‘You’ve got to be Saint to be a Social Worker’ Dr Hugh McLaughlin University of Salford

Registration of Student Social Workers Care Standards Act (2003) Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers –2 strive to establish and maintain trust –5 uphold public trust and confidence Employers not mandatory Seen as a good thing

Fitness to Practice Process Professional misconduct or unsuitability Allegation appoint investigator Panel hearing – 4 members: profession, school, faculty, outside faculty chair Range of outcomes from NFA to removal from programme ‘the balance of probabilities’ Appeals process

GSCC (2002, 5.8) Behave in a way, in work or outside work, which would call into question suitability to work in social care services

FTTP Internal Programme Issues Catherine – doesn’t want to take up placement Lyla- child-care arrangements

FTTP – External Issues Mohammed – gross misconduct – social care employer Jenna- drinking and causing an accident

Other issues Plagiarism Thresholds Leaving programme to avoid investigation Partner schedule one offender ‘Inappropriate relationships’ Support from university- chair

Concerns Shrouded in secrecy No way of ensuring equity between courses –either in terms of equal identification or treatment of similar issues Some courses too many others too few? Differing degrees of professionalism at different stages of course Surveillance culture Is it once and for all

Recommendations Audit of student social workers FTP Publication of details of numbers, types of students most at risk, issues investigated and outcomes Research as to issues for FTP and promotion of a professional debate to promote a consensus on how to assess Issue for annual monitoring Debate with other professions