We invite all social workers and social work students in the UK to talk directly with the Social Workers Union (SWU) on Monday, 18 November 2024 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. This online advice and representation session is free to attend and will focus on the topic of social work regulation and ‘fitness to practice’ (FtP).
This webinar is a safe space where questions can be asked anonymously. A panel of Advice & Representation Trade Union Officers will be on hand to answer your questions live.
You have until 2pm on November 18th to register your place for this Talk to SWU webinar: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L1Pk2ODzaCxgoeY8tJhp-yqeWJ1Q90U5scKV24yFb9I
This session will outline some of the differences between the social work regulators in the UK and explore how they approach FtP cases.
Being informed by a social work regulator that they are investigating your ‘fitness to practice’ can be one of the most traumatic workplace events for a practising social worker. Alongside FtP processes which themselves can seem confusing, the range of ‘fitness to practice’ issues is broad.
However, any alleged ‘fitness to practice’ concern must arise from an alleged breach of the regulators’ published professional standards. So the conduct leading to an alleged breach can be an entirely straightforward workplace competence issue. For example: a failure to maintain records to the required professional standard.
Alternately, it can be an allegation of serious criminal conduct that has happened outside of work. For example: driving with excess alcohol or more serious motoring offences. It can be allegations relating to what a registrant has done and how this will be seen by the regulator both in terms of the nature of the conduct but also the likely public reaction to the conduct – i.e. would the public expect the regulator to act? And, of course, there numerous potential scenarios in between these examples.
The four social work regulators in the UK are:
- Social Work England
- Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru / Social Care Wales
- Northern Ireland Social Care Council
- Scottish Social Services Council
In this session we would like to help attendees understand some of the differences between the regulators in the UK and explore how they approach FtP cases. What can be expected through the life of ’a case’ and the range of options and sanctions available to regulators. This will include considering the entire timeline of an FtP case from referral through to a conclusion.
This session is likely to be of interest to all regulated social workers.
Be sure to register for this Talk to SWU session by 2pm on 18th November 2024.
Can I submit a question ahead of time?
If you would like to submit a question in advance you may include it when you fill out the registration form for the webinar. Please ensure that questions are concise and avoid going into very specific details.
If you are a member with a complex workplace issue that requires a longer discussion, we encourage you to call the Advice & Representation Service and speak to one of our duty initial response team.
Interested in seeing what a Talk to SWU webinar is like? You can watch the previous session below!
Support available to SWU and BASW members
The BASW and SWU Advice & Representation (A&R) team has developed 46 new guidance sheets to support our social worker members from their first day of membership. These documents cover a wide range of employment law matters and on fitness to practice processes.
BASW members become eligible for telephone advice after just one month of membership. If you opt-in to SWU at the same time as joining BASW then you will also be eligible to receive representation from a SWU Trade Union Official after the one-month qualifying period. Please note that to qualify for advice and / or representation, the issue cannot have been a known pre-existing issue or active during the one-month qualifying period.
You can read here about the benefits of being a member of SWU including access to GFTU training – so remember to opt into SWU with your BASW membership!