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Sustainable Community concept

What makes our adults social

work pathway different

At Cheshire East we believe that every Social Worker can make a difference. We believe that anybody looking at, or currently in, a career within social work deserves the best start and continuous ongoing support they can get, which is why we launched the Cheshire East Social Work Pathway. Our pathway provides in-depth training that is supportive of professional development at all stages, giving you all the experience, skills, and tools you need to succeed throughout no matter where you are in your career.

All our social work practitioners benefit from:

  • A tailored programme of support events and training
  • Continued professional development opportunities
  • Support and mentoring from dedicated lead practitioners
  • Access to Research in Practice - an invaluable tool for developing knowledge from webinars, research papers and online training which can then be used in day-to-day practice

If you are at the start of your social work career when you join our pathway you will be part of our Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme for the first 12 months where upon completion you will have developed the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to progress through our career pathway.

For those who join the Social Work Pathway with prior experience we can provide you with clear progression and development pathways and opportunities. We offer a variety of learning and professional development, where our commitment to collaborative and inclusive working ensures you have the assistance and support you need to perform your job to the best of your ability each day and to make a real difference to the people you work with.

What sets us apart is that our Social Workers say they feel supported by our managers and leaders, where they have a comprehensive training plan, feel listened to and enjoy working in Cheshire East. Don’t just take our word for it however, to find out more about how the Cheshire East social work pathway can work for you email rebecca.spurrell@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

The different stages in our pathway

Adult social care academy stages ​​

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1. Social Care Assessor/Support Worker

2.  ASYE Social Worker

3. Social Worker

4. Experienced Social Worker

5. Advanced Practitioner

6. Practice Manager

7. Locality Manager

1. Social Care Assessor/Support Worker

2. ASYE Social Worker

3. Social Worker

4. Best Interest Assessor

5. Approved Mental Health Practitioner

6. Practice Manager

7. Locality Manager 

1. Social Care Assessor/Support Worker

2. ASYE Social Worker

3. Social Worker

4. Practice Educator

5. Approved Mental Health Practitioner

6. Practice Manager

7. Locality Manager

Here at Cheshire East our Social Workers take control of their own professional development where progression is based on competence and not years in practice, allowing Social Workers who embrace professional development to gain the vital experience and skills required to progress through our pathway quickly.

Our progression framework outlines in more depth the experience, skills and evidence that our review panel will require to allow an individual to progress. By providing this level of transparency it ensures individuals are enabled in their development by having specific measures they can work towards.

More about our social work career pathway

To find out more about each stage in our pathway and how to progress, see the social work career pathway.

Back to 'Careers in Adult Social Work'

Page last reviewed: 29 May 2025