Apprentice in Social Work

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Halifax (HX1 1TS)

Closes in 14 days (Monday 6 April 2026)

Posted on 20 March 2026


Summary

Social work in Calderdale is all about supportive, trusting relationships with colleagues, partners and those who access our services. As a career, social work is varied, interesting and rewarding. You will complete a fully funded Level 6 Degree whilst making a positive difference in people’s lives through a paid role in Calderdale.

Wage

£28,598 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Scale 5, £28,598 - £31,022 per annum. 

Training course
Social worker (integrated degree) (level 6)
Hours
We have flexible working opportunities including flexitime, remote and hybrid working – dependant on your job role and service need. 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, between 7am and 7pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 September 2026

Duration

3 years

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • Shadow a Qualified Social Worker in a relevant setting, supporting them with the preparation of case files, recording data and attending relevant meetings, while identifying own areas of professional interest.
  • Take part in duties that will prepare the post holder for a career in social care practice.
  • Contribute to the development of person centred, conversation-based assessment and support planning for adults who are eligible for social care support.
  • Provide support to children and adults with assessed needs as detailed in their individual plans to meet identified objectives, including access to specialist services.
  • Explore social oppression and advocacy, developing skills in anti-oppressive practice to ensure you get the best from those you work with.
  • Develop the ability to critically reflect, adapt and modify your future practice based on new insights, and apply knowledge, values, and skills.
  • Explore different frameworks for working in partnership with people who access support and services. These frameworks will enable you to assess, plan, implement and review effective support and interventions and evaluate their outcomes.
  • Reflect on what you bring personally to your work and how this may influence your practice, and consider wellbeing strategies to support you in your work.

