Social Work England registration renewal
By Luke Aldred
As we head into the first official registration renewal period for social workers in England, we take a look at everything that you may need to know.
When do I need to renew my Social Work England registration?
Social workers can renew their registration with Social Work England between 1 September and 30 November 2020.
The registration process takes place online, and you will be asked to set up an online account with Social Work England. Through this account, you can record your CPD, update your contact and employment details and pay registration fees. You can also add notes to your account – if you have qualified as a Best Interest Assessor or you are a certified Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP), this can be added to your file.
If you were previously registered with the HCPC, an account has already been set up for you. To activate this account and choose a new password, simply enter your email address, and click ‘send confirmation code’.
How much is the Social Work England registration fee?
The registration fee is £90. This can either be paid in full or two £45 direct debits which are taken on 01 April and 01 October 2020.
Please note, if you do not pay your registration fees, you are at risk of being removed from the register.
What do I need to do about CPD?
You need to show that you have taken responsibility for updating and developing your skills. This may be through participation in training workshops, self-reflection or listening to podcasts or reading articles within publications such as Social Work News.
“We encourage you to think creatively about your learning, including the things you’re already doing in your role, so you can demonstrate how you meet the standard for CPD. It is important that your learning is relevant to your role and that it is about the application of your learning in practice”
Social Work England
Social Work England suggests that your CPD should be updated at least four times a year. They also suggest that you should try to demonstrate how you are meeting all eight parts of the CPD standard.
How do I record and submit my CPD?
You will be able to upload evidence of your CPD through your online account on the Social Work England website. The regulator has provided both structured, and unstructured forms to help guide you through the reporting process – you may find that the different forms are relevant to different CPD activities.
The online account will only remain active for 60 minutes at a time; therefore, it is highly recommended that you download your preferred form and complete your CPD record offline. You can then easily copy and paste your answers into your online account when you are ready to submit.
If you are including confidential information about caseloads or testimonials/feedback from people you have supported, this information must be anonymised.
Social Work England professional standards
When it comes to registration renewal, we believe that it’s prudent to remind yourself of the professional standards outlined by Social Work England. You need to feel confident that you are continually meeting these standards within your work.
We work hard to support our social work community; from the resources available within our careers hub through to advice and support. To find out how we can support your social work career, please upload your CV.
