Pathways funding axe: What next for children's services leadership training?

What is Pathways?

It is a leadership development programme for children’s social work managers and supervisors led by Frontline, the charity set up by Care Review chair Josh MacAlister in 2013 and best known for its highly successful fast-track social worker training scheme. Pathways was established in 2022 with £10mn from the Department for Education. Although initially funded for two years, it was anticipated this would be extended for a further two years. The scheme replaced Frontline’s previous Firstline and Headline programmes as well as DfE-funded practice leader and practice supervisor development programmes.

Who is it aimed at?

Since 2022, Frontline says that around 1,800 practitioners have participated in the Pathways programme rising to more than 2,000 by July. There are four different modules of leadership training available through the scheme: practice supervisor, middle manager, head of service and practice leader. Training is delivered through a combination of face-to-face and online learning with Foundations – What Works for Children’s Social Care delivering modules on evidence and evaluation at management level. Frontline says demand for places has outstripped supply, with several of the modules having waiting lists.