A new advertising campaign ‘Ready for Reg?’ to encourage qualified social workers across England to join the Social Care Register has been launched by the General Social Care Council (GSCC).
Leading the advertising drive for registration is a character called Reg, whose job is to process applications. He urges social workers to get their application forms in and keep him busy.
“With the deadline now set for registration of all social workers, we want to make sure that every social worker hears about the importance of registration and how to apply. Registration will be good for the workforce as well as reassuring service users and the wider public about the professional standards of qualified social workers,” said Lynne Berry, Chief Executive of GSCC.
“We have a whole team of people like Reg on standby to help social workers register and answer questions from them and their employers. There’s no need to wait until the legal deadline – fill in your form, ask your employer for one or get in touch with the GSCC to register straight away.”
Using messages like ‘Is Reg waiting for you?’ and ‘Are you ready for Reg?’ the campaign will equip social workers and their employers to get copies of the application form and return them straight away. It will also highlight the benefits of registration in putting social workers on a level footing with their registered colleagues in nursing and teaching, whilst driving up standards of care for service users and boosting the reputation of the sector.
25,000 application forms have already been distributed, mainly to large employers of social workers and local authorities, and the adverts encourage the sector to get these returned. The campaign also encourages social workers who don’t have application forms yet to call the registration helpline or visit the GSCC website to find out what they can do to get ready for registration.
Last week the Community Care Minister Stephen Ladyman announced that before April 2005, all social workers in England will need to be registered, when a legal restriction called protection of title comes into force. Local authorities are being asked to ensure that everyone starting a new job as a social worker from this April, 2004, has at least applied for registration before taking up their posts.
The GSCC team, like Reg, are standing by ready to answer people’s queries, send out application forms and process application forms. They can be reached on 0845 070 0630 or by email registration@gscc.org.uk and further information is available on the website www.gscc.org.uk.