Information about who needs to endorse registration applications, why endorsements are needed, and what steps endorsers must follow when reviewing and confirming an applicant’s suitability.
Lead and additional signatories can:
✅ endorse and verify applications to join the Register or renew registration
✅ support those who require a change in their registration.
Why do applications need to be endorsed?
When you endorse an application, you’re confirming that you don’t have any issues with the applicant’s character, competence or fitness to practise and they’re suitable to be registered with us.
Who needs to be endorsed?
All applications, other than social work students, need endorsement before they can join the Register.
Social work students’ enrolment details will be confirmed by their university.
When do you need to endorse an application?
You’ll need to endorse:
- new applications to join the Register
- applications to renew registration
- changes in registration.
Social workers and managers won’t need their renewal application endorsed, unless we’ve asked for this.
We’ll send you an email to remind you an application is waiting to be endorsed.
We can’t process the application until we’ve received the endorsement. If you don’t submit your endorsement, we’ll close a person’s application without registering them or renewing their registration.
How to endorse an application
You can endorse applications through your SCWonline account.
You don’t need to work directly with the applicant. If you can confirm the information below, you’re suitable to endorse.
- When an applicant chooses you as their endorser, you’ll get an email letting you know.
- You have seven days to review and endorse their application.
- If you’re happy to endorse, you can complete and submit your endorsement.
Before you submit your endorsement, you need to:
- read the application and check the information the applicant’s provided matches the information you hold about them, including their disciplinary and fitness to practise details
- check the application against the applicant’s employment recordand confirm they've applied to the correct part of the Register
- confirm the applicant’s most recent DBS information
- confirm the applicant is suitable to be part of a professional workforce and has the skills, knowledge and relevant training to provide good care and support to the people of Wales
- confirm you're not related to or in a personal relationship with the applicant.
We might contact you to check you endorsed the application and to confirm your identity.
If you can’t endorse an application
If you aren’t able or willing to endorse an application, get in touch with us at registration@socialcare.wales.
If you have any concerns about an applicant or a registered person, see how we deal with concerns for information about how to raise your concern.