Advanced Social Work Professional status
One of the most advanced stages of a career structure which recognises excellence in practice
The Advanced Social Work Professional (ASWP) status will be piloted in children's services from autumn 2010. ASWP aims to encourage excellent social workers to remain on the front line and represents one of the most advanced stages of a social worker's career structure.
An Introduction to ASWP status
ASWP status is part of a wider programme aimed to support employers to address issues of recruitment, retention and reform in social work.
The ASWP status aims to make a difference to the lives of children and young people by:
• Encouraging excellent social workers to remain on the front line.
• Promoting standards which other social workers can aspire to.
• Strengthening professional leadership by combining experience with the latest thinking.
• Allowing employers to identify staff capable of greater autonomy.
In developing this status we have worked in partnership with key stakeholders including social workers and social work managers based in variety of settings. During this process they indicated that they would value a national assessment process linked to standards for identifying Advanced Social Work Professionals (ASWPs). They also asked for the status to be sufficiently flexible to facilitate local determination of how ASWPs should be deployed.
Assessment for the ASWP Status
There is a national assessment process which assesses candidates against the standards and awards individuals with the ASWP status.
ASWP documents
To view and download our mini guide which provides an introduction to the ASWP status, go to the ASWP documents section .
Getting involved in ASWP status
ASWP status is open to all local authorities in England. We are holding stakeholder engagement meetings to inform Directors of Children's Services, social work managers / supervisors and potential ASWPs about the ASWP status, these will be held from autumn 2010.
If you would like to attend one of the stakeholder engagement meetings please book a place
Further information & frequently asked questions
If you would like further information please contact us on 0113 390 7628 or email aswp@cwdcouncil.org.uk.
ASWP stakeholder engagement meetings
Come along to one of our stakeholder engagement meetings in Leeds, London or Manchester to find out more about ASWP.Download Adobe PDF Reader
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