The Government has announced that the legal deadline for registration of independent reviewing officers under the Safeguarding of Children arrangements will be harmonised with that for all social workers at 1 April 2005.
New regulations have been laid in Parliament to set this new legal deadline. From 27 September 2004, all those appointed as independent reviewing officers must hold a recognised social work qualification or a letter of verification. From 1 April 2005, those working as independent reviewing officers will need to be registered with the General Social Care Council or one of the other UK care councils.
The new regulations amend the deadline announced earlier of 27 September 2004 and can be found in the link below.
Notes to editors
1. The Letter of Verification confirms a worker’s eligibility to apply for a qualified social work post in the UK, because they have undertaken professional social work training outside the UK. The GSCC checks social workers who qualified overseas have the right qualifications, training and experience to meet the requirements of the UK qualification. The assessment is designed to ensure that all social workers are properly trained, trusted and committed to high standards, wherever in the world they qualified. International registration will replace the Letter of Verification service, provided by the GSCC, and prior to that, by CCETSW.
3. You will need to hold one of the recognised social work qualifications to join the social work part of the register. In summary, these are:
- A degree in social work approved by one of the social care regulatory councils of the UK
- Diploma in Social Work (DipSW)
- Certificate in Social Service (CSS)
- Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW)
- Letter of Comparability to the CQSW issued by CCETSW to social workers trained outside the United Kingdom
- Courses recognised by the Association of Psychiatric Social Workers (AAPSW) which lead to membership of the association
- Courses recognised by the Institute of Medical Social Workers which lead to eligibility for registration of an associate of the institute (AIMA or AMIA)
- Probation Certificate or satisfactory completion of courses recognised by the Recruitment and Training Committee
- Certificate in Social Work issued by the Council for Training in Social Work
- Certificate in Child Care or Home Office Letter of Recognition in Child Care
- A social work qualification approved by any of the social care regulatory councils of the UK.
4. Attached is the link to The Review of Children’s Cases (Amendment No.2 and Transitional Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2004.
SIIROamendmentandtransregs23aug.doc