Where you'll work

Princess Buildings
Halifax
HX1 1TS

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY

Training course

Social worker (integrated degree) (level 6)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Ensure professional ethical standards are developed, maintained and promoted.
  • Take responsibility for your decisions and recommendations.
  • Be aware of the impact of your own values on practice.
  • Exercise authority as a Social Worker within the appropriate legal and ethical frameworks.
  • Ensure the highest standard of person centred approach, so that people are treated with dignity and their rights, values and autonomy are respected.
  • Practise in a non-discriminatory manner.
  • Hear the views of people who use services, carers, their families and communities, recognise their expertise, and enable their views to have validity and influence.
  • Promote the best interests of people who use services, carers, their families and communities.
  • Work with people to enable them to make informed decisions and exercise their rights.
  • Work to promote individual growth, development and independence.
  • Undertake assessments of need and/or capacity.
  • Initiate resolution of issues and use initiative.
  • Gather, analyse, critically evaluate, and use research information and knowledge in your practice to develop an understanding of the individual’s situation.
  • Make and receive referrals appropriately.
  • Use social work methods, theories, and models to enable individuals to identify actions to achieve change and improve life opportunities.
  • Manage and weigh up competing/conflicting values or interests to make reasoned professional judgement.
  • Work within scope of practice as an autonomous professional.
  • Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct.
  • Manage the physical and emotional impact of your practice.
  • Identify and apply strategies to build professional and emotional resilience.
  • Use supervision to support and enhance the quality of your practice.
  • Maintain your own health and well-being.
  • Recognise the need to manage workloads and resources effectively.
  • Keep your skills, knowledge and ongoing professional development up to date.
  • Show an awareness of current and relevant legislation.
  • Use a range of research methodologies to inform your practice.
  • Work in partnership with others
  • Balance appropriate levels of autonomy within a complex system of accountability
  • Respond appropriately to unexpected situations, identify and challenge practices which present a risk to, or from, people you are working with, their carers or others in order to uphold professional requirements.
  • Respond appropriately to signs of harm, abuse and neglect.
  • Establish and maintain personal and professional boundaries.
  • Follow health and safety policies and procedures.
  • Communicate in English at the level required by Social Work England.
  • Communicate your role and purpose sensitively and clearly, using appropriate language and methods.
  • Communicate in a way which is engaging, respectful, motivating, and effective, even when dealing with conflict or resistance to change.
  • Exercise professional curiosity.
  • Have difficult conversations with empathy.
  • Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills.
  • Engage with individuals and their families/carers and sustain effective relationships in order to effect change
  • Engage effectively in inter-professional and inter-agency working to achieve positive outcomes.
  • Support networks, groups, and communities to meet needs and outcomes.
  • Maintain accurate and complete records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols, and guidelines.
  • Prepare formal reports in line with legislation, policies, and procedures.
  • Critically reflect on/review practice and record the outcomes of reflection appropriately.
  • Present reports in formal settings.
  • Use technology to manage your work.
  • Use technology to communicate appropriately.
  • Maintain individuals’ information security and protect data.
  • Advise people on how to use assistive technology.
  • Promote the use of technology to achieve better outcomes.
  • Ensure professional ethical standards are developed, maintained and promoted.
  • Take responsibility for your decisions and recommendations.
  • Be aware of the impact of your own values on practice.
  • Exercise authority as a Social Worker within the appropriate legal and ethical frameworks.
  • Ensure the highest standard of person centred approach, so that people are treated with dignity and their rights, values and autonomy are respected.
  • Practise in a non-discriminatory manner.
  • Hear the views of people who use services, carers, their families and communities, recognise their expertise, and enable their views to have validity and influence.
  • Promote the best interests of people who use services, carers, their families and communities.
  • Work with people to enable them to make informed decisions and exercise their rights.
  • Work to promote individual growth, development and independence.
  • Undertake assessments of need and/or capacity.
  • Initiate resolution of issues and use initiative.
  • Gather, analyse, critically evaluate, and use research information and knowledge in your practice to develop an understanding of the individual’s situation.
  • Make and receive referrals appropriately.
  • Use social work methods, theories, and models to enable individuals to identify actions to achieve change and improve life opportunities.
  • Manage and weigh up competing/conflicting values or interests to make reasoned professional judgement.
  • Work within scope of practice as an autonomous professional.
  • Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct.
  • Manage the physical and emotional impact of your practice.
  • Identify and apply strategies to build professional and emotional resilience.
  • Use supervision to support and enhance the quality of your practice.
  • Maintain your own health and well-being.
  • Recognise the need to manage workloads and resources effectively.
  • Keep your skills, knowledge and ongoing professional development up to date.
  • Show an awareness of current and relevant legislation.
  • Use a range of research methodologies to inform your practice.
  • Work in partnership with others
  • Balance appropriate levels of autonomy within a complex system of accountability
  • Respond appropriately to unexpected situations, identify and challenge practices which present a risk to, or from, people you are working with, their carers or others in order to uphold professional requirements.
  • Respond appropriately to signs of harm, abuse and neglect.
  • Establish and maintain personal and professional boundaries.
  • Follow health and safety policies and procedures.
  • Communicate in English at the level required by Social Work England.
  • Communicate your role and purpose sensitively and clearly, using appropriate language and methods.
  • Communicate in a way which is engaging, respectful, motivating, and effective, even when dealing with conflict or resistance to change.
  • Exercise professional curiosity.
  • Have difficult conversations with empathy.
  • Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills.
  • Engage with individuals and their families/carers and sustain effective relationships in order to effect change
  • Engage effectively in inter-professional and inter-agency working to achieve positive outcomes.
  • Support networks, groups, and communities to meet needs and outcomes.
  • Maintain accurate and complete records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols, and guidelines.
  • Prepare formal reports in line with legislation, policies, and procedures.
  • Critically reflect on/review practice and record the outcomes of reflection appropriately.
  • Present reports in formal settings.
  • Use technology to manage your work.
  • Use technology to communicate appropriately.
  • Maintain individuals’ information security and protect data.
  • Advise people on how to use assistive technology.
  • Promote the use of technology to achieve better outcomes.

Training schedule

Successful completion of this apprenticeship gives you an accredited Level 6 Degree in Social Work.

  • Workplace Learning
  • Provided with a 1:1 Tutor
  • provided with a mentor
  • Delivery (2 days pw release at university)
  • Self Learning
  • Additional professional development opportunities

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade C / 5 or above)

Other in:

Accredited qualifications (grade 120 UCAS Points or equivalent)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

You will need:

  • Experience (either paid or voluntary) working with children or adults that demonstrates your ability to assess and understand the needs of others.
  • Hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work purposes.
  • Be eligible to work in the UK for the duration of the apprenticeship programme.

About this employer

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. Calderdale is set in the beautiful South Pennines in West Yorkshire, a vibrant Metropolitan Borough, and an active part of Leeds City Region. With a career move to Calderdale Council, you will find a meaningful way to contribute. You will also make a real difference to others. With over 600 services, we offer a wide variety of roles. So, you can use your skills and experience to help others and make Calderdale a better place for everyone.

Company benefits

You will be provided with a generous annual leave entitlement and access to various employee benefits, including our Local Government Pension Scheme.

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

  • At the end of the apprenticeship programme, it is anticipated that you will be employment-ready and will be given the opportunity to apply for any available permanent employment opportunities within the council.
  • Although on completion of the apprenticeship, there is no guarantee of a permanent position, you will be encouraged and supported to apply for any of our vacant positions.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000022353.

Apply now

Closes in 14 days (Monday 6 April 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.