Senior social worker accreditation to include practice observation

As part of a new set of professional standards being introduced for all levels of children’s social workers, the Department for Education (DfE) has published a set of standards that senior social workers will be required to display.

It has said that accreditation for “supervisor status” or “practice leader status” will require successful completion of a “rigorous assessment process” involving theory exams and extensive observation of practice.

Feedback from children and families will also be gathered to decide whether senior social workers should be accredited.

Supervisors will be judged against eight standards, and practice leaders against six.

The proposed standards have been put out to consultation until 1 September.

The consultation document reveals that a decision is yet to be taken on whether the accreditation process should be mandatory or voluntary.

“Once the results of the consultation are analysed, DfE will work with employers and others on implementation, including whether the system should be rolled out on a voluntary or a compulsory basis, which social workers it should apply to, the speed of the roll-out and other issues,” the document states.

The eight standards that supervisors will be expected to display are: promoting and governing excellent practice; developing excellent practitioners; shaping and influencing the practice system; effective use of power and authority; confident analysis and decision making; purposeful and effective social work; emotionally intelligent practice supervision; and performance management and improvement.

The six standards that practice leaders will be expected to display are: leading and governing excellent practice; creating a context for excellent practice; designing a system to support effective practice; developing excellent practitioners; supporting effective decision making; and quality assurance and improvement.

The chief social worker for children and families, Isabelle Trowler, who drew up the standards, said: “I am determined to ensure that we earn the public’s respect for and confidence in our profession, particularly from the children, young people and families with whom we work.

"Having absolute clarity about what practice supervisors and practice leaders need to know and be able to do, and assessing that knowledge and skill against a national standard is a critical part of this ambition."

Children's minister Edward Timpson, said: “These new standards announced today will help set senior social workers on a whole new path to success – setting the very highest standards for child and family social work, providing greater assurance to the public and most importantly ensuring the very best for our children.”

Standards for newly qualified social workers have already been finalised following a consultation.

Candidates will be required to go through a pass or fail test in order to achieve accredited status.

Plans to create three levels of accredited status were first announced by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan last October.