Step Up To Social Work Cohort 10 Emerging Talent Contractor

The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for the Step Up to Social Work (SUSW) programme and is inviting applications from suitably qualified suppliers to bid for the opportunity to be the contractor to manage the application and assessment process for Cohort 10.
SUSW is an established part of the social work sufficiency pipeline, training high-quality post-graduate students to become qualified, practising social workers. SUSW is a local authority led, accelerated, practice-focused route into social work.
SUSW commenced in 2010 and runs every 2 years. There have been 8 completed cohorts to date, training 3,500 Social Workers. Cohort 9 (640 students) commenced in January 2026 and will complete March 2027.
Programme Scope
a) Develop a marketing plan and supporting materials with clear, consistent branding, ensuring alignment across all Regional Partnerships and coherence between local communications and the national strategy to maximise impact and reach.
b) Design, manage and host a web portal allowing potential applicants to;
- Register interest in the programme
- Access information about the programme
- Complete and submit applications.
- Undertake an online written assessment
- Book an appointment for the assessment centre, meet and greet and applicant support sessions.
-The web portal should allow for at least 5,000 applications.
c) Work with the DfE and Regional Partnerships (RP) to develop web content for the platform (web content from the previous cohort can be used).
d) Operate a helpline (phone and email) for candidates applying for the programme during the application and assessment window (Feb 2027 – Nov 2027). The majority of queries will happen during the application window.
d) Conduct eligibility checks on all applications (the majority of checks are automated), including verifying non-UK qualifications equivalency and eligibility to live and work in the UK using Home Office “share-code”.
e) Allow Regional Partnerships to access the web...