As part of Cornwall Council’s successful “grow its own” approach to recruiting children’s social workers over the past five years, the authority is now looking to recruit five people through the Step Up to Social Work scheme.

In 2011 the council took decisive action to tackle the national shortage of children’s social workers by setting up its own trainee scheme - the Cornwall Foundation for Social Work. Over the last five years the scheme has brought 33 new social workers into the service. It currently has 18 trainee social workers and two sponsored students in post and is seen as one of the most innovative and successful schemes in the country.

The council is now looking to build on this success by taking part in the Government’s Step Up to Social Work scheme. The scheme is aimed at graduates with a 2:1 degree in any discipline except social work who have experience of working with children. It is a 14 month, fast-track scheme which will lead to a post graduate diploma in social work.

Cornwall’s Children’s Services is part of the South West Regional Partnership for the Department for Education’s fifth cohort of the Step Up scheme. The partnership is a consortium of 11 local authorities, who are working together to attract and train the next generation of social workers.

“Step Up is aimed at people with degrees who are working with or have experience of working with children and young people,” said Marion Russell, principal child and family social worker for Cornwall. “We want to attract local people into social work who have a passion for working with children and who have an investment and commitment to Cornwall.”.

Online applications are currently open and will close on Friday, May 5.