FoI 2219-11 Social Worker Registrations

  1. How many Social Workers (SW) employed or contracted to the LA are not properly registered with the GSCC as working in the LA’s own area?

ie they are registered but in a different area.

In Wales Social Workers are registered on the Care Council for Wales register not the GSCC register, we have replaced GSCC with CCW in our response

All SW's in Conwy are properly registered but 4 are in the process of amending their registration due to change of name through marriage or change of place of employment (England to Wales).

  1. What is the LA policy for addressing the issue of SWs not being properly registered as above as they are required to given that:
  1. All SW Registrations are public on the GSCC Website
  2. It is a requirement to be registered in the Area they work
  3. It is not proper within the rules to be working as a SW without being properly registered
  4. Whilst SW registration is the responsibility of the SW and not ,the LA, the LA is responsible for ensuring that is employees SW that are able to lawfully do the work as their agent.
  5. There can be two or more people with the same name
  6. Any person contacted by a SW is able to check registrations online
  7. It is a fact that police, Gov & LA advice is that if the identity of the person you are dealing with cannot be confirmed then do not have dealings with them and especially do not let them into your home or give them personal information.
  8. Any person checking a SW who is not properly registered should have cause for concern in regard to any of the above.

The following statement appears in all Social Work post contracts

Registration as a Social Worker

As from the 1st April 2005, the title Social Worker is ‘protected’. This requires anyone wishing to work as a Social Worker to be registered with one of the four UK Care Councils, in order to be able to be employed as a Social Worker.

It is therefore a requirement that, for you to be employed as a Social Worker with Conwy County Borough Council, if you have not already done so, you obtain and maintain registration with the Care Council for Wales. Social Workers are required to re-register every 3 years.

Failure to do so would mean that the Council would be acting illegally in continuing to employ you as a Social Worker, and your current contract of employment would therefore have to be terminated.

The responsibility for re-registration rests with individuals and it is therefore imperative that you ensure your continued registration with the Care Council for Wales.

In addition the policy below is in force