With the spotlight still firmly on social work, this edition looks at the recent report of the Social Work Task Force, which recommends wide ranging reforms to strengthen the quality and status of social work. The proposed reforms would have a major impact on the GSCC’s approach to the regulation of the profession, and we will continue to keep you informed of the work we will be doing to implement these as plans develop.
We also report on progress made with the transformation of our conduct function, following the failings that came to light earlier in the year. The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence has now completed a review of our conduct work and we detail some of their recommendations.
Social Work Connections now includes a regular section reporting on the outcomes from our conduct hearings to help raise awareness of the professional standards that the GSCC holds social workers to account for.
You can also read about our proposals for strengthening Post Registration Training and Learning (PRTL), what you told us about practice placements and, if you missed our annual conference in October, catch-up on the main news from this successful event which included a lively debate about how to improve the status and voice of the profession.
In this issue there is also a survey about Social Work Connections and you. It would really help us to improve the newsletter and ensure that we are providing you with information that is useful and interesting, if you would spare a few minutes to fill it in.
I hope you enjoy this issue and if you do want to give any feedback about a particular article, use the comments tool at the bottom of each article to share your thoughts with other readers.
Rosie Varley OBE
GSCC Chair
