Fast Track Social Workers Praised for Commitment and Endeavour (23/01/08)

The Highland Council Social Work Service has again benefited from a national scheme to fast track trainees into a career in social work. Six postgraduate Trainee Social Workers have been supported to complete their social work training in only two years.  All have achieved a BA (Honours) in Social Work from the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen via distance learning and are now working with the Council in Social Worker posts.
 
Four of the graduates attended The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee last week to receive the praise of committee members. They were: Mary Houlker from the Community Care Team, Culloden, Inverness; Susan Devenport from the Children and Families Team, Alness;  Aimee Jack from the Children and Families Team, Culloden, Inverness; and Lori Krause from the Children and Families Team, Portree.  Andrew Graham from the Community Care Team, Thurso and Catriona MacLeod from the Children and Families Team, Wick were unable to attend.
 
Also present was Laura Gillies from the Social Work Service’s Training Team who does much to support Trainee Social Workers.  She told the Committee each of the trainee social workers had completed their training as part of the Government's Fast Track Trainee Scheme. This was the second and largest cohort of Fast Track trainees. Over 40 social work staff have so far participated in some form of social work training scheme.

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of the Housing and Social Work Committee, said: “The staff deserve the highest praise for working so hard to complete their honours degree in two years. It demonstrates terrific commitment and endeavour.”

Harriet Dempster, Director of Social Work, said: ”This is a tremendous achievement for these trainees, who have undertaken a demanding course whilst in full-time employment.  The Social Work Service benefits greatly from traineeships, which are key to recruiting and retaining high calibre staff in Highland.   Although the national Fast Track scheme has now finished running, our own COSLA-award winning in-house scheme continues to be successful.  We have also recently introduced a new scheme for staff working in our adult residential units.  Four members of staff have just commenced their Social Work training this month.”

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