Tell us what you think about our Codes of Professional Practice

We’re updating our Codes of Professional Practice, and we want to hear your views about our proposed changes.

The consultation closes at midday, Friday 17 December 2024.

The Code of Professional Practice for Social Care Employers and the Code of Professional Practice for Social Care Workers underpin our regulatory work. They haven’t been updated since 2017, and since then our register has increased significantly, from just over 11,000 to more than 60,000 people.

Between August and December 2023, we spoke to more than 300 people in the sector in Wales. We asked for their views about:

• the two codes of professional practice

• seven practice guidance documents

• the fitness to practise principles.

Overall, people felt the resources were generally good, but there’s more work to be done embedding them into practice and improving how people use them.  

People said that the main change needed to the codes is to make them shorter and simpler, so that people better understand what they’re expected to do.

As part of our engagement work, people in the sector helped us change the wording of the codes. Now, we want to know what you think about the proposed new versions.

If you’re a social care worker or employer, the revised codes don’t ask you to change your practice in any way. The proposed new wording aims to make it clearer what’s expected from you, including:

• the need to maintain professional boundaries, both in person and online

• the importance of positive relationships with people, families and carers

• encouragement of strength-based care, rather than focussing on what not to do

• supporting individuals to do what matters to them remains at the heart of practice.

We’ve also strengthened the language around equality and diversity. We recognise a Wales that is anti-racist and promotes equity.

During our engagement work, we also heard that the current Welsh language version of the codes doesn’t always use clear and understandable Welsh. We’d especially like to hear what Welsh speakers think about the revised versions, and whether you find them clearer and easier to understand. We also want to know if there are any other issues we need to consider for our Welsh speaking workforce.

After the consultation, we’ll update the Codes of Professional Practice and publish the new versions. We’ll also publish a date for when the new codes will come into effect, allowing the sector time to prepare for the new codes. The current codes will remain in place until that implementation date. After this date, social care workers and employers will need to work to the new codes.

We’ll also update the practice guidance linked to the codes. The guidance will be updated to include the feedback we heard during our earlier engagement work.

Going forward, we’ll continue to build on and enhance that guidance to make it as easy as possible for social care workers and employers to use in their day-to-day practice.

We want to hear from anyone who has an interest in the social care workforce.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from:

• people who work in social care in Wales

• employers of people who work in social care in Wales

• employers of early years and childcare workers

• people who access care and support services

• families and carers

• volunteers.

We also have the consultation available as easy reads.