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Benefits of achieving the standard

Standard 7: Professional registration

Professional registration

Establishing a clear understanding of how your organisation supports social workers to meet professional standards offers many benefits that:


  • guide ethical and defensible decision-making
  • enhance credibility and trust by showing commitment to quality
  • reduce errors by identifying and mitigating risks
  • help avoid legal issues through compliance with the professional standards

Decision-making for fitness to practice concerns

Professional standards ensure safe practice for social workers and build trust with the regulator. Effective decision-making can:


  • ensure social workers understand safe practice
  • clarify actions for unsafe practice, including referral to the regulator
  • encourage responsibility to protect the public and challenge unsafe practices
  • reinforce quality practice within the organisation
  • support an inclusive culture and alliances between employers and the regulator

Achieving the standard

This resource highlights important themes for meeting professional registration standards. Your organisation should cultivate a psychologically safe culture with a clear understanding of safe social work practices. A just culture promotes open dialogue about unsafe practices, fair treatment, and consistent standards.

Before action planning, consider whether:

  • individuals are open to learning and comfortable discussing mistakes
  • concerns about poor practice reach you before becoming unsafe
  • mechanisms are in place to spot work-related stress early
  • people feel empowered to speak up, and the organisation listens to whistleblowers
  • there is enough support for those raising concerns

The organisation should support practitioners rather than blaming individuals and ensure accountability for unsafe practice. Practitioners should engage in and record continuing professional development (CPD).

Additionally, know your regional lead from Social Work England and how to contact them.

Before developing an action plan, consider these suggestions at each organisational level to:

  • emphasise a psychologically safe and just workplace culture
  • provide safe spaces and support from independent individuals
  • promote CPD opportunities
  • understand the employer’s regulatory standards and responsibilities

At the leadership level there should be:

  • engagement with the regional lead for Social Work England
  • an understanding of the referral criteria and implications of fitness to practise concerns
  • processes that recognise and address work-related stress with an action plan
  • reflective supervision for social workers
  • support for social workers and line managers to resolve dilemmas and mistakes
  • protection and support for practitioners who raise concerns or whistleblow
  • model professional and ethical behaviour, showing courage to speak up

At the practitioner level, you should make sure you:

  • understand of the standards for professional registration
  • be encouraged to express views and concerns about practice
  • seek opportunities for CPD and demonstrate commitment to learning
  • take responsibility for actions, acknowledge mistakes, and learn from them
  • comply with laws, regulations, and organisational policies
  • maintain clear boundaries in professional relationships
  • commit to self-care and individual resilience
  • uphold of professional standards outside of work

Improvements in direct practice

Research by the Professional Standards Authority shows that:


  • actively engaging in CPD promotes professional growth
  • upholding professional standards can contribute to practitioners’ careers
  • progression being part of a regulated profession helps social workers develop a common set of values and a positive and professional identity

References

This is the list of research and evidence sources used to produce this section. Publicly available links are included. 

Grant, L., Kinman, G., & Alexander, K. (2022). The Social Work Organisational Resilience Diagnostic (SWORD) Workbook. Research in Practice. 


Research in Practice. (2023). A guide to continuing professional development (CPD) for social workers: Practice Guide (2023). Dartington: Research in Practice.  

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The resources have been developed by Research in Practice in collaboration with DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 04 November 2024