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L6Apprenticeship3811 approved provider
The Level 6 Social worker (integrated degree), and the 1 provider delivering it.
Protecting vulnerable children and adults from harm or abuse, and supporting adults to live independently.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices develop the knowledge and skills needed to practise as a qualified social worker, meeting the requirements set by Social Work England for registration. The programme covers safeguarding children and adults, risk assessment, case management, and supporting people to live independently. Apprentices study social work theory, law, ethics, and professional standards alongside their employer placement. On completion, they hold an integrated degree in social work and are eligible to register as a qualified social worker.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Working within a local authority, NHS trust, or voluntary sector organisation, apprentices carry active caseloads under supervision. Week to week this involves visiting service users at home or in care settings, writing case notes and statutory assessments, attending multi-agency meetings, liaising with schools, police, and health professionals, and contributing to child protection or adult safeguarding processes. Academic study runs alongside practice, so apprentices balance university assignments with direct work in their team.
Career outlook
Graduates register with Social Work England and typically move into qualified roles such as social worker, child protection officer, or community care assessor. From there, progression routes include senior practitioner, advanced practitioner, or team manager. Common employers are local authority children's services and adult social care departments, NHS integrated care boards, and third-sector organisations. Experienced social workers can move into practice education, independent social work, or specialist areas such as looked-after children, mental health, or court work.
1 approved provider
Sorted by achievement rate.
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
Employer: 3.0
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is an innovative UK university offering a wide portfolio of learning ...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship confers a recognised social work degree, so graduates are eligible to register with Social Work England and practise as a qualified Social Worker. Entry-level roles include Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) positions in children's services, adult social care, mental health social work, and hospital discharge teams. Some completers move into specific statutory settings such as youth offending teams, safeguarding teams, or community care assessment teams from the outset.
Progression paths
Most newly qualified social workers spend their first year in an assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE), which builds the foundation for progression to Senior Social Worker or Senior Practitioner within three to five years. Beyond that, two broad tracks open up: a management route leading to Team Manager, Service Manager, and eventually Head of Service or Director of Children's or Adult Social Care; and a specialist practice route leading to Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP), Best Interests Assessor, or Child Protection Conference Chair. Both tracks typically require continuing professional development and post-qualifying study.
Where these roles sit
Local authorities are the primary employer, covering both children's services and adult social care departments across England. The NHS employs social workers in mental health trusts, acute hospitals, and integrated care teams. Roles also exist in the voluntary and charity sector, working for organisations that deliver contracted statutory services or specialist support. Independent fostering agencies and residential care providers hire qualified social workers for oversight, assessment, and safeguarding functions.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place alongside employment, with the apprentice working in a real social work setting throughout. Assessment is ongoing, building towards a gateway point at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice is ready for final assessment. Because this is an integrated degree apprenticeship, academic study at degree level runs in parallel with workplace practice, and the apprentice must demonstrate competence across the knowledge, skills and behaviours required of a qualified social worker before completing. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated; check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Workplace evidence should be gathered continuously throughout the apprenticeship, not left until the final stages. This means keeping records of practice, reflective accounts, and any documentation that shows how knowledge has been applied in real situations with children, adults, or families. Close, regular contact with both the employer and the training provider is essential for tracking progress against the required competencies. Because the gateway depends on employer and provider sign-off, learners benefit from reviewing their readiness well before any final assessment window.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, and check both employer and apprentice satisfaction scores. For this standard specifically, the quality of practice placement arrangements matters more than almost anything else. Social work training without genuine, supervised statutory placements across at least two different settings (typically one adult and one children's services context) will leave apprentices underprepared for the Social Work England professional registration requirements. Ask whether the provider has established relationships with local authorities and NHS trusts, and whether practice educators hold current Social Work England registration.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers where cohort sizes are large but achievement rates are average or declining, which can indicate stretched placement coordination. Vague answers about how practice placements are sourced and allocated is a serious concern here, given that placements are a regulated requirement for qualification. If a provider cannot clearly explain how they handle placement breakdowns or demonstrate that their academic curriculum aligns with the Professional Capabilities Framework at the right level, look elsewhere. Providers with low apprentice satisfaction scores on FATP are worth scrutinising closely given the pastoral demands of this training.
Questions to ask before you commit
- How many distinct practice placement settings do you work with, and are they across both adults and children's services?
- What happens if a placement breaks down mid-programme, and how quickly can a replacement be arranged?
- Are your practice educators currently registered with Social Work England and trained to assess against the Professional Capabilities Framework?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past two years?
- How do you support apprentices who are managing emotionally demanding caseloads alongside academic study?
- Can you connect us with employers whose apprentices have completed this programme and gone on to qualified posts?
- How is the off-the-job training structured, and does it genuinely complement what apprentices are doing in their employed role?
Common questions
What qualifications or experience does someone need to start a social work degree apprenticeship?
Applicants typically need existing academic qualifications sufficient for entry onto a degree programme, usually A levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications. Employers and training providers set their own entry criteria, so requirements can vary. Some providers accept relevant work or voluntary experience in care or support roles alongside formal qualifications. Apprentices must also meet the Health and Care Professions Council's character and health requirements, as social workers are a regulated profession.
How does the time commitment work for an employer taking on a social work apprentice?
The apprentice remains employed throughout, combining on-the-job learning with study towards the integrated degree. Some learning takes place away from the day-to-day role. The current minimum duration and off-the-job learning requirements are subject to revision under ongoing Skills England reforms, so check the latest specification on gov.uk before planning your cohort.
How is a social work apprentice assessed at the end of the programme?
Before reaching the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass a gateway review, confirming they have met the required knowledge, skills and behaviour standards and completed the degree. Assessment models for many standards are being updated, so it is worth checking the current end-point assessment arrangements on gov.uk. The apprentice must demonstrate they are competent to practise safely as a newly qualified social worker and meet HCPC registration requirements.
How does an employer pay for a social work apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £24,000. Larger employers with an apprenticeship levy account use those funds directly. Smaller employers co-invest with the government, typically contributing a small percentage of training costs. Employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward the training costs. Funding covers training and assessment only; the employer continues to pay the apprentice's wage throughout.
What does a social work apprentice actually do from day to day?
Day-to-day work depends on the placement setting, which typically rotates across children's services, adult social care, and other statutory or voluntary sector teams. Apprentices carry out assessments of need, support safeguarding investigations, produce case records, attend multi-agency meetings and work directly with individuals and families. They apply statutory frameworks such as the Children Act and Care Act under supervision, gradually taking on greater responsibility as competence develops across the programme.
What can a social worker do after completing this apprenticeship?
On completion the apprentice holds a degree and can register with the Health and Care Professions Council as a qualified social worker. From there, progression routes include specialist practice in areas such as safeguarding, mental health, or disability, along with practice education roles supporting future apprentices. With experience, practitioners can move into team management, advanced practitioner grades, or further postgraduate study such as a Practice Educator award or an assessed and supported year in employment programme.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 381.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.