The Changing Face of Standards For Social Workers The Only Way is Ethics BASW England Conference

Outline This workshop is a chance to learn, debate and discuss the HCPC’s Standards of conduct, performance and ethics it covers: The Development of Social Work Regulation UK How Multi-Professional Regulation Works The Challenges Expectations of behavior and conduct of Social Workers How HCPC uses its standards to make decisions about the character of professionals who apply to the HCPC Register The responsibilities under standard 7 Reporting concerns about safety

Established in 2001 under the Care Standards Act 2000 Took over the responsibilities The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) 1970 to 2001 Additional responsibility for the strategic development and promotion of the whole social care sector Key elements of the GSCC were: Codes of conduct for social workers social works and employers A register social workers and students, A conduct model to regulate and discipline registrants. The General Social Care Council (GSCC)

At the same time as the development of the GSCC three sister organisations were formed with similar responsibilities in the devolved countries of the United Kingdom: Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Care Council for Wales (in Welsh: Cyngor Gofal Cymru) (CCW or CGC) Northern Ireland Social Care Council Social Work regulation in the devolved countries of the UK

The Development of Multi-Professional Regulation Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) Established in 1960 – 7 professions, Each with a separate board, separate standards and separate committees Replaced by HPC in 2002 – 12 professions

HCPC Register

The building blocks of professional regulation Standards Education Registration Protection of title and/or function Fitness to practise (‘Discipline’) Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Benefits to registrants and those who use their services Agreed standards, checked consistently Protected professional titles or functions A way of finding out who is and who is not fit to practise A process for dealing with poor practice and behaviour Mobility between countries Increased public confidence Status, visibility and development of the professions

Professional Regulation in the UK

Benefits of Multi-Professional Regulation Focused on the mission of public protection Avoids Sidetracked into professional standing and recognition Avoids 'regulatory capture’ Economies of scale Space for professional bodies to thrive in a complementary environment

Children and Social Work Bill This week the Government published for the House of Lords a policy statement and draft regulations on the regulation of social workers which outlines the following: The Children and Social Work Bill currently before parliament would allow the Government to bring forward ‘regulations’ to create a new regulator and transfer responsibilities from the HCPC. At the second reading debate, the Government was criticised by the House of Lords for the use of broad regulation making powers, so the Government has published the regulations in draft, with a supporting policy statement, to inform upcoming scrutiny of the Bill. The new regulator will be established in 2017, with transfer of functions from the HCPC to the new regulator during It is acknowledged in the document that further discussion will be required with us about managing the transition. The Government is to establish the new regulator as an Executive Agency, jointly supported and accountable to the Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for Education. There is a commitment that decision making about education and fitness to practise will be put at arm’s length from the Government. The independence of the new regulator to be reviewed in three years. The policy statement outlines the Government’s arguments for establishing a new regulator. They include that improving social work standards requires a dedicated, ‘specialist’ regulator; concern about the quality of social work education; and the failure of attempts to establish a professional body which could lead on improvement. The House of Lords Grand Committee is due to scrutinise part 2 of the Bill on 4 and 6 July

Issues and Challenges Divergence between the countries of the UK Differences in service delivery models Registration Care Workers Public Opinion and Politics

The Standards of conduct, performance and ethics Our expectations of registrants’ behaviour Used in: Education Fitness to Practise Registration

Purpose Educators – ensures relevant behaviours and values are reflected appropriately within curriculum design and delivery Employers – assists in articulating expected behaviours of their staff Professional bodies – enables them to support their members to meet the standards Registrants – facilitates reflection on their professional behaviour and guides them through their everyday practice Service users – helps them understand what to expect from their health and care professional

In the previous standards Dedicated standard – clearer, easier to find Empower registrants to report concerns they have about safety Support professional judgement Help contribute to a culture that is supportive of raising concerns Report concerns about safety (standard 7)

This means: Report concerns about safety and wellbeing as soon as possible Be supportive of colleagues who wish to raise concerns Report your concerns to the most appropriate person or organisation Follow-up on concerns if you need to Acknowledge and deal with concerns where appropriate Look at HCPC’s website for more advice:

Professional judgement Read and understand the standards Seek appropriate advice – colleagues, education providers, employers, professional bodies, trade unions, us or others Reasonable, informed decisions in the circumstances Be prepared to justify your decisions if asked Individual accountability

Thank you