Mike Wardle has been appointed Chief Executive of the General Social Care Council (GSCC). Mike is currently Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategy. He was appointed to the Council in 2001. He has been Acting Chief Executive since the departure of Lynne Berry to become Chief Executive of the WRVS. Mike has spent the majority of his career in the Civil Service and was formerly Principal Private Secretary to David Blunkett and Estelle Morris as Secretaries of State for Education.

Sir Rodney Brooke, Chair of the GSCC, said:

“Mike Wardle has given outstanding service to the GSCC and we have no doubt that he will be an outstanding Chief Executive. The new social care agenda will require substantial change from the GSCC, and Mike is well fitted to lead it during this period.”

The GSCC is responsible for the registration of social workers and student social workers, the publication of codes of practice outlining the standards expected of social care workers and their employers, and the development and quality assurance of social work education. Over the coming months the GSCC will be registering domiciliary care workers and developing registration plans for residential care, and this will be a major of focus of Mike’s work.