Changes to PQ award could deter social workers

Social workers could be deterred from undertaking
post-qualifying learning if the General Social Care Council goes
ahead with its proposed change to the framework, a group of
training accreditors has warned, writes Sally
Gillen.

Plans to replace the system for post-qualifying, which is staged
qualification made up of six requirements with a full award, have
been slammed by the England PQ Consortia.

Shirley Ayres, chief officer at the Greater London Post
Qualifying Consortium, one of 17 that make up the consortia, said:
“The GSCC have consulted on the proposals but they appear not
have listened to concerns or taken them on board.”

She added that the flexibility of the current framework, which
starts with the PQ1 that takes between six months and a year to
complete, suited the diverse workforce.

Chief executive of the GSCC Lynne Berry said: “The GSCC
has been through an extensive process of listening to all
stakeholders and discussing the framework.  This has helped us
develop an approach that has been backed by 70 per cent of
respondents.”

A final decision on the framework will be made at a meeting
later this month.