Diversity and Progression among Students Starting Social Work Qualifying Programmes in England between 1995 and 1998: A Quantitative Study

There has been no large-scale study looking at the proportion of social work students in the UK who achieve the professional qualification, although there is some evidence that different groups experience different rates of progression. This article examines progression rates among students studying for the DipSW in England and analyses the factors that influence whether students achieve an award on time (defined as achieving an award without being referred, deferred, failing or withdrawing). The results show that male students, students from a black and minority ethnic group, and students with a self-reported disability have poorer progression rates. However, contrary to the picture in higher education as a whole, older students and students with previously lower levels of educational attainment do not have poorer progression rates. Social work education has important lessons to share with higher-education colleagues in terms of working with an increasingly diverse student group. However, work is needed to identify students at greater risk of non-progression than others and to develop more effective student support strategies.