4 December 2024

As part of an NHS England project Colleen Simon, Head of Social Work, Social Care, Mental Capacity Act, Adult Safeguarding (and previous colleague Elizabeth Folarin, Deputy Head of Social Work and Social Care) have been working to develop some national good practice guidance on the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) process.

The ASYE framework was established to ensure that newly qualified social workers receive consistent support in their first year of practice so that they can become confident and capable professionals. It's designed to provide support and protection for newly-qualified social workers as they transition from their academic training to becoming more experienced professionals. It offers a structured framework to facilitate their professional development and enhance their skills and capabilities.

The NHS is undergoing significant transformation in its workforce with the introduction of the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan. Newly-qualified social workers are a vital part of the skill mix in mental health services and their effective recruitment and retention form a key part of meeting changing workforce demands. 

Claire Murdoch Chief Executive says "It gives me great pleasure to introduce this, which is dedicated to enabling the right support for our newly-qualified social workers (NQSWs). The transition from learning to the demands of frontline practice is both exciting and challenging. It is crucial that we, as leaders, ensure that this journey is underpinned by strong support systems, professional development opportunities and an unwavering commitment to anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice."

We have produced a short film about ASYE at the Trust.