Half of social workers have re-registered with Social Work England as the regulator has urged the remaining 50% of the profession not to leave renewing their registration until the last minute.
Social workers have to renew their registration annually and must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. The deadline is 30 November and social workers who have not renewed will not be able to practise from 1 December.
Philip Hallam, executive director of registration, education quality assurance and legal at Social Work England said: “Thank you to the 50% of social workers who have completed their registration renewal and uploaded their CPD. We urge that social workers don’t leave applying to renew until the last minute. Renewal is a straightforward process, and taking action and completing an application now means that you, your employer, and the public can be assured that social workers have taken all the steps needed to be able to continue to practise from 1 December.”
“We’ve listened to feedback from last year and refined the process to make it even clearer and easier, recognising the additional pressures social workers have been under during the pandemic. However, registration is a legal requirement and plays a vital role in providing confidence to the public through the process of social workers renewing their registration and demonstrating how they continue to develop their skills, knowledge, and experience,” he added.
There are three steps to re-registration:
- Submit a renewal application via your online Social Work England account.
- Pay the annual fee.
- Record at least one piece of Continued Professional Development.
The CPD should be recorded on your online account as part of the renewal application. This includes people on extended leave, e.g. maternity leave. CPD can be attending training courses, activities like reading and reflecting on an article, listening to a podcast, or having a discussion with a colleague. There are real examples of social workers’ CPD on the Social Work England website, plus video tutorials, blogs, guidance and advice.
Anybody who wants to remain on the register but doesn’t complete the online renewal form, including uploading CPD and paying the fee, by 30 November, will be required to complete a restoration application, with a fee of £135 to cover processing.
There is more information on Social Work England’s website .
