Just over half of social workers in England have renewed their registration with eight days to go until the deadline.
Social Work England said that 56% of practitioners had completed all three steps required to retain their right to practise: filling in the application form, paying the £90 fee and submitting two pieces of continuing professional development (CPD), one of which must have been reflected upon with a peer.
This means a third of social workers have completed the process over the past three weeks, when 23% had done so, a marked acceleration on previous levels of progress.
The regulator said three-quarters of practitioners had engaged in some part of the CPD process, for example by submitting one piece, or two pieces without a peer reflection.
But it urged the remaining 44% who are yet to complete their renewal to do so as quickly as possible to remove the risk of them being removed from the register after the 30 November deadline passes.
A spokesperson said: “Thank you to the tens of thousands of social workers who have applied to renew their registration so far. We cannot advise social workers strongly enough to complete their renewal application as soon as possible and not leave it until the deadline. Anybody who has not completed all three steps to renew by midnight on Wednesday 30 November will no longer be able to practise.
“Please check that you have completed all three steps of the process. People receive an email confirmation when they complete each step. Once they have completed all steps their online account will show each step as green and show it is completed. If anybody needs guidance and support with the process there is extensive information on our website.”
Social workers who joined the register after 1 September still need to renew and pay the annual £90 fee but do not need to complete the application form or meet CPD requirements. Those who have applied for voluntary removal from the register do not need to renew.
Family help: one local authority’s experience of the model 
‘We are all one big family’: how one council has built a culture of support 
‘I spent the first three months listening’: how supportive leadership can transform children’s services 
How senior leaders in one authority maintain a culture of excellence 
How staff support ensures fantastic outcomes for children and families 
Workforce Insights – showcasing a selection of the sector’s top recruiters 
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
No panic, still time until minute to midnight on last day. The real question as in every year is why with all the threats, exhortation, bribes, SWE staff whizzing around the regions, “if you want to keep your job” supervisions, is it always like this? Either we are too lazy to get round to it until the deadline forces us to or most of us see no real merit in the claims made that it improved our practice and protects the public. So we do our job and then get round to it with no real enthusiasm. In our briefing with a SWE officer I asked what evidence there was on how these registration requirements made for safer, better, more professional social workers. I was told that “research”, “consultation with experts”, “input from leaders”, “evidence from other sector regulators”, “support from BASW” all suggested that it improved us. Nothing specific, nothing tangible, nothing provable. We know what we know so trust us when we say. This is not evidence in my opinion but just a yearly repeated unsubstantiated narrative. When only something like 5% of what we submit is scrutinised by SWE, its difficult to see how the registration process does what is claimed for it. Trust us on its own wouldn’t pass the public confidence test, why are we expecting it to for social work practice?
Down to the wire again!
I think a lot of people like me are just hanging on to that ninety quid until the last minute
I’m sick and tired of being treated like a five year old I have been a thorough hard working Social Worker for 40 years first in Mental Health then Child Protection then inspection of Child Protection procedures within councils all over England with a team of hard working caring professionals. I even took a degree BSc ((Hons) Social work when it became used and DIPSW I did it because I wanted the most up to date knowledge I attend lectures give lectures but now I have to send in home work to
Maintain my registration. Does the Prime Minister, The Police, Army, Navy, Airforce? Fill in little bits of paper saying what we learned like 5 year olds! It’s so disrespectful and belittling NO MORE IM DONE I’m signed official secrets act but that doesn’t matter still got to do childish homework on cases that are still in the early stages of investigation NO LONGER FIT FOR PURPOSE
Our PSW would disagree with you. Apparently this is a transparent and evidence based process with a proven record of reassuring and safeguarding the public as well as improving our practice. “What I did on my holidays and my pal thinks I am brilliant” uploads are the confirmation that standards are being met. 40 years of experience, learning and developing is nothing compared to that surely?