our offer.

For more information please contact stella.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk