Assessed and Supported Year in Employment

Sandra Williams, one of our ASYE Co-ordinators talks about Wirral's highly acclaimed ASYE programme. 

The Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) is a marker of good practice in social work. It will support you to get the most out of your first year in employment. Wirral Council uses the Skills for Care portfolio template. This helps you to record your professional development over the year. 

Wirral is part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Social Work Teaching Partnership (CMSWTP). The partnership supports social care employers to deliver their ASYE offer to you. You will be able to use the Partnership’s learning tools to support your development. 

The ASYE in Wirral links to our Career Progression Framework. In the year after your ASYE, you will be guided in how to progress your career with Wirral. 

Introduction

  • Wirral uses the Skills for Care ASYE programme as the base of our offer 
  • The ASYE programme is linked to our internal Career Progression Framework 
  • Our ASYE Coordinator’s are registered social workers 

The programme

  • Our ASYE programme is timetabled and reviewed at intervals of 3 months 
  • We have a holistic approach to developing you as effective social work practitioners 

Our training offer 

  • An internal training programme including courses designed for NQSWs  

External training opportunities

  • Protected development time equating to 10% across the ASYE 
  • Access to a resource library 
  • Access to Research in Practice 

Supervision and support

  • Reflective and case management supervision 
  • Weekly supervision for is available for the first 6 weeks, fortnightly up to 6 months and there after monthly by agreement  
  • Monthly themed ASYE support sessions 
  • Allocation of a buddy who is a social worker who has recently completed their ASYE 
  • Mentoring and Coaching opportunities 

Caseloads

  • A protected caseload for the duration of your ASYE 
  • Opportunities to shadow colleagues and co-work cases 

Assessors

  • All our assessors are experienced child and family social work practitioners. Assessors have completed the ASYE Assessor Training programme or are qualified Practice Educators.

What our social workers say about our ASYE programme

In the following videos newly qualified social workers in Wirral talk about their experience of completing their ASYE. We also hear from a student who is taking part in our Grow Your Own project.