Social Work - Early Career Framework Programme

The purpose of this PIN is to initiate market engagement and is not being used as a call for competition.

The Social Work Early Career Framework (ECF) will significantly extend the training and support social workers receive in the early stages of their career, helping to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need and retain them in the profession. The initial induction period for all social workers will be extended from one year currently in the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) to two years in the ECF. We are exploring making the ECF an entitlement for all new child and family social workers from September 2026. We will continue to invest in developing expertise of the social work profession with an offer of training and development up to five years, underpinned by a new framework document, setting out the knowledge and skills social workers need, which will build on the Post-Qualifying Standards.

We are keen to talk to interested suppliers about development of the training programme and overall programme design.

The Department will be holding an initial event on 14th March 2024 at 3pm-4pm. This event is open to all potential suppliers, whether or not they have engaged with the Department previously. In this event, the Department will provide an overview of the Programme and provide information on the first wave of future market engagement events which will be run shortly after the event.

How to engage

To register your interest to participate in our supplier engagement activity, you will need to be registered as a supplier on DfE Jaggaer eTendering portal, available at https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

Once registered, the information will be accessible via the 'View Opportunities' link on the Homepage. Select the Opportunity Notice for Social Work Early Career Programme Early Market Engagement

This will be an online event hosted on Microsoft Teams. To book a place, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/social-work-early-career-framework-programme-tickets-853001860527. The deadline to book a space is 11pm on 12th March 2024.

Whilst we hope suppliers will participate in this early engagement, not doing so will not preclude suppliers from this or any future opportunities. Event slides, including details of the next market engagement events will be shared here after the event.