Today we’re joining workforce regulators across the UK to celebrate 25 years of social work regulation.
This month marks a quarter of a century since our predecessor organisation, the Care Council for Wales, was established to make sure everyone working in social care works to the same values and standards.
In 2003, we opened our Register of Social Care Workers to social workers, with social work students joining the following year.
Since then, the Register has grown to include many more groups of workers. Now more than 67,000 of the estimated 84,000 people who work in social care in Wales are registered with us.
In the 25 years since social work regulation started in Wales, a lot has happened to support the workforce.
Some of the many highlights include:
- introducing codes of professional practice for social care workers and employers
- introducing frameworks for induction, qualifications, and pay and progression
- setting up a process for people to raise concerns about social care workers
- introducing fitness to practise hearings
- approving the National Occupational Standards for Social Work
- introducing a new social work degree
- setting up a bursary scheme for social work students
- launching new qualifications in health and social care
- introducing apprenticeships frameworks
- developing a joint long-term workforce strategy for health and social care with Health Education and Improvement Wales
- strengthening our understanding of what the workforce think about working in care through our annual Have your Say survey
- celebrating the social care workforce and services through initiatives such as the Accolades and the Caring in Welsh awards
- supporting the social care workforce to understand what the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) and Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Acts mean for them.
David Pritchard, our Director of Regulation, said: “Since it began in 2001, social work regulation has made a hugely positive difference not only to the social care workforce in Wales, but also to people using care and support services and their families.
“It’s set standards for behaviour, induction and qualifications, making sure people working in social care have the right skills, knowledge and values to safely care for the people they support, helping to keep the public safe.
“Where workers aren’t working in-line with our codes of professional practice, we can investigate them, and in some cases, we’ll remove them from the Register so they can no longer work in a regulated role.
“Regulation has also allowed us to support the workforce with career pathways, continuous professional development, training and resources, and to celebrate their successes and share good practice.
“It’s brought us valuable evidence and data, too, which we share with decision makers to guide workforce planning and develop more support for the workforce.”
Sarah McCarty, our Chief Executive, said: “I’m pleased to join the other workforce regulators in the UK to celebrate 25 years of social work regulation.
"Having worked at Social Care Wales for more than 10 years, I’m now proud to lead this organisation, following on from the outstanding achievements of my predecessors.
“Looking back over our first quarter of a century, it’s remarkable to see how much we’ve achieved to keep people safe and to support the professionalisation of the social care workforce in Wales.
“But there’s still more to do. We’ve already started thinking about what social care may look like in 25 years’ time as part of our work to develop our next five-year strategic plan, which is due to be published in the spring.
“We’ll continue to work with partners, both in Wales and the UK, to further our vital work and make sure social care workers across the country are recognised and valued for the essential work they do to care for children, adults and families in our communities.”