The Social Care Register is a register of people who work in social care, and have been assessed as trained and fit to be in the workforce.

Social workers and social work students are currently the only groups joining the register. Over time, social care workers of all levels will be registered - from care workers through to directors of social services.

Registration will ensure that those working in social care meet rigorous registration requirements and will hold them to account for their conduct by codes of practice. Qualifications, health and good character are checked as part of the registration process. Registered social workers are also required to complete post-registration training and learning activities before renewing their registration every three years.

All qualified social workers should be registered. The title "social worker" has been protected by law in England since 1 April 2005. This law came from the Care Standards Act 2000 to ensure that only those who are properly qualified, registered and accountable for their work describe themselves as social workers.

Service users and carers can check the registration of a social worker and establish whether they meet our standards. They can also raise concerns about the conduct of a registered social worker and ask us to investigate.