Social Care Wales & the impact on our registration as professional social workers
As our regulators, Social Care Wales have made some decisions which clearly recognises their support for the pressures social workers have been exposed to during the pandemic. They clearly recognise that the last 18 months has been “the most difficult period for the social care sector in living memory.”
They recognise that the pressures of working during the pandemic and supporting vulnerable people in a time that none of us have experienced, will have taken precedence over such things as completing CPD requirements in the shape of formal training. Social Care Wales recognises that working during the pandemic has seen practitioners develop skills and understanding that they would not have done in a formal process of training courses. They state that “working through this crisis will have made our workforce stronger and more equipped to offer the very best care and support possible”. This doesn’t negate the need for formal training, but it is a good reflection of the “hands on” learning that’s taken place. It would still be positive to see formal training on emergency and disaster planning high on the agenda for social work training.
They also reflect on the current employment difficulties faced by many Local Authorities in respect of recruitment and retention of social workers.
As such, Social Care Wales has made some decisions that impact on our registration as professional social workers.
- They are extending the current registration period of 3 years to 4 years for all registered social workers. This extension will not be reflected in additional CPD requirements.
- For all social workers who have worked during the pandemic, this experience will be reflected in a reduction by 50% of the CPD hours required.
- Finally, they intend to keep the temporary register active and encourage social workers no longer registered to consider doing so.
This is all good news for social workers. Being recognised in this way by our regulators is an affirmation of all that we do to support the most vulnerable in our society, at a time when we may also be feeling vulnerable as a result of the pressures and the anxieties of the last 18 months.