​How social workers are regulated

By Gemma Raw

Social work is, quite rightly, a closely guarded profession in the UK. The title ‘social worker’ is protected. This means that only people registered UK regulatory body can practice social work. 

There are four regulators in the UK. Since your registration doesn’t automatically transfer between the regulators, you must be registered with correct one for the region you wish to work in.​

The four UK regulators are:

• England – Social Work England

• Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland Social Care Council

• Scotland – Scottish Social Services Council

• Wales – Care Council of Wales​

To be added to any of the registers, you must have an approved qualification (undergraduate or postgraduate). 

You must also meet the requirements of the regulator’s code of conduct and undergo background checks to ensure you have no criminal convictions. You can find out more about these checks from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).​

Once registered, you should meet all requirements for continued professional development and the code of conduct to ensure that you remain on the register.​

The regulatory bodies also investigate complaints of professional misconduct against social workers. 

We have written a selection of pieces around starting and navigating your social work career. Let's start the process, register with Sanctuary today!