The ‘Making’ of Social Workers: Findings from Interviews with Managers of Newly Qualified Social Workers

Abstract

Social work education, social work practice and social work skills have been long-standing policy interests in England but the views of line managers of newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) have not always informed debate. This paper reports on interviews with 23 line managers which asked about their experiences of managing NQSWs. Interviews were held across a diverse range of English local authorities in 2009–2010 and covered participants’ general expectations of NQSWs and how far these have been met, or not; support and induction arrangements for the newly qualified; and how the managers responded to variability among their newly qualified staff. The study participants present their management style as being combinations of modelling, workload and staff management, being open, and exercising their judgment over NQSWs. This suggests that they already possess many of the skills needed to assess NQSWs in their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment and that these should be built upon. We locate our findings within the wider literature highlighting the lack of attention paid to the experiences of social work line managers and the diversity that can be found within them.