Thousands of social workers re-registered to help coronavirus effort
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Thousands of social workers have had their professional registration reinstated to support colleagues during the coronavirus crisis.
Social Work England, the specialist regulator for almost 100,000 social workers in England, has re-added 8,000 former social workers to the social work register so they can fill vital roles across the country.
The regulator has written to suitably qualified social workers who left the profession in the last two years to advise them that they can now practise again.
Registration means they can now apply for roles with local authorities, health trusts and other employers amid staff shortages due to sickness and self-isolation.
-
Coronavirus: campaigners warn on capacity of children’s charities
-
Coronavirus: Social workers forced to make ‘DIY protection kits’ for visits
It is also contacting social workers who are already on the professional register, but not in employment, to ask them to consider going back to social work during the crisis.
Social Work England has also launched a new campaign – Social Work Together – in partnership with the Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care and the Local Government Association to allow social workers to express their interest in new employment opportunities and contact potential employees with local employers during the pandemic.
Colum Conway, chief executive of Social Work England, said: “This is a huge joint effort with all of our partners to get social workers back into practice and to people who need their support, as fast as possible, without compromising standards or safety. People who need support in our society are more vulnerable than ever right now.
“I would like to thank all the social workers who have already indicated that they want to come back to work, as well as all those currently practising in extremely challenging circumstances.”
Children and Families Minister, Vicky Ford, added: “Social workers are the unsung heroes of our society and their dedication to supporting families and children in their care during this pandemic is truly outstanding.
“The unprecedented challenges we face are putting a strain on our social care system, and I am proud to see how many social workers have come forward already to play a critical role battling this virus – we owe them all a debt of gratitude.”
Social workers who want to check if they have been temporarily added to the register, and those who wish to opt out, can find more information on the coronavirus section of the Social Work England website.