Post Qualifying Awards in Social Work

CWDC continues to work with Skills for Care at a national and regional level to support the development of these awards. Our Regional Development Managers are working with local children's workforce employers on the new regional PQ planning groups to determine how new children's PQ programmes are emerging.

Social workers are required to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date and evidence of ongoing development is a requirement for continued registration as a social worker with the General Social Care Council (GSCC). One way to do this is through studying for a post-qualifying award.

There has been a framework for post qualification programmes for qualified social work since 1998.

In December 2002, the GSCC launched a review of the post-qualifying framework. After extensive consultation, a new framework was agreed in January 2005. New courses began in September 2007, with some early start programmes having started in September 2006.

GSCC publishes a wide range of information about the current developments including a regular newsletter that can be accessed through this link.

• http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/427E871A-5155-4E9C-88C9-C66C7561E669/0/pqframeworknewsletter.pdf

Implications for Individuals

During the transition, social workers are strongly encouraged to continue their PQ training and take advantage of any opportunities they are given. Any learning that has been done under the previous framework will be fully recognised and transferable to the new arrangements, provided that awards are completed under the old system before September 2008.

All social workers are encouraged to engage with the new framework and to plan for this as part of their CPD plan, to be agreed with their employer.

Implications for Employers

All employers of social workers need to make provision for their ongoing development, including progression through the new post-qualifying framework. Local authorities receive funding through the National Training Strategy Grant both for their own staff and for those of other private and voluntary sector agencies that they contract with for the provision of services. The new framework will require additional investment on a long term basis and employers therefore need to make provision for this.

Employers are encouraged to link their progression arrangements to the post-qualifying framework.

Skills for Care have published an Employer's Guide to Workforce Planning for PQ, which is available in hard copy or in electronic form through this link. This has limited references to Children's Services, but has much information that is of general use. CWDC is also developing further specific advice for employers.

Employers are encouraged to collaborate within their regions to ensure that programmes are developed and delivered by universities in accordance with local needs. The regional Learning Resource Networks provide the forum for this and CWDC's Regional Development Managers can advise on how to get involved in the local network.

New post-qualifying framework

In February 2005, the GSCC launched the revised post-qualifying framework for social work education and training. The new framework will allow social workers to continue their education and training in a flexible and modular way.

There are three levels of awards in the new framework, each corresponding to a stage of professional and career development. The three awards are:

• the Post-Qualifying Award in Specialist Social Work;
• the Post-Qualifying Award in Higher Specialist Social Work; and
• the Post-Qualifying Award in Advanced Social Work.

There are five specialisms focusing on: mental health; adult social care; practice education; leadership and management; and children and young people, their families and carers.

Further details are available on the GSCC website.

Programmes offering the new awards have to meet requirements as defined by the GSCC. This includes a requirement to have the support of employers within their region, and to have consulted with an employer partnership in determining what programmes to offer. CWDC is collaborating with Skills for Care to provide a forum for planning and supporting the development of programmes through the regional Learning Resource Networks. Regional Development Managers can provide further information on how to access.

Funding

The Department of Health has reviewed the funding available to support post qualifying opportunities and published the results in July 2006.

Under the new system, funding is now allocated to Skills for Care in liaison with Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC), and managed by Regional Planning Networks for PQ (RPNPQ).

Support for Employers

It is expected that Local Authorities should ensure that they are able to support the training and development of partner organisations in the private and voluntary sector where they are contracted to provide services on behalf of the local authority. This can be done through offering free places on in-house training programmes or through offering a percentage of the workforce grants.

Full details of the review of funding arrangements are available on the DH website.