Regulation council proposes training and education shake up

Three new social work post-qualifying awards have been put
forward by the General Social Care Council, a Community
Care Live workshop on training and education heard,
writes Keith Sellick.

The awards were proposed in the GSCC’s consultation on
training and education structure which finished last week.

Professor Steve Trevillion, head of social work education at the
GSCC, told delegates that the proposed awards are: graduate diploma
in specialist work, post-graduate diploma in advanced social work,
and a masters degree. All awards will include a significant element
of practice learning.

The existing system of post-qualifying awards was set up in
1990. They contribute to the minimum 90 hours or 15 days of study
necessary to complete the three-year registration period.

However, Trevillion said: “The structure needed to be
reformed because of the advent of the social work degree, workforce
regulation and changing social work roles.”