Social Work Trainee Apprentice
Gloucestershire County Council
Gloucestershire (GL1 2TG)
Closes in 27 days (Sunday 6 September 2026)
Posted on 6 August 2026
Contents
Summary
Develop the skills and knowledge needed for a career in social work while supporting adults, children and families across Gloucestershire. You'll work alongside experienced professionals, contribute to assessments and support plans, promote wellbeing, and help connect people to services and community resources.
- Wage
-
£33,143 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
between £33,143 - £36,363 per annum FTE subject to experience
- Training course
- Social worker (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
The nature of this post requires flexibility to meet urgent work needs as they arise. This will inevitably entail work outside of normal working hours and locations across the county, including in our locality and specialist teams.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 1 January 2027
- Duration
-
3 years
- Positions available
-
1
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
Work in partnership with other services and agencies in Gloucestershire, use evidence-based knowledge and tools in work with people, and undertake standard social care interventions including assessments, to determine support plans, to that ensure individuals receive the right support at the right time.
To support a high quality and effective social work service in a timely manner and within statutory guidelines, either Adults Social Care or Children’s Social Care directorate specific policies, standards, and guidelines.
Listen and connect to the people of Gloucestershire, to support them to connect to community resources and promoting digital inclusion.
Prioritise supporting people or families in crisis to regain control of their lives, working together to achieve effective plans to reduce risk and ensure people are more stable.
Work in line with underpinning and either Adults Social Care or Children’s Social Care directorate appropriate legislation, such as The Care Act for Adults Social Care, or the Children Act 1989 for Children’s Social Care, and policies to ensure services are delivered effectively.
Identify when a safeguarding concern may need to be raised, ensuring the timely escalation of concerns and work alongside qualified social workers to undertake appropriate enquiries.
To develop and maintain an in-depth knowledge of local resources, working collaboratively with teams and services, both within and outside of Gloucestershire County Council.
Be an active participant of your team, maintaining your own continuing professional development, to ensure you can deliver the best quality practice to the people of Gloucestershire.
To attend and utilise supervision and appraisal to identify opportunities for development, new ways of working and reflection on practice, taking ownership of, and responsibility for, delivering against team and individual performance targets.
To contribute to the development of the service by communicating new ideas, through means such as briefings, completion of council surveys, and team meetings.
Where you'll work
Shire Hall
Westgate Street
Gloucester
Gloucestershire
GL1 2TG
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
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Mathematics (grade 4)
A Level 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
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Team working
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
This position is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check, and you will be asked to apply for a Disclosure Certificate if you are offered the position.
As a condition of the apprenticeship, candidates will need to work towards the completion of the level 6 Social Worker apprenticeship Standard. This will be delivered in partnership with an approved Higher Education Institute.
You will spend at least 20% of your working week undertaking new learning and development opportunities that will support you in working towards the successful completion of the apprenticeship. This will be planned in advance and may require travel out of county.
The nature of this post requires flexibility to meet urgent work needs as they arise. This will inevitably entail work outside of normal working hours and locations across the county, including in our locality and specialist teams.
The post holder must hold a clear and valid driving licence (exceptions under the Equality Act may apply) or have the ability to travel around the County.
About this employer
Gloucestershire County Council is a county council which administers the most strategic local government services in the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire, in the South West of England.
Company benefits
Enjoy flexible and agile working, generous annual leave with the option to buy more, family-friendly policies, a supportive working environment, access to well-being services, employee discounts, staff networks, professional development opportunities, and great benefits including the Local Government Pension Scheme, Cycle to Work, and Green Car Salary Sacrifice schemes.
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
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Typical career progression:
- Social Work Trainee (Apprentice)
- ASYE Children's Social Worker
- Children's Social Worker
- Senior/Advanced Practitioner
- Team Manager and beyond
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Gloucestershire County Council
Eve-Louise Walker
Eve-Louise.Walker@gloucestershire.gov.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000046732.
Apply now
Closes in 27 days (Sunday 6 September 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.