Children's social workers
To work with children as a qualified social worker, staff must hold a Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) or an equivalent social work qualification such as a BA honours degree in social work. These degree courses have replaced the DipSW programmes, though the diploma and its equivalents are still recognised as professional qualifications.
The full-time degree course takes three years, but graduate entrants can apply to take a masters degree in social work, which generally takes two years.
Applicants with relevant work experience and the minimum academic criteria can apply to the Regional Trainee Scheme, where students are employed and paid by a local authority while taking their degree.
In Northern Ireland, applicants with a relevant degree may be eligible to apply for the accelerated route, finishing the social work degree in two years. Within the next few years, everyone in Northern Ireland involved in social work and social care services will be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC). This means they will meet agreed standards of conduct, practice, training and education. For information on courses and training, contact the NISCC at www.niscc.info
Social work assistants
Assistants work alongside social workers, but have less responsibility and do not always have formal qualifications. Training can be organised by the employer through national vocational qualifications (NVQs) in care.
Social work assistants, unqualified residential workers and foster carers working with children can take an NVQ Level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People.
Promoting Independence NVQ Level 3 is a general qualification to assist those working in learning disabilities and mental health fields. But it also has relevance to children in family settings, so it might be appropriate for those working with children who have disabilities.
Post-qualified staff
Once qualified, social workers can work in any area of social work, including with children and young people. They can also have specialised postgraduate training.
In England, the General Social Care Council (GSCC) announced a new post-qualifying framework for social work in 2005, based on academic awards approved by the council. These are at graduate, post-graduate diploma and masters levels.
The new framework has three levels - Specialist Social Work, Higher Specialist Social Work, and Advanced Social Work - each corresponding to a different stage of professional development.
There are five practice specialisms: mental health; adult social work; practice education; children, young people, their families and carers; and leadership and management. Information on all specialisms can be downloaded from the GSCC web site (www.gscc.org.uk). All courses will be available from September 2007.
The council advises that completing the full post-qualification award from the previous framework is still valuable, and that social workers have until September 2008 to achieve their awards under this framework. However, students can usually transfer to the new framework if they have partly completed the old one.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also evaluating their post-qualifying framework. In Wales, the Care Council for Wales has announced a modular framework for Post-Qualifying Learning and Development in Social Work. The framework allows courses at graduate and postgraduate levels, and requirements are being developed, with new courses being approved from September 2007. The council is advising that a full Post-Qualifying Award in Social Work is the easiest way to transfer to the new framework.
Finally, the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) has developed one of the first modules to specialise in family placement. It is accredited at Part Two of the Post-Qualifying Award in Social Work and addresses competencies two to five. On successful completion of this module and assessment of the required portfolio, candidates will gain 60 credits towards the 120 credits needed for the full post-qualification award.
BAAF also runs Good Practice in Training Foster Carers and Adopters: the Family Placement Worker as Trainer, which is accredited at part two of the post-qualification award and addresses competence six. On successful completion of this module and assessment of the required portfolio, candidates will gain 20 credits towards the 120 credits needed for the full award.
Foster carers
There is no single qualification in foster care, although The Fostering Network champions the training and professional development of fosters carers.
In England, the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) launched new training, support and development standards for foster care in May 2007. The standards support a three-stage training framework for foster care, which covers pre-approval, induction and development. From April 2008, all new foster carers will be required to achieve the standards within an agreed time-frame.
Pre-approval level training is mandatory and most agencies provide carers with this training in-house. Most use The Fostering Network's new applicant training. The Fostering Network provides the only course on training the trainers.
When it comes to induction and post-approval training, the CWDC proposes a specified set of core courses for carers at this level to be taken within a specified timeframe. The Fostering Network provides a core set of mandatory training, including courses on Safer Caring, Attachment and Contact. A range of training providers delivers post-approval training.
