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. Of the 320 people who answered the first question, which was: ‘do you have a clear understanding of the differences between the role of the regulator and a professional body’, 160 people said they did not know. However 231 (87 per cent) got it right when answering the second question, which asked what the regulator is responsible for and presented three possible options.
It is important that there is clarity about our respective roles. As the regulator of social workers and their education and training, the General Social Care Council’s statutory obligation is to protect the public. We cannot be the champion for the profession; that role belongs to the College of Social Work.
The GSCC’s Chief Executive Penny Thompson said “It’s understandable that a profession that has not had a professional body has wanted to ascribe those attributes to its regulator. However, a strong regulator as well as a strong professional body are both essential ingredients in developing a strong profession. Social work has only been regulated in the past decade and it will finally have its own professional body when the College of Social Work is launched.
“We look forward to working with The College to develop their role as the champion of the standards of excellence, expressing the aspirations of social workers.”
Interim Co-Chair of The College of Social Work, Maurice Bates, says: “The survey shows there is much work to be done to ensure that the different roles of the regulator and The College are more widely understood. As the social work profession’s first formal professional body, we are here to provide the strongest possible voice on behalf of social workers and of people who need social work support. That doesn’t just mean throwing a spotlight on excellent work carried out every day for vulnerable members of communities – it also means ensuring that the highest possible standards are maintained.
“We look forward to working closely with the GSCC, and its successor body the Health Professions Council, following our launch early next year - to ensure that all social workers live up to the standards expected by both their professional colleagues, and the people who rely on their support.”
