Every social worker registered with the GSCC needs to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date. That is why you have to establish - at the three-yearly renewal point - that you have done 90 hours of post registration training and learning (PRTL). That is a minimum requirement - indeed, most social workers report learning hours well in excess of 90 on their renewal form.
The Social Work Task Force report welcomed GSCC plans to strengthen PRTL so that we can be sure that the learning activities being undertaken are making a tangible contribution to better outcomes for people using services. We will shortly be issuing revised guidance to registrants and to employers about how to make PRTL more effective. We will also be tightening up our own procedures for checking PRTL and, in the longer term, we will consult registrants on new rules that would give the GSCC powers to specify that a proportion of PRTL hours must be composed of formal assessed learning, and to specify topics that must be covered. We believe that if such rules were in place social workers would benefit because employers would be clearer about the training they need to provide, and people using services would benefit because their social workers would be better trained and more confident.
Have your say about PRTL |
We are keen to know about the wide variety of ways in which social workers keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date. We are happy to receive personal accounts from registrants about the learning activities that have helped them most. To have your say please email: media@gscc.org.uk |
I fully endorse comments made by all, in particular Tony. Training opporurtunites are very few and far between aswell as far too expensive for QSW who need to take a break to care for their dependents. There should at least be a register for non practising QSW for that purpose.
Naseem Akhtar
25 Jan 2011
I work as a locum social work in adult sectors. It is not always possible to access to formal training. However, I acknowledge that I do find learning through working in veriety of setting / area offices helped to adopt / adjusting to new skills / knowledge / procedure practices / local resources & integration of Health & social care working practice.
In order to meeting the PRTL, I would like to see that there is an emphasis on continuing development for all Locum social workers who would have the equal rights as permanent staff to entitle to training and personal development.
Anh-Le Taylor
Anh-Le Taylor
06 Jun 2010
Much more thought and flexibilty needs to go into the process of evidencing PRTL for social workers who have taken a career break.The current process may well exclude social workers from re-entering the profession because of the current registration criteria
Linda Murphy
19 Mar 2010
To date I have not seen any proposals as to how qualified workers who have retired can maintain their skills. As some one who would like to work part time after a break there appears no facility to acquire the necessary training requirement for continued registration thus excluding a valuable group of experienced workers at a time when they are most needed.
Alan Cubbage
14 Mar 2010
Whatever training is required it would be quite misplaced to have that subject to a condition of 'formal assessed learning'. This would have no benefit for social workers at all and isn't justified simply because employers are not meeting requirements to provide suitable training. If that's the case then you must find some way to penalise the employers not force social workers into some form of examination every 3 years.
Steve Longdon
13 Mar 2010
i strongly believe that social workers can keep their skills and knowledge up to date through constant comparison of skills, attributes, etc of other colleagues in the profession ,identifying merits and short falls as the environment or situation demands.Being glued to following set standards and being afraid of change and adjustments just will not work.
m lagara
13 Mar 2010
While I agree in principle, there are numerous practical difficulties for those of us not in full time work eg someone who has taken time out for family responsibilities, or, like myself is early retired and does occasional Agency work. I have read widely to keep myself in touch but have not attended 'courses'; they are too expensive to pay privately. The irony is that I will be struck off for failing the training hurdle when a) the Govmt is urging us to come back to Children's social care; b) if I was accused of misconduct at least I'd get a hearing before being struck off
tony sayer
13 Mar 2010
