Learning requirements for part-time workers could be cut, says regulator

Part-time social work practitioners could face reduced postregistration training and learning requirements because they have  less time to meet the target of 15 days over three years.

The General Social Care Council’s director of regulation, Heather Wing, said this could be an outcome of a current review of PRTL after a part-time practitioner said she could not meet the requirement and suggested it was discriminatory.

Rhian Taylor, associate lecturer in social work at the Open University and a former field social worker, said she worked one day a week so she could look after her two young children, meaning she could not spare five days a year for training.

She said: “I haven’t registered because I wouldn’t meet the requirements. I’d like to combine lecturing and practice but I can’t. It’s just not realistic. There’s an equality issue.”

Wing said: “That point has been made to us very frequently. We are currently reviewing the policy and we are asking for comments. There may be a change to that.” She emphasised that besides formal training, a wide range of activities, such as workplace discussions on policy, could count towards the requirement.

Wing also said the GSCC lacked the capacity to verify all social workers’ PRTL submissions and would check a random sample. She added: “We are trusting that you’ve done what you’ve told us. We don’t want to add a bureaucratic process.”

Guidance

Related article
Post registration training and learning skills for social workers (PRTL): what is required around the UK

More from Community Care

Comments are closed.