Foster carers can continue to develop their knowledge and skills by undertaking additional training that may be provided in-house or by external training providers. Examples of courses at this level are The Fostering Network's Men in Foster Care, Caring for Black Children or Moving On.
Carers can also take NVQ Health and Social Care: Caring for Children and Young People Level 3, a nationally recognised vocational qualification. This provides opportunities for carers to develop their skills and knowledge base. The CWDC training framework is carefully mapped to units within the Health and Social Care NVQ.
Family court advisers
Family court advisers fulfil various roles in family court proceedings, including that of children's guardian, children and family reporter, reporting officer in adoption cases and guardian ad Litem. All of these roles involve safeguarding and promoting the welfare and best interests of children in public and private law cases in family courts across England. Staff advise on the needs of children separated from their families to protect them from harm, while helping parents to resolve disputes about living arrangements for their children following separation and divorce.
To work in these roles, professionals need a recognised social work qualification and at least three years' post-qualifying experience of working with children and families or in child protection. While the current Post-Qualifying Award in Social Work and its successor is seen as useful, it is not essential.
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) employs or contracts the services of family court advisers. As the largest employing agency of qualified social workers in England, Cafcass offers a practice learning programme. This provides an opportunity for social work students to support the role of children and family reporters in private law and gain experience in public law.
On 1 April 2005, responsibilities for the service in Wales, Cafcass Cymru, were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales. Welsh family court advisers require a DipSW or equivalent qualification recognised by the Care Council for Wales. A minimum of three years' social work experience is also required.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the family court service is part of the criminal justice system, and qualified social workers are eligible to work in the service. However, Northern Ireland only has guardians ad Litem, though social services is sometimes asked to send a social worker to speak to the court on behalf of the child. All need a social work qualification.
Scotland, however, has a children's hearings system. Children are referred to children's reporters by a number of sources for a variety of reasons. The reporters investigate each referral to decide if compulsory measures of intervention are needed. Reporters generally come from a legal or social work background, but can come from teaching or voluntary work.
Children's hearings also decide whether a child needs a representative in the form of a safeguarder at the hearing. Children's safeguarders come from a variety of backgrounds, but most often they come from law, social work or education.
Residential care workers
Those wanting to work in residential care can get a placement in a residential care setting, then study for the Health and Social Care: Children NVQ Level 3. Managers need Level 4. City & Guilds runs a Managers in Residential Child Care NVQ Level 4 qualification.
The next groups to join the Social Care Register in England will be domiciliary and residential care home workers, including children's home workers. The GSCC consultation on the details of registration for these groups (including training, fee levels and order of registration) finished in May 2006, and the register will open to these groups early in 2008.
In Scotland, residential child care workers need to register with the Scottish Social Services Council. The register opened for managers in June 2005, for workers with supervisory responsibilities in October 2005 and for other residential child care workers in June 2006. A wide range of qualifications are acceptable for registration for this group; they can be viewed on www.sssc.uk.com
Staff taking a residential child care post can work towards qualifications such as the Health and Social Care Scottish NVQ Level 4. The DipSW and equivalent social work qualifications are also relevant. To be a residential child care manager, workers need a practitioner qualification such as the Scottish NVQ Level 4 in Care, plus a manager's qualification. There is a range of acceptable qualifications, including the Registered Managers Award and Scottish NVQ Level 4 Management qualification.
In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government has announced that residential child care managers must register with the Care Council for Wales by 1 November 2007. Child care workers need to be registered by 1 March 2008.
Residential child care managers in Wales need a Managers in Residential Child Care NVQ Level 4, or a current child care qualification and an acceptable management qualification. Residential child care workers must be at least 18 and need an Health and Social Care (Children and Young People's Pathway) NVQ Level 3, or equivalent, or complete the Care Council for Wales' Induction Framework, followed by the relevant qualification within three years. If employed before 1 July 2007, this will be three years from 1 July 2007, and if employed after 1 July 2007, it will be three years from starting employment. Qualification details are provided on www.ccwales.org.uk
