The Department for Education (DfE) introduced Social Work Teaching Partnerships to help improve the overall quality of practice, learning and continuing professional development amongst trainee and practicing social workers. The evaluation report outlining their impact was published in November 2020 found that they had formalised collaborative working and been a catalyst for cultural change in the way partners work together.
Led by social work employers and funded by the government, teaching partnerships support regional groups to work together to strengthen social work education and development.
Social Work Teaching Partnerships are defined as:
“An accredited collaboration between Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) and employers which delivers high quality training for social work students and qualified practitioners and equips them to practise to specified standards in statutory settings.”
Social Work Teaching Partnerships (SWTPs) aim to offer an ambitious and comprehensive programme of education, training, support and professional development for social workers and social work students in their respective regions. They support regions in creating and sustaining a learning culture and environment where reflective practice, evidence and research mindedness underpin the focus on practice.
Offers may differ by SWTP, but generally, you can expect to have access to:
High quality placements in a range of statutory settings as a student social worker
An enhanced level of support as a Practice Educator, working with student social workers
Social work practice that is consistently informed by theory & research
Regional progression pathways and comprehensive and varied Continuing Professional Development opportunities
“It is with pride and satisfaction that the evaluation of Teaching Partnerships concludes that their most important benefit has been the development of a culture of collaborative working between higher education institutions, local authorities and other partners in the way social work education is designed, planned and delivered” Isabelle Trowler, the Chief Social Worker for Children in Families
“It is with pride and satisfaction that the evaluation of Teaching Partnerships concludes that their most important benefit has been the development of a culture of collaborative working between higher education institutions, local authorities and other partners in the way social work education is designed, planned and delivered”
Isabelle Trowler, the Chief Social Worker for Children in Families
The majority of London's councils are part of a Teaching Partnership and actively participate in the partnership, with a higher partnership rate than the rest of England.
Achieving for Children (Royal Borough of Kingston and London Borough of Richmond Children’s Services)
London Borough of Croydon
Royal Borough of Kingston Adult Services
London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Sutton
Surrey Children’s Services
London Borough of Wandsworth Children’s Services
London Borough of Richmond and London Borough of Wandsworth Adult Services
Kingston University London
Royal Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Lewisham
Goldsmiths, University of London
London Borough of Bexley
London Borough of Lambeth
University of Greenwich, London
University of Kent
London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
City of Westminster
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
London Borough of Hounslow
London Borough of Brent
London Borough of Harrow
King's College London
Royal Holloway, University of London
London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Enfield
London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Haringey
London Borough of Islington
Middlesex University London
London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
London Borough of Waltham Forest
London Metropolitan University
University of East London
Brunel University London