Children's Workforce Development Council: International praise for social work course

Sofia Antunes Martins trained as a social worker in her native Portugal but applied to the Return to Social Work course when she moved to Essex.

The project offers training and support to qualified social workers who have left the profession and would like to return. The course is varied and includes job shadowing and up-to-date information of the current system.

Sofia, who now works at Essex County Council as a social worker, said: "I first trained as a social worker in Portugal and wanted to practice in the UK.

"I saw the advert for the Return to Social Work course. It said that it was aimed at qualified social workers who had left the profession and were thinking of returning. The fact that it offered support and training covering current social work theory and practice was perfect for me - it was just what I needed to know in order to practice here in the UK.

"The application process was easy and straightforward. I did my registration in February, and thankfully started the course in April. I was surprised it was so quick. The course finished in June, and I got a job as a social worker for Essex County Council at the end of July after my General Social Care Council registration came through."

Sofia had high praise for the staff running the course: "The trainers who delivered the course were brilliant. The method of delivery was also very efficient, they went through case studies and this helped us think about how our intervention impacts on children and families. They both had real-life work experience so they knew what they were talking about; it was not just theoretical as they had the field experience to back up what they were saying."

Since May 2009, CWDC has worked with 41 local authorities across England and 450 candidates have either completed a Return to Social Work course or are currently on a course.

Sofia added: "I also really enjoyed the job shadowing element of the course, it gave me a view as to what to expect.

"I shadowed another social worker, she had received a referral about domestic violence. I went with her to the mother's home, and she had a little baby who was four months old. After assessing the risk, we found the baby to be well cared for.

"I would definitely recommend the course to other people, especially to those who have been out of social work for some time, as it will be very different now. For overseas social workers, it is an absolute must because it enables us to understand the system, the law and the social challenges. It is essential to have an overall knowledge of this before you start work or apply for a job."

- For more information and to register your interest, visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/social-work/return