The first ever register of social workers in England is now online – so that the public will be able to check whether a social worker is registered with the General Social Care Council.

People will be able to check whether a social worker is registered by searching by name, town where they work or registration number. The public register does not give out personal address or other details.

The register opened to qualified social workers in April 2003 and social workers in over 40 organisations have so far been invited to join the register. Within months, every qualified social worker in England will have had the opportunity to sign-up and we expect all qualified social workers to have applied to be on the register by April 2005.

GSCC Chief Executive Lynne Berry said:

“People might ask ‘what’s the difference between a registered social worker and one not registered?’ Registered social workers have a recognised qualification and have undergone checks about their past. They are committed to high standards of care and have signed up to the GSCC’s Code of Practice for Social Care Workers. Having the register available online will enable people to confirm this and help give registered social workers the recognition they deserve.”

Social workers will need to be qualified and sign up to the codes of practice to be registered and the GSCC will check there is no reason why they are not fit to be in the workforce. The GSCC will be able to take action against registered social workers who commit misconduct and, in serious cases, will be able to remove them from the workforce as social workers. Similar online registers have also gone live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.