National college of social work in place by 2011

An independent college of social work will be established by March 2011, the government has pledged.

In Building a Safe and Confident Future: implementing the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force, the government outlines a timetable for the establishment of a national college, with an interim chair appointed by June and a full interim board in place by September.

These will all be two-year posts, tasked with turning the college into a legal body by March 2011.

Over the next few months the already-established college development group and the interim chair will lead a consultation with social workers as well as service user and carer organisations.

The development group has identified nine key areas for the national college to lead on:

● Pride: Having pride in and bringing pride to the profession.

● Excellence: Enabling and guarding excellence in the profession.

● Service users and carers as partners: Valuing the contribution of people who use

services and their carers.

● Independence: Being independent and willing to challenge when necessary.

● Led by the profession: Using the expertise of the profession/members.

● Starting from strengths: Building on existing good practice in the UK and overseas.

● Leadership: Providing leadership to the profession.

● Collaborative: Working collaboratively with allied professions, and with organisations

affecting the professions.

● Coherence: Bringing coherence and clarity to the profession.

The appointment of the interim chair and the start of the consultation process will run parallel to the British Association of Social Workers’ ballot of its members over its own proposal for an independent UK college.

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