Organisations wishing to “host” a range of the College of Social Work’s functions and resources will have one week to submit expressions of interest outlining their suitability.
The college announced this week it will be accepting expressions of interest until next Thursday, by organisations bidding to provide a home for resources including the professional capabilities framework and continuing professional development endorsement programme.
Organisations must demonstrate capacity, including financial capacity, to “host, support, develop and sustain” current college functions and resources.
The functions the college owns are:
- The Professional Capabilities Framework (which sets standards for social workers at different stages of their careers)
- A suite of publications produced by the college’s team, including Care Act guidance and practice guides and
- A set of resources produced by the college’s faculties and Professional Assembly, such as a report on the role and function of social workers in mental health services.
Government-commissioned functions
A separate tendering process led by government will take place to decide the future of government-commissioned functions.
Bidders must also commit to ensuring social work leadership will be at the heart of any decision-making concerning these functions as well as ensuring representation from the frontline, service users and academics and providing a strong professional identity for social work and its values.
No funds will be available to support the hosting of these resources.
Winning bidders will begin taking on responsibility for specific functions in mid-August.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 
Hampshire County Council 
Lincolnshire County Council 
Norfolk County Council 
Northamptonshire Children’s Trust 
South Gloucestershire Council 
Wiltshire Council 
Wokingham Borough Council 
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BASW should be and should have been the provider as it is independent from Government with substantial resources and experience in promoting best and ethical practice.
I am hoping that BASW take on this role for several reasons but mainly because they have been the voice of Social Work for many years and are in fact a repository of information for practitioners and academics. I also believe they truely represent the profession in a way that TCSW was not able to do given its origins.
We need a stable, strong and committed organisation to control the PCF and other resources, one that will last the test of time and this radical government with their set agenda on the profession.