GSCC registers more than 300 social workers with criminal backgrounds

The General Social Care Council has registered 317 out of a total of 375 applications from qualified social workers who have declared medium to high risk criminal convictions, according to figures released by the GSCC.

Four of the social workers have been registered with conditions, although the regulator was unable to give details of these. The GSCC also said it did not hold information on how many of the social workers were currently employed.

A GSCC spokesperson said: “Applicants provide us with details of their employment history however, this can change throughout the three years before their renewal of registration.

“We will not know if they are currently working until they renew their registration. It is an employer’s responsibility to ensure that they have checked that a social worker is registered with the GSCC before they employ them.”

Last week, the GSCC said it had refused registration from two qualified social workers on the grounds of criminal convictions since the Social Care Register was launched in England in April 2003.