Experiences of post-qualifying study in social work

Opportunities for post-qualifying study have been growing steadily in social work. From a situation two decades ago when continuing professional development was more of an ad hoc and personal affair, there is now a well-established framework, with an expectation that study continues beyond the point of qualification. This research was commissioned by the Practice Learning Taskforce (Skills for Care) to gain a better understanding of the experiences of post-qualifying study in social work. In particular, our focus is the work-based experiences of these candidates, across the range of post-qualifying programmes. What helps and what hinders success, and why do staff undertake this kind of study?