Three-quarters of social workers are still to complete the registration renewal process with one month to go, Social Work England has revealed.
However, the regulator has said that the proportion who had done what they needed to do to continue practising for the forthcoming year was ahead of this time last year.
To successfully renew, practitioners must complete the application form, submit two pieces of continuing professional development (CPD) – one of which must have been reflected upon with a peer – and pay the £90 fee. Most social workers do the latter through a two-part direct debit, collected on 1 October and 1 April.
Overall, 101,453 social workers – those who were on English register before the start of the renewal period, on 1 September 2023 – are required to complete the full process. A further 2,115, who joined after that date, need only pay the annual fee.
Quarter have completed renewal process
Social Work England said 25% of the first group (25,353 practitioners) had completed all three steps as of the end of October, compared with 22.8% on 31 October 2022. The comparable figure for the end of September this year was 10%.
More social workers than this have engaged with the renewal process on their online account with Social Work England, but not completed it. The figures showed that:
- 36.6% of eligible social workers had completed the application form, up from 33.1% at the same point last year.
- 27.8% had completed the CPD process, up from 26.1% as of 31 October 2022.
However, almost two-thirds of relevant practitioners (64.3%) had not submitted any valid CPD as of the end of last month.
Regulator ‘encouraged by progress’
Philip Hallam, Social Work England’s executive director of regulation
Social Work England’s executive director of regulation, Philip Hallam, said the regulator was “encouraged to see that the number of social workers recording their CPD and renewing their registration continues to increase”.
He added: “Please remember that if you receive an email or text from us about renewing your registration, please read them and log on to your online account. You are receiving these because you have actions outstanding on your online account.
“When you log on to your online account, three blocks show what you need to do to complete your registration renewal application.”
Hallam said that those practitioners who completed the whole process by 14 November would receive confirmation they had done so the following day.
“This will give you and your employer assurance that you have completed all the actions required to apply to renew your registration,” he added. “We will then contact you again after 30 November with our decision on your registration renewal application.”
Help with submitting your CPD
Community Care Inform users have plenty of learning they can benefit from that can contribute to their CPD for registration renewal.
We have put together guidance on submitting learning you have acquired on the sites – and saved using our CPD tool – to Social Work England. Access the guidance on Inform Children or on Inform Adults.
Also, Social Work England’s regional engagement leads are running a series of online sessions on submitting CPD and peer reflection, which practitioners can book a place on.
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I was completely traumatised by SWE when I was going through horrific stress in my personal life in 2020. I had been off sick from work since April 2020 and repeatedly explained to SWE that due to the level of stress and PTSD I was experiencing, I would be unable to complete CPD and I requested a postponement in the date by which I had to complete it. SWE we’re utterly uninterested in my predicament and continued to insist that I complete CPD by November 1st. Eventually I resigned from my 25: year + career in social work and am unlikely to return. If SWE had shown the slightest bit of humanity I may have been able to continue my career. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
It took a full twelve months for SWE to make me aware of a complaint received from a disgruntled parent, and that it (SWE) was undertaking an investigation. Whilst it’s website advised that its investigations should take about 6 months, SWE actually took 2 yrs and 7 months to finalise its investigation from when it first received the parental complaint. The outcome was no impairment re my social work practice, no further action and case closure. Throughout this lengthy period no restrictions were placed on my practice but the label was that I was under investigation by SWE. This impacted upon my employment opportunities and thereby finances. Absolutely frustrated, having tried to do my best under difficult circumstances I was simply not motivated to complete CPD. All I received from SWE were apologies for the delays and thanking me for my patience.
I have said this before this is not about professional development this is about telling you that they own you that you are their plaything they can do what they want with you. Step out of line and your career in Social Work is toast. I’m not even in the uk this year and still I have to complete this. I left because the work was very stressful very badly paid and seemed to get worse by the day.
The Government has presided over mass poverty and destitution of sections of the population treating them like animals. The Tories and the nightmare they have created seeps into your soul and the suffering you see as a social worker eats away at you. You can’t say anything about the nonsense stuff you are being asked to do. Don’t say anything about the destitution of your clients. Just believe the bullshit propaganda of the Tories. I am sick of them and the misery they cause. Social workers can look forward to Austerity part two as they have to make difficult choices ie cutting your pay, telling you be grateful you have a job. Well I hate them and everything they stand for they have ruined Social workers pay and terms and conditions they are absolutely vermin. No doubt under their new legislation proposal they can brand me an extremist. Not sure I will work again in the uk but still pay my registration fee and do their bullshit CPD.
Maybe this is a true reflection on how busy we are as social workers and how committed we are to the job itself. We hardly get time to attend training let alone reflect on it and then record your analysis as part of the registration process.