ASYE Newly Qualified Social Worker

Are you a Newly Qualified Social Worker or do you qualify in the upcoming months? Are you looking to find the best opportunities to develop and progress with high levels of support in the first steps of your career? Birmingham Children’s Trust has all that and more.

Please note: We are unable to provide visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship now or in the future will not be considered, and any applications submitted on this basis will be automatically rejected.

In the spring of 2024, Birmingham Children’s Trust received nearly 200 applications from student social workers who wanted to join our ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment). As the largest Local Authority in Europe, we have an excellent and varied ASYE programme run by our highly recognised Trust Practice Academy.

Our next ASYE cohort starts October 2026 - Do you want to join us?

We understand that your first year as a social worker is important for your career and that the transition in moving from student to social worker can be challenging. At Birmingham Children’s Trust you will be supported every step of the way through your ASYE journey. You will be a fully integrated team member from the outset and work alongside and learn from experienced and knowledgeable managers and social workers in our exceptionally dedicated workforce. There will also be wrap around support from a dedicated Senior Practitioner from our Academy to work with you on your own individual development journey.

You will receive:

• Monthly training and development opportunities
• Monthly Study time
• Regular supervision from your team manager and your dedicated Academy Senior Practitioner
• Wrap around support and protection as you develop your skills

Here at the Trust, we already have an established learning journey following your first year as an ASYE to become an Accredited Child and Family Practitioner to support your career progression in the second year.

Development, opportunities and support continue throughout your career in the Trust enabling you to become the best Social Worker you can be. We will offer you a mapped out clear career progression pathway supporting your development into a senior social worker role and beyond.

Our Ofsted feedback in 2021 reported that the offer to social workers in their first year of practice and social work apprenticeships is building an increasingly stable workforce who like working for the trust. In November 2022 Skills for Care fed back that they were “extremely impressed” with the offer to Newly Qualified Social workers joining the Trust with high retention rates and good support available.

Why not hear it from our newly Qualified social workers on our ASYE programme themselves:

"I cannot recommend BCT's ASYE programme more highly. The training and support that is offered was extraordinary and even at times of great hardship (within allocated cases) I never felt alone. A combination of my SPED, manager, team and cohort made every experience workable and even enjoyable. Supervisions were a great help and enjoyment and were always accessible at short notice whether that be with my SPED or manager. Overall, I am very grateful to have done my ASYE in BCT and would not change a thing." - Alex

"Completing the ASYE programme was a positive experience that significantly shaped my development as a newly qualified social worker. I am thankful for the support that I received throughout the programme and the confidence that the programme helped me to develop over the 12 months . I began the programme with a lack of statutory experience, and It found that the ASYE was crucial in supporting my learning and development, particularly around my understanding of the statutory processes and key skills such as critical thinking, ethical decision making and emotional resilience. The programme provided me with a great balance of support, challenge and opportunity, allowing me to apply my learning to real life practice.

The support from my ASYE cohort contributed to my positive experience, we were very supportive of one another and it was great to see familiar faces in the offices, particularly in those first few months when we were all settling in to our own teams. I would highly recommend the ASYE programme to any newly qualified social worker, not only are there great opportunities to access CPD learning throughout the year, I also found the programme was an important bridge between university, having my own caseload and professional responsibility. Best of luck on your ASYE journey!" - Owen

Existing ASYE's:

"My ASYE journey so far has been amazing, Support through the program helps to transition you from student into daily working life of a qualified social worker but with support from a manager, the social work team and the practice academy. This is complimented further by in-depth supervision with a manager and a Sped from the academy who provide ongoing support throughout the program. The training compliments the university learning helping to embed relationship-based practice, theories such as attachment and trauma informed helping you to apply this into everyday work. If you are looking to be the best social worker you can be by enhancing your learning into practice, Birmingham's AYSE is the place for you." - Julie.

"I am now over halfway through my ASYE year with BCT, and the Learning Academy have been incredible. They provide excellent, relevant training and have created a space where I feel safe to reflect, ask questions, and admit when I’m unsure. I feel well supported with a manageable workload and a wide range of learning opportunities.

As a new social worker, decision‑making can sometimes feel overwhelming, but they have consistently helped me make sense of my experiences and grow confidence. I genuinely couldn’t have asked for better support, and I truly appreciate how held, encouraged, and guided I’ve felt throughout this process." - Louise.

As a Newly Qualified Social worker you can work in a range of services such as our Assessment and Short Term Intervention (ASTI), Safeguarding, Children in Care teams, Children with Disabilities, Youth Justice Service or even Fostering or Adoption. There are a wide range of teams and services available, and we explore areas of interest within the application process.

**Not all teams are able to offer the retention payment, and this is subject to service area**

If you are successful and offered a role (subject to passing your social work degree and obtaining SWE registration), you will join our next ASYE programme, commencing October 2026. There are also opportunities to begin your time in the Trust before October in alternative support roles whilst you await your registration.

Interviews will take place between 7th April to 24th April 2026 and will be held face to face.

A requirement of this role is for you to have an enhanced DBS check, therefore if you have signed up to the DBS update service or are thinking about joining this service then please let us know on your application.

If you have any informal enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact: joinus@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk. Or visit the Practice Academy webpage to find out more at: https://www.birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk/practiceacademy

We will be running two webinars, providing an overview of the application and interview process, as well as all things ASYE, as well as what it’s like working in the Trust. We welcome you to come talk with us and look at the opportunities available to you.

Monday 9th March 2026 – 12pm - 1:30pm:

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3707127418775?p=RunL1Sn6XCWJXLoi7Z

Meeting ID: 370 712 741 877 5

Passcode: ZN9Sx3pm

Thursday 12th March – 5pm - 6pm:

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/37425885465779?p=kGThiLUPRxfoc91FMB

Meeting ID: 374 258 854 657 79

Passcode: mk7UE3nw

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees -a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

We actively deliver services that are culturally responsive to the needs of the children, parents and carers we work with to deliver equality, diversity and inclusivity in all we do.

Benefits

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the job early should we reach the required number of applications, therefore please ensure you submit your application and supporting statement early to avoid any disappointment.