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March 2011
• Issue 12
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Welcome to the March 2011 issue of Social Work Connections.
In this issue you will find information our social worker events in Leeds and London and how you can still win a free place at the London event by posting a post-registration training and learning (PRTL) tip on our
forum
.
We have included guidance on some common mistakes to avoid when completing your renewal of registration application form, to help make sure the processing of your application is not delayed.
Amongst the feature articles this time, we keep you updated on the Reform Board and their report "Building a safe and confident future: One year on", as well as an update on the much talked about College of Social Work.
We hope you enjoy this issue; please continue to share your opinions with us and other social workers through posting comments and also by joining our private forum and engaging in discussion on our website.
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MPs approve GSCC transfer to HPC
On 31 January MPs voted the Health and Social Care Bill through its first stage in the Parliamentary process. The Bill contains the measures that will transfer the regulatory powers of the GSCC to the Health Professions Council, which will be renamed the Health and Care Professions Council. The Bill is expected to complete its progress in Parliament and receive royal assent by the end of the year. In a briefing for Parliamentarians the GSCC highlighted the need for public protection to remain a priority in social work regulation. A voluntary register for students should be maintained in future, the GSCC said. The Bill will allow this to happen. The change to a fitness to practice regime is also welcome, though how this system will fit with the other care councils in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which continue to use the code of practice, needs to be considered.
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When it's time to renew your registration, don't leave it until the last minute
Thousands of you have been busy renewing your registration and we are now gearing up for the height of the renewals peak.
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Social worker events
With social work under-going some major changes following the Reform Boards recommendations and the decision to transfer the regulation of social work from the GSCC to the Health Professions Council (HPC), we thought it would be a good time to bring social workers together to discuss how the changes will impact the workforce.
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Social work: making a world of difference
Social Workers around the world will join together to celebrate World Social Work Day on 15 March. This annual event, which is organised by the
International Federation of Social Workers
, focuses on social work contributions to society and is part of an on-going dialogue about how to address challenging social conditions worldwide. The theme for World Social Work Day 2011 is 'Social Work voices responding to global crises: Together we develop the Agenda!'
To celebrate the life-enhancing job that social workers do, we have asked a few practitioners about what it is that makes social work so special and why they are proud to be part of the profession.
"The test of a humane and civilized society is how we treat people who suffer from poverty and injustice, and from disadvantage and exclusion. Social work is about working with those people, and with the groups and communities in which they live, to help them overcome the challenges that undermine their independence and well-being. It's a hugely valuable job, it needs to be done well, and the people who do it deserve to be valued highly."
Owen Davies – Social worker and Special Policy Advisor to the GSCC’s Executive Management Team.
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The College of Social Work
One of the key recommendations of the Social Work Task Force was to establish a College of Social Work. The reasons for this proposal were essentially to ensure that the profession has a powerful and authentic voice speaking up for social workers and championing the high standards of conduct and practice that they aspire to deliver.
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Poll shows support for regulation of social work students
Your responses to the last Social Work Connections poll indicate that regulation of social work students is regarded as a more effective way of ensuring public protection and confidence, and engendering a sense of professionalism.
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GSCC calls for strategic partnerships between employers and course providers
In January, the GSCC published A Report on Social Work Education in England 2009-10, which identified a number of significant trends in social work education over the last academic year.
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The Reform Board's 'One year on' report
The Social Work Reform Board was established to work for the implementation of the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force. It is chaired by Moira Gibb, who also chaired the Task Force, and the members of the board include all the key national bodies. The GSCC’s chief executive Penny Thompson is on the board and other GSCC staff support the key work-stream groups.
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The role of post-qualifying (PQ) training in proving your fitness to practice
At a time when there is considerable change in the sector, pressure on councils to make significant savings, and social workers under increased strain of work, you may question how anyone would find the time and motivation to undergo further training.
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Penny Thompson interview with Community Care
In January, our chief executive, Penny Thompson, was interviewed for a Community Care Podcast. In the interview she set out the GSCC’s three priorities until the transfer of functions to the HPC.
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