Practice educators
The Practice Educator Fund will support the qualification of 100 new social work practice educators across Scotland and is available to those working in the statutory, independent and third sectors.
The fund offers up to £1,500 per candidate on programmes delivered by universities. Those working in the non-statutory sector, independent social workers, those returning to practice and applicants from remote and rural areas will be given priority.
Funding is not available to organisations that have access to locally provided Professional Development Award in Practice Learning routes.
Mental health officers
Up to £235,000 will be available through the Mental Health Officer (MHO) Qualification Fund, which will be available to local areas with identified shortfalls in MHO provision.
We’re working with MHO programme delivery partners, the University of Strathclyde, Robert Gordon University, the University of Edinburgh in conjunction with local employers, to develop funding priorities and application details.
Local authority social workers
The Distance Learning Transition Fund is to increase the number of employees nationally who can access distance learning programmes and qualify as social workers in Scotland. Many local authorities have existing partnerships with one or both universities which offer distance learning social work degree programmes and have existing sponsorship commitments.
This new fund offers to cover the fees of two additional employees in each local authority, or two new employees for organisations with no current arrangement in place, to qualify as a social worker using the existing distance learning programmes offered by the Open University and Robert Gordon University.
The funding is a maximum of £9,440 per student for either undergraduate or postgraduate degree programmes to support additional places based on each local authority’s usual annual academic intake into the distance learning programme of their choice. Selection will take place via normal university selection processes and the SSSC will distribute funding directly to each local authority.
To access the funding each local authority must:
- recruit an additional two candidates to the number they ordinarily recruit into their internal sponsored social work route.
Candidates must be offered a place on one of the social work qualifying distance learning programmes offered by the Open University or Robert Gordon University at either undergraduate or postgraduate level.
Funding is contingent on successful candidates completing the funded two academic years of the degree programme. Authorities are required to commit to any additional funding needed to support completion of the degree programme for students resitting modules or completing undergraduate programmes of longer duration.
If candidates withdraw, are withdrawn from or fail to start their studies during the funded years, the local authority must fully reimburse the funding paid.
Applications and requirements
We’ve published details of requirements and how to apply for the Practice Learning Support Grant and Distance Learning Transition Fund on our social work page.
Applications for the MHO Qualification Fund must come from local authorities. There's more information on our social work page.