Social work in your area

SWAN meeting dates and arrangements:

• Thursday 6 March 2025

All meetings are 13:30-16:00 via Teams.

If you'd like the invite, wish to join the SWAN or just find out more, please email Fran Simons at fran.simons@skillsforcare.org.uk 

Our social work co-ordinator for London and the South East Area is Selena Docherty. If you have any questions or would like further information about things happening in your area please email selena.docherty@skillsforcare.org.uk

The Pan London social work education network (SWEN) and ASYE best practice forum is now a combined forum called London and South East SWEN/ASYE forum. 

The date of the next London and South East SWEN/ASYE forum is to be confirmed.

Key resources:

• Pan London portfolio documents 2024-25
  These documents for the 2024-25 academic year have been developed by a group of universities in London and South East England.

• Summary of updates 2024-25
  This document explains what has been amended in this years student placement documents. 

Joint forums

The date of the next London and South East SWEN/ASYE forum is to be confirmed.

If you’d like to added to the invite list for the next forum, please email londonsocialwork@skillsforcare.org.uk and selena.docherty@skillsforcare.org.uk

London forums

Our London forums are is divided into five local areas which hold regular social work education meetings. The forums provide an opportunity for you to work collaboratively with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to support your strategic planning.

1. North West London social work partnership
2. North Central London ASYE, CPD and PE social work group
3. North East London social work partnership
4. South East London Social Work Reform Partnership

South East forums

Our South East forums are divided into four local areas which hold regular social work education meetings.

The forums provide an opportunity for you to work collaboratively with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to support your strategic planning.

1. Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth (SHIP) social work education group 
2. Sussex and Surrey social work education group
3. Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire social work education group.

Information about forthcoming meetings is included in our monthly social work briefing.

We have two social work education networks in the Midlands. For more information please email lauren.stacey@skillsforcare.org.uk who is our social work co-ordinator for this area.

East Midlands social work network

The next meeting is Tuesday 19 November, 14:00-15:00.

For joining links and invitations to meetings please email lucy.mcdonald@skillsforcare.org.uk 

Please send any agenda items to angie.bartoli@ntu.ac.uk, chair of the network.

West Midlands social work development group  

The next meeting is Thursday 14 November, 14:00-15:30.

For joining links and invitations to meetings please email lucy.mcdonald@skillsforcare.org.uk 

Please send any agenda items to Amanda Fitchett ac0159@coventry.ac.uk, chair of the network.

Key resources

• West Midlands social work development group terms of reference.

• East Midlands regional guidance for the reaccreditation of practice educators.

We have two social work education networks in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber. Both networks address topics such as, post qualifying training for social workers, social work qualifying education, the PCF, the ASYE, principal social worker developments, practice education and continuing professional development.

We also use the meetings to contribute to consultations and address the concerns of local stakeholders.

The networks are attended by a range of social work professionals across child and family and adults social work.

Our social work co-ordinator for this area is Ailsa Benn Ailsa.Benn@skillsforcare.org.uk

North East Social Work Network

The North East Social Work Network meets 13:00-15:00 on the dates listed below. The next meeting will be held online.

• Tuesday 12 November

Yorkshire and Humber Social Work Network

These meetings are held 10:00–12:00 on the dates listed below. The next meeting will be held online.

• Wednesday 13 November

Our social work co-ordinator for this area is Ailsa Benn Ailsa.Benn@skillsforcare.org.uk. 

The date of the next North West Regional Social Work Forum is to be confirmed.

Please email Ali Davenport if you'd like to attend.

Our social work co-ordinator for the North West is Ali Davenport Ali.Davenport@skillsforcare.org.uk 

Dates of future network meetings are to be confirmed.

Our social work co-ordinator for the South West area is Jill Croskell Jill.Croskell@skillsforcare.org.uk