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SPOTLIGHT |
The Social Work Reform Board (SWRB) has published the first single, national set of professional standards for social workers, outlining what level of service the public can expect from them, and recommended an overhaul of social worker education and training.
The board, which was set up a year ago to advise the government on reforming the social work system, said that the proposals would bring the social work profession in line with other public sector professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers.
It said that the core themes of the overarching professional standards framework should be:
The SWRB also recommended that social work education should also be reformed to improve the quality of social work degrees, with more rigorous selection criteria. It added that the design of social work courses should involve people who have experienced social services, so that the training properly reflects the real-life reality of the job.
The SWRB's report Building a Safe and Confident Future – One year On said that employers should be expected to set out standards of supervision and support for social workers, to include:
Moira Gibb, CBE, Chair of the Reform Board and Chief Executive of the London Borough of Camden, said:
“A year ago the Social Work Task Force recommended comprehensive reform of the social work system so that in the future, social workers are more consistently able to practise confidently and safely. Since then, the Social Work Reform Board has been working to make the task force's recommendations a reality.
“This report, the first from the Social Work Reform Board, marks a staging post in the journey of social work reform and a foundation for helping us, together, to deliver a better future for social work. The proposals published today should help every individual social worker, every employer of social workers and everyone who educates or trains social workers to do their work better in the interests of those who need and use social work.
“The government supports the work of the Social Work Reform Board and is urging the sector to get involved in the next steps towards implementing these important and necessary changes.”
Tim Loughton, Children’s Minister, said: “I welcome the Social Work Reform Board’s proposals, which are an important step for social workers to gain the status and respect they so rightly deserve. We are committed to making a real difference to frontline social work and to implementing the Social Work Reform Board’s recommendations. That is why in the new year we will be announcing significant funding to implement the reforms and Professor Munro’s recommendations to improve child protection.”