College of Social Work gets off the ground

Social workers can sign up to the college of the first time from this week, paying £60 a year for professional indemnity or public liability cover as well as access to expert advice, college reports and a monthly online magazine.

The college was to involve BASW, but talks broke down between the college and BASW last September over plans to offer joint membership with Unison.

Last November education select committee members also expressed concerns over Unison’s involvement and its effect on the independence of the college.

But last month the college announced it had backtracked on its collaboration with Unison and talks are set to resume with BASW this year.

In a statement the college said its relationship with Unison will be discussed by its first elected board, which is due to be elected in spring.

It added: "Discussions with Unison will continue in the meantime under a joint statement of intent, and we will ensure that we hold a regular dialogue with all recognised trade unions with social workers in membership through our trade union forum."

Maurice Bates, the college’s interim co-chair, added: "We want to attract significant numbers of social workers to join the college so that they can determine its future direction and build a professional body that is the equal of the royal colleges in the medical field."

BASW chief executive Hilton Dawson said he will take up his membership this week.

In his blog on the BASW website Dawson added:  "Working together from the inside, let’s open up a second front in the effort to create the UK-wide, independent, powerful college led by and accountable to social workers that social work needs and that social workers want to see."