Return to Social Work

The Return to Social Work programme offered free training to social workers who were restarting their careers in local government.

One of four programmes designed to help councils with recruitment to increase diversity across their workforce and to support professionals to return to work after a career break. 

The LGA and Government Equalities Office collaborated in 2020/21 to deliver Return to Social Work. It helped people with prior knowledge, experience, and skills in social work to return to work following a career break and gave councils a chance to fill vacancies.

The free programme supported councils with existing recruitment campaigns and provided an opportunity to diversify the workforce across local government.

The Return to Social Work programme offered free training to social workers looking to return to practice after a career break, which covered:

  • hands-on work placements
  • comprehensive coaching and mentoring
  • dedicated interview preparation
  • support to build the skills needed to get back to work.

Returning to practice after a period away can be tough. This programme helped social workers regain the confidence, experience and knowledge to get back to making a real difference to people’s lives.