Working together to implement SWTF recommendations on social work education and training

1. Working together to implement SWTF recommendations on social work education and training

2. Refining and implementing the SWTF recommendations • Social Work Reform Board • Chaired by Moira Gibb • 20 representatives of stakeholder organisations (4 HEI reps) • Will support government in developing the Government Implementation plan ( early March) which will set out a clear “route map” for the reform, (short, medium and long term milestones) • Will receive reports from member organisation to confirm to Ministers the continuing commitment and action from all sectors and work being undertaken to develop and implement the recommendations. • Will ensure voices of service users, front line practitioners and social work students are heard. • Will devlop and recommend specific ways to take forward key recommendations through the detailed work of subgroups • Education • Career progression • Employers standards • College development group (SCIE) ( see chart)

3. Phased work Initial phase of work - To maintain momentum, and continue communication with all sectors - To give government, employers, educators and the profession a clear and shared route map for reform and establish the partnership approach - Produce and publicise the Government Implementation plan What is already happening; what will be happening during 2010/2011 financial year; longer term ambitions/milestones Post GIP - Work of SWRB and groups will continue to work on implementation details for recommendation to government

4. Key issues – systems • Time-scales • Inter-dependencies, risks, challenges, unintended consequences • Funding • Legislation /SoS agreement • How to build partnerships, national and local • Supply, quality and different arrangements, e.g. “centres of excellence” • Communication – valuing current arrangements/measures to avoid destabilisation and planning blight.

5. Key Issues for SW Education Recs • Clarifying standards, inputs /outputs, existing standards; regulatory standards - who and what? Clarity. • Calibre of entrants – technicalities of equivalence, tension with WP and BIS agenda • Content and delivery of degree courses; impact of reduced placement days and AYE • High Quality practice learning. What can change now? • Regulation; funding levers, timescales for change • CPD - Accreditation framework - PQ and the Masters in Social Work Practice, communication and promotion

6. The SW education and training recommendations - Starting out • 1 Calibre of entrants • Proposals for clarifying thresholds for UCAS points and confirming competence in maths and English • Regulation to ensure criteria are applied consistently and in line with Government widening participation policy • Revised criteria for entry, including written test and interview; • 2 Overhaul of content and delivery of degree courses • Consistent curriculum based on jointly agreed standards which are explicitly tied to robust assessment processes • Course providers up to date with current knowledge, policy, practice • 3 High quality practice placements • Sharing of accountability and responsibility • Advanced teaching organisations • Revised criteria and funding • Definitive standards for those who teach and assess students • The Task Force has suggested a reduction in the number of required placement days

7. Starting out (cont.) • 4 Assessed and supported year in employment • To be completed before licence to practise first awarded, as the final stage in becoming a social worker • The Task Force suggests: • Fixed entitlements to time for study, supervision, training, ICT etc. • Assessment carried out jointly by employers and HEI • 5 Regulation of social work education • Courses properly inspected against new set of standards, consistent across country • Ensure that courses and teachers up to date with current policy and practice and that expert practitioners, service users and other professionals are consistently and substantially involved • Ensure that suitability for entry into workforce is being assessed effectively

8. Professional development and career progression • 9 National framework for continuing professional development • Enabling social workers to continue to develop specialist skills, and to develop as leaders and managers • Standardised, consistent outcomes that are accepted as valid across the country, while allowing choice and flexibility • Binding together research, education and frontline practice • Encouraging a shift in culture – responsibility, entitlement • Building on best parts of current PQ framework, Masters • Link to renewal of registration and career structure Eleven other recommendations - There will be links and dependencies across all the recommendations to achieve effective reform