Social Work

About Social Workers

LPFT currently employ over 140 social workers within our Adult Community Mental Health Teams, Inpatient and Specialist services. Social Workers play a critical role in the delivery of high-quality preventative, early help and complex support services.

Social Workers are crucial in multi-disciplinary teams in applying their skills, knowledge and expertise in delivering a quality service. Social workers contribute to supporting people to live well in their communities.

The social work profession understand families and their communities. It works in a person-centred way to enable and encourage service user and carer involvement with our services. Social work is a valued contributor in delivering the LPFT vision and values.

Social work training opportunities

The Social Work team support the social work professional development. The team ensures quality assurance measures are in place for this growing profession within the Trust.

We offer:

placements to students
pathways to train through the Think Ahead and Social Work Apprentice programmes
support to newly-qualified social workers (NQSWs) with an established Assessed & Supported Year of Employment (ASYE) programme.

We also support Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements and Post Qualifying Training opportunities. We support many social workers to train as Practice Educators.

The team lead on the ASYE programme supports newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) to develop their skills, knowledge, capability and strengthen their professional confidence.

We also support those who would like to return to the profession.

Think Ahead

We have partnered with the mental health charity Think Ahead and will have mental health social worker training places with them from summer 2024. Applications are not currently open.

Think Ahead’s paid, two-year programme combines on-the-job learning, a master’s degree, and leadership training for people looking to make a real difference to people with mental health problems.

Times are tough for us all right now, especially for those of us living with mental health problems. You could choose a career that changes lives. With the right support, from the right person, anyone with a mental health problem can thrive. You could be that person - giving that support.

Support for the things that matter most to us all: housing, family, employment, relationships, and community. As a mental health social worker you would support people living with severe and long lasting mental illnesses, such as severe depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, empowering them to reach their full potential and navigate these all important life issues.

About the Think Ahead programme

The Think Ahead graduate programme in mental health social work:

provides services with talented new staff
gives the recruits and existing staff advanced training in social interventions
supports organisations to integrate these approaches across their services

Think Ahead’s paid, two-year programme combines:

on the job learning
a master’s degree
leadership training

Year one: Participants qualify with a postgraduate diploma in social work.

Year two: Participants are employed for at least one year as qualified social workers and gain a master’s degree in social work.

Benefits of the programme

Get paid to train on the job, working alongside clinical professionals in NHS Mental Health Trusts and Local Authorities.
Gain two qualifications: qualify as a social worker and earn a master’s degree from Middlesex University.
Join one of the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.

Entry criteria

Applicants need a 2:2 undergraduate degree or above in any subject except social work, and at least a grade C GCSE in Maths and English or English Language (not English Literature), or an equivalent level 2 qualification.
Applicants do not need prior experience in mental health or social work.