GSCC launch professional boundaries guidance for social workers
December 2011
On 21 November 2011 we launched professional boundaries guidance for social workers and social work students.

The College of Social Work
December 2011
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
December 2011
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
December 2011
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
December 2011
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.

A guide to professional boundaries in social work
September 2011
In the coming months we will be publishing guidance on the important issue of professional boundaries in social work.

Finding a job: NQSWs Lisa Cassius' experience
September 2011
I’m Lisa Cassius and I am a newly qualified social worker (NQSW) who recently qualified after a long four years of study. I am fully aware that the job market for NQSWs is very poor, what with the recession and job cuts throughout the private and public sector.

Finding a job: NQSWs Sofie Franklin's experience
September 2011
I’m Sofie Franklin and I graduated from De Montfort University in 2009 with a BA Honours in Social Work. The modules I studied at university include social work theories and methods; law; rights and policy; research and ethics; social work skills; policy and evidenced-based practice; inter-professional education and society; and organisations and people.

GSCC secures first conviction of pretend social worker
September 2011
Earlier this year we won our first ever case against someone falsely using the legally protected title ‘social worker’. A woman was convicted and fined for the offence of holding herself out as a social worker with intent to deceive, which is a criminal offence under Section 61 Care Standards Act 2000, when neither qualified nor registered as such. We have taken prosecutions forward in the past but this was the first one to be successful.

Over 90 per cent polled say it’s ‘very important’ for practice assessors to be social workers
September 2011
Responses to the last Social Work Connections poll indicate that a large number of readers considered it 'very important' that their practice assessor is a registered social worker. We received a total of 766 responses to our question of which 695 said it was 'very important', 41 said it was 'quite important' and only 30 felt that it was 'not important'.