This thread is also missing some things...
Can you provide a source for claim 26% of social work graduates are not in social work jobs to start with? Are you including in this 26% those in residential child care, voluntary sector roles, community work roles, adult sector roles?
Can you provide a source for claim 26% of social work graduates are not in social work jobs to start with? Are you including in this 26% those in residential child care, voluntary sector roles, community work roles, adult sector roles?
If so a problem is the narrow definition of what social work is. I'm proud graduates from trad courses go into the above roles - an entirely appopriate use of skills gained on a SW degree. SW includes statutory SW roles, it is not restricted to them, most of us always said so.
Secondly you are correct we still need to see retention rates for other course routes. But you avoid point that one of FL's founding premises was to help address retention crisis in C&F social work. It clearly is not doing so.
You also avoid point that training a SW by FL route is up to x3 as expensive as trad. routes. FL may only train 10% of SWs but takes up much bigger proportion of resources given by Gov for training SWs. A FL trained SW leaving SW is more of an issue in terms of public resources.
I also note the shifting sands. FL's response to interim support yesterday effectively says 'of course our retention rates would be low as we attract people who have other career options and don't intend social work as a career for life' 
This very clearly contradicts what Sir Martin Narey said about Frontline in his Gov commissioned report on social work education in 2014:
"it is vital that [FL] participants do not view it simply as a platform for better remunerated careers".
"it is vital that [FL] participants do not view it simply as a platform for better remunerated careers".
As for your claim that FL never said it was the silver bullet for solving retention problems in SW. This is disingenuous, at best. You and others certainly implied it was one of the silver bullets. Here's a small selection of quotes from you and FL.
Have you 'transformed perceptions' of social work?
Have you acted as a 'catalyst for long-term change in the profession'?
Have you 'transformed' the 'lives of vulnerable children' ?
Have you acted as a 'catalyst for long-term change in the profession'?
Have you 'transformed' the 'lives of vulnerable children' ?
While I have your attention, Josh, the legal challenge to SI445, which has removed procedural safeguards for a number of 'vulnerable' children is in court soon. The Children's Commissioner for England is opposed and I note you are on the Children's Commissioner's Advisory Board
Given your interests, position and platform will you please give the campaign a big boost by adding your voice to the calls for the Government to #ScrapSI445 ?
