Children's Social Work Apprenticeship
Devon County Council
Barnstaple, Exeter, Totnes
Closes in 21 days (Wednesday 29 April 2026)
Posted on 8 April 2026
Contents
Summary
We are looking for three enthusiastic individuals to join us as Social Work Apprentices, one within each of our Children Services Localities. This is a fantastic opportunity to achieve a degree in Social Work whilst gaining ‘on the job’ experience to develop skills and knowledge necessary to become a Social Worker.
- Wage
-
£26,824 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
£26,824 - £28,598 per annum pro rata, 25 days annual leave per year (rising with length of service) plus Bank Holidays, Local Government Pension Scheme, Access to our confidential Employee Assistance Programme.
- Training course
- Social worker (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
Full-time, 37 hours per week / part time, 30 hours per week.
Flexible working opportunities available, including home working. However. this will be subject to the needs of the role. Typically you would be working Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm,
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 1 October 2026
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
3
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
If appointed, you will be working as a Social Work Apprentice within Children's services under the supervision of an appropriately graded Social Worker whilst completing a 3 and half year Social Work apprenticeship.
Job Description:
- Manage and monitor a workload of cases as directed
- Organise work activities taking into account the need to prioritise tasks and responsibilities; while ensuring statutory responsibilities are undertaken. This will involve contributing to the assessment of children or adults at risk
- Social Work Apprentice to be allocated work as required to role by Team Manager
- Social Work Apprentice must have protected time and be released to undertake practice learning, study time and any other programme requirements
- Social Work Apprentices employed by Devon County Council will be required to demonstrate the standards of proficiency, conduct and CPD as required by Social Work England
- To provide targeted support to people with complex needs: apply skilled interventions either as a response to crisis or as part of longer-term work
- To support a high quality and effective social work service to respond to the needs of adults/children and their families in a timely manner and within statutory guidelines, directorate policies, standards and guidelines
- To support the assessment of need, plan and deliver focused intervention and support to promote positive outcomes and protect adults at risk
- Work with users of social work services and their families with complex needs/situations where statutory intervention is required, under the guidance of a social worker
- Use evidence-based knowledge and tools in work with people.
- Build honest and productive relationships with colleagues, adults / children and their families
- All work performed and duties undertaken must be carried out in accordance with relevant County Council and Departmental policies and procedures, within legislation, and with
regard to the needs of our customers and the diverse community we serve
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- Taw View, North Walk, Barnstaple, EX31 1EE
- Devon County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD
- Follaton House, Plymouth Road, Totnes, TQ9 5NE
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE OPEN 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
The Apprenticeship course is run by the Open University, please see link on the Devon Jobs advert which gives you an overview of the programme to enable you to make an informed decision on whether this is the right programme for you
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Working with Autonomy
- Working with Children/Families
- Time Management
- Assertiveness
- Resilience
- Responsible
- Committed
- Empathetic
Other requirements
This is a fantastic opportunity to achieve a degree in Social Work whilst gaining ‘on the job’ experience to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become a qualified Social Worker, along with giving you an opportunity to access a range of learning opportunities. To find the full job description, click apply now at the bottom of this page.
About this employer
At Devon County Council, we work together to improve life across Devon for everyone. We want to create a place that people enjoy living in, as well as a place that you enjoy working.
http://www.workingfordevon.com/ (opens in new tab)
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
- After successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will gain a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Work (England), which will enable you to apply for registration as a Social Worker with the regulatory body, Social Work England
- Thereafter you will be supported to apply for progression to a Newly Qualified Social Worker role
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
childsc.recruitmentchildrenssocialwork-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000025329.
Apply now
Closes in 21 days (Wednesday 29 April 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.