More than 70,000 social workers are now registered with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) according to figures released today at the GSCC’s November Council meeting.
Registration figures have continued to rise steadily since protection of title was introduced on 1 April 2005. Protection of title made registration a legal requirement for all practising social workers in England and means that all social work roles must now be filled with Registered Social Workers (RSWs).
Official registration figures topped the 70,000 mark last week and with new registration applications still being received each week, this figure could reach 80,000 within the next year. Social work students currently account for 4,705 of the total number of registrations.
Chief Executive Lynne Berry said:
“It is great to see so many social workers fully signed up to registration and to the training and accountability that comes with it. The fact that over 70,000 social workers are now registered shows that the vast majority of them are proud to be professional and proud of the work they do.
“We look forward to extending registration to the next groups of social care workers in the near future. Consultation on the details of registration for these groups will open in the early new year.”
The majority of applications coming in to the GSCC in recent months are from newly qualified social workers or social workers who qualified overseas and are coming to work in the UK for the first time. However, the GSCC has made clear that it is not acceptable for practising social workers to delay their applications. As a result, they should not expect to be able to use the legally protected title ‘social worker’ before they are registered.
gscc 014.05 21 November 2005
Notes to editors
1. The legal restriction, protection of title came into force on 1 April 2005. This was detailed in the commencement order of section 61 of the Care Standards Act, laid in Parliament in March 2005.
2. The GSCC has published information sheets on its website about registration and protection of the title ‘social worker’. These include information on who should be registered and more information about circumstances for those not registered yet.
3. There is no backlog of straightforward applications. Applicants will receive an acknowledgement letter but should not regard this as a legal waiver with which they can work and use the title ‘social worker’.
4. A photograph is available of some of the key registrants with their certificates, including Member of Parliament Hilton Dawson, former ADSS President Andrew Cozens and GSCC Chief Executive Lynne Berry is available from the GSCC.
5. The GSCC is the first national regulator for the social care workforce in England and part of a national drive to improve standards of social care. Through issuing the first code of practice for the social care workforce and registering social workers, and later all social care workers, for the first time it aims to drive up standards in social care and improve public protection. Over 1.5 million people use social care services, including the most vulnerable members of society such as older people in care.