Annual renewals show number of social workers registered in England remains stable.

As we know, social work England is responsible for making sure the public register of social workers is accurate and up to date. Social workers in England are regulated in a similar way to other professionals including doctors, nurses, and midwives. This is in line with the level of risk and importance of the work they do to support children, families, and adults. Through regulation, those who have a social worker supporting them through different stages of their lives can be assured that they meet professional standards, keep their skills up to date and are competent to practice.

Renewal figures as of 7th December 2022

Please note these figures will differ slightly from initial figures published on 1 December, as the applications for renewal and restoration are assessed.

• There were 100,626 people on the register who were eligible to renew their registration.
• 96,886 (96.3%) renewed their registration to remain on the register.
• Of these 35% worked in adult’s services and 58%in children’s services, with the remainder in other areas of social work practice or unrecorded.
• 3,740 people were removed from the register following the end of the renewal period. Of these:
•  24% worked in adult’s services and 43% in children’s services.
•  428 were removed from the register due to not complying with the CPD requirements, which had changed from 1 to 2 pieces this year, 1 with a peer reflection.
•  741 started the renewal application form, but did not complete and submit this in full, on time. 276 did not start the renewal application form. This total of 1017 people had completed their CPD and payment but not the application form.
• 842 have since asked for their registration to be restored (to date). We are prioritising their applications

As part of the renewals process, social workers were asked to voluntarily share their equality, diversity, and inclusion data. 96.5% of social workers on the register shared this data with social work England which gives the regulator a clearer picture of the workforce, enabling them to analyse,understand and, if necessary, revise their rules, systems, policies, and processes to ensure they are fair.

Philip Hallam, executive director of regulation said:

“The renewals process ran smoothly this year. There were no issues with the renewal system over the renewal period, including on the last day, that would have prevented social workers from completing their application by the deadline. The 3-month renewal window is designed to give people ample time to complete the process and contact us with any questions well before the deadline.

Our online system meets digital standards. We provided social workers with extensive information on how to complete the 3-step process(as set out in our legislation), which was the same as the previous 2 years.Our website includes a detailed, step by step guide to the renewal form, along with a video walk through”

He also said that a small group of people unintentionally failed to renew their application and that they appreciate that this is a stressful situation for those who wish to continue to practise and are assessing applications for restoration as quickly as possible.

“We advise people who unintentionally failed to renew to notify their employer and ensure that they do not practice as a social worker if they do not hold registration. Further information about the process for restoring to the register is available in our registration section.”

Social Work England has thanked everyone who completed the mandatory renewals process on time this year, ensuring that they can continue to practice in their roles and support the millions of people who need their support safely and effectively.

Follow this link to apply for restoration if you missed the deadline!

To view our most up to date roles in the social care sector, click this link or call a dedicated member of our team on 01473939670.

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