Introduction
Welcome to the December 2011 issue of Social Work Connections.
Read about our recently launched professional boundaries guidance and how it can help you deal with difficult situations. We also have a new online resource which complements the guidance by providing hypothetical examples of possible professional boundaries dilemmas. Rather than giving a prescriptive “right” answer, you are given the opportunity to compare your answers with those of your peers and are directed to appropriate parts of the GSCC’s codes of practice for further guidance.
You can also vote in our poll on the site which asks if you have ever faced a situation where you or a colleague risked breaching professional boundaries and what you did when faced with this difficult situation.
We hear from a recently retired social worker reflecting on his lengthy career, with almost 20 years of it spent on the frontline “knocking on doors”, and the many highs and lows a career in social work brought.
We also recap on how our recent social worker events around the country have been going.
The College of Social Work opens its doors to full members in January – read about what The College could offer you.
As you know, the General Social Care Council is closing at the end of July 2012 (subject to Royal Assent) and the Health Professions Council will be taking over our regulatory responsibilities. This means that the final issue of Social Work Connections will be out in June next year and so we urge you to make the most of these final three newsletters; letting us know what you think by posting a comment on an article, or sharing your opinions with other social workers and students by joining our private forum on our main website: www.gscc.org.uk/login.php.
We hope you enjoy reading and interacting with this issue and remember to tell us what you think!
The Health and Social Care Bill update
The Health and Social Care Bill, which contains the legislation to transfer the functions of the GSCC to the Health Professions Council (HPC), completed its progress through the House of Commons in September and received its Second Reading in the House of Lords at the start of October.
The GSCC's new approach to health assessments
When someone applies for registration with the GSCC we have to make sure we are satisfied that they are physically and mentally fit to perform the duties of a social worker.
Social work reform update - ASYE and Professional Capability Framework (PCF)
As we have reported in Social Work Connections before, the Social Work Reform Board (SWRB) has recommended the creation of an Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) as the final stage of becoming a social worker.
The Guardian Social Care Network
The Guardian has recently launched ‘social care network’ a professional network, providing insight for social workers and social care workers.
Out and about - the GSCC speaking to registrants
Workshops for social workers at their place of employment have continued and we recently spoke to social workers at Bolton, Hackney, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Redbridge, Reading and the West Midlands about the transfer of regulatory functions from the GSCC to the HPC.
Conduct hearing outcomes
Please note that this information relates to hearings concluded from 24 August 2011 to 25 November 2011
The College of Social Work
Final preparations are going ahead for the launch of The College of Social Work. The establishment of The College was one of the key recommendations of the Social Work Task Force, chaired by Moira Gibb.
A retrospective on a career in social work
My name is Mark Doel and I qualified as a social worker in 1974. My career has taken me through direct practice, teaching, training, researching and writing, and I feel lucky to have experienced such a wide range of social work roles. I took my pension last year, though I am only really 'semi-retired' and I remain passionate about social work.
Clearer understanding needed between the roles of regulator and professional body
Half of the respondents to our last Social Work Connections poll said they do not have a clear understanding of the differences between the role of the regulator and a professional body.
Social Work Connections – the newsletter for social workers and students
As most of you will be aware, the General Social Care Council’s regulatory powers are being transferred over to the Health Professions Council (HPC) from 31 July 2012, subject to Royal Assent.
