Social Work Reform Board proposes single set of standards for social workers
The Social Work Reform Board (SWRB) has published the first single, national set of professional standards for social workers, outlining what level of service the public can expect from them, and recommended an overhaul of social worker education and training.
The board, which was set up a year ago to advise the government on reforming the social work system, said that the proposals would bring the social work profession in line with other public sector professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers.
It said that the core themes of the overarching professional standards framework should be:
- Professionalism: identify and behave as a professional social worker, committed to professional development.
- Values and ethics: apply social work ethical principles and values to guide professional practice.
- Diversity: recognise diversity and apply anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive principles in practice.
- Rights, justice and economic wellbeing: advance human rights, and promote social justice and economic well-being.
- Knowledge: apply knowledge of social sciences, law and social work practice theory.
- Critical reflection and analysis: apply critical reflection and analysis to inform and provide a rationale for professional decision-making.
- Intervention and skills: use judgement and authority to intervene with individuals, families and communities to promote independence, provide support and prevent harm, neglect and abuse.
- Contexts and organisations: engage with, inform, and adapt to changing contexts that shape practice. operate effectively within own organisational frameworks and contribute to the development of services and organisations. operate effectively within multi-agency and inter-professional settings.
- Professional leadership: take responsibility for the professional learning and development of others through supervision, mentoring, assessing, research, teaching, leadership and management.
The SWRB also recommended that social work education should also be reformed to improve the quality of social work degrees, with more rigorous selection criteria. It added that the design of social work courses should involve people who have experienced social services, so that the training properly reflects the real-life reality of the job.
The SWRB's report Building a Safe and Confident Future – One year On said that employers should be expected to set out standards of supervision and support for social workers, to include:
- making sure the right number of social workers with the right level of skills and experience are available to meet the level of demand
- managing workloads and caseloads so that social workers are not overworked
- giving social workers the practical resources they need to do their jobs
- creating development opportunities for social workers to give them greater experience and skills.
Moira Gibb, CBE, Chair of the Reform Board and Chief Executive of the London Borough of Camden, said:
“A year ago the Social Work Task Force recommended comprehensive reform of the social work system so that in the future, social workers are more consistently able to practise confidently and safely. Since then, the Social Work Reform Board has been working to make the task force's recommendations a reality.
“This report, the first from the Social Work Reform Board, marks a staging post in the journey of social work reform and a foundation for helping us, together, to deliver a better future for social work. The proposals published today should help every individual social worker, every employer of social workers and everyone who educates or trains social workers to do their work better in the interests of those who need and use social work.
“The government supports the work of the Social Work Reform Board and is urging the sector to get involved in the next steps towards implementing these important and necessary changes.”
Tim Loughton, Children’s Minister, said: “I welcome the Social Work Reform Board’s proposals, which are an important step for social workers to gain the status and respect they so rightly deserve. We are committed to making a real difference to frontline social work and to implementing the Social Work Reform Board’s recommendations. That is why in the new year we will be announcing significant funding to implement the reforms and Professor Munro’s recommendations to improve child protection.”
