GSCC: Professionalism Protection Pride

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GSCC Professionalism Protection Pride
From social work degree through to the Post
Qualifying (PQ) Framework The role of social
work education in professional development Helen
Wenman, Manager Education Inspection Roger
Everson, Project Manager Cyndy Whiffin, Regional
Inspector Chair Malcolm Clarke
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Vision statement for social work education

• To promote the highest standards in social care
  in England by ensuring that workers are trained,
  skilled and appropriately qualified.
• To enhance the quality of the social work
  workforce in order to meet the needs of diverse
  and changing communities and service users and
  carers.
• To ensure qualified social workers are competent
  and suitable and continue to develop their
  knowledge and skills.

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The challenging environment/influences
One of the roles of the GSCC is to make sure that
social work education and training is up to date
and responsive to workforce needs for social work
services

• changes in demography and diversity of
  populations
• promoting the participation of service users and
  carers
• new policy and legislation, e.g. mental health
  services
• workforce development strategies
• changes in patterns of service delivery
• Options for Excellence
• changes in qualifying social work training and
• implementing the new PQ framework.

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Partnership working
National bodies
Universities
Sector skills councils
Government
Service users and carers
Employers
GSCC
Inter-professional
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Users and carers at the centre
Regulation and standards
Education and awards
Users of social care services and their carers
will be able to participate in all aspects of PQ
education and training.
Service delivery
Learning and improvement
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The role of the GSCC in social work education

• The GSCC is the regulatory body for qualifying
  and
• post-qualifying social work education and
  training.

• Contributes and responds to policy and
  legislation.
• Produce the requirements for qualifying and
  post-qualifying social work awards.
• Approves universities to deliver courses.
• Quality assures courses.
• Ensures social work education and training up to
  date and responsive to workforce needs.
• Ensures codes of practice are incorporated into
  social work education and training.
• Registers student social workers.
• Channels funding.

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Generic social work degree at honours level

• 226 degree courses have been approved to be
  offered at 67 accredited universities and 11
  colleges.
• 78 per cent undergraduate / 22 per cent at
  postgraduate.
• 90 per cent full-time / 10 per cent part-time.
• Since September 2003 12,666 students have
  enrolled.
• 2,000 students graduated with the social work
  degree in 2006.
• Diverse profile of students.
• Key features practice learning participation of
  service users and carers codes and registration.
• Quality monitoring GSCC DH evaluation study,
  and audit.

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Building blocks of the revised PQ framework
Recognises previous experience and achievement
Modular, transferable, accessible
University awards
Inter- professional learning
Service users and carers at the centre
Based on practice development and assessment
Close links to workforce planning
Continuing professional development from
qualification
Based on national standards
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Features of the new framework
The new framework is made up of three levels
of post- qualifying award, linked to academic
awards Specialist Social Work (honours /
graduate diploma level). Higher Specialist
Social Work (post-graduate diploma level).
Advanced Social Work (masters level).
There are five specialisms in the framework
children and families mental
health adult care practice education (at
the higher specialist and advanced levels)
and leadership and management (at the higher
specialist and advanced levels).
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Managing the changes between post-qualifying
frameworks
2006
2007
2008
Registration current awards
Awards notified to GSCC
Closure arrangements
Specialist standards and requirements
Early start
Approval
Launch
Development
Regional planning
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Exercise
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Contacts

• For further information contact
  info_at_gscc.org.uk
• Regional Inspectors and post-qualifying
  consortia details can be found under contact us
  at www.gscc.org.uk
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found
  under
• training and learning at www.gscc.org.uk
• Useful websites
• Skills for Care www.skillsforcare.org.uk
• Childrens Workforce Development Council
  www.cwdcouncil.org.uk