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Social work as a career

Longitudinal Study of Social Work Graduates in Wales

Since 2004 Social Work training in Wales has been delivered via undergraduate or post-graduate degree programmes instead of the diploma courses that preceded them. In order to understand whether the social work degree fares any better and also how students’ careers evolve the Care Council for Wales commissioned a longitudinal study of newly qualified social workers to be undertaken by researchers at Swansea University.

Starting in 2008, Swansea University researchers have been surveying social work graduates from each student cohort on an annual basis and intend to do so for a period of three years per cohort. So far, data has been obtained from 162 social workers who graduated in 2007 or 2008. 34 graduates responded in both years, enabling analysis of changes over time e.g. in morale and career progression.

Longitudinal Study Main Messages

Longitudinal Study of Social Work Graduates in Wales