Consultation on readiness for professional practice (extended deadline)

Please note these knowledge, skills and behaviours statements are not standards. They will inform Social Work England’s new ‘readiness for professional practice’ guidance which will support our professional standards and education and training standards.

We expect that education providers will make use of ‘readiness for professional practice’ to inform course content, design and delivery.

We expect that student social workers will be required to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours included in ‘readiness for professional practice’ in order to evidence their ability to meet the professional standards by the end of their qualifying course.

Definitions

Knowledge

The theoretical and practical understanding of the discipline of social work.

Skills

The transferable skills developed during a social work course.

Behaviours

The values, ethics and professional expectations required for social work.

People

The individuals that social workers work with, including children, young people, adults, families and communities.

Knowledge

Social work courses will prepare students to demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge and understanding of legal frameworks, relevant theories, models and methodologies of social work practice to meet the professional standards.

Having completed a qualifying social work course, I am able to understand:

1.1 The values and ethics of professional social work.

1.2 My role as a social worker with duties and responsibilities to empower, advocate for, protect and safeguard people, and uphold the law.

1.3 The relevant legal frameworks, theories, models, and interventions which inform social work practice.

1.4 The nature of legal authority, the application of legislation in practice and how to exercise sound judgement in navigating law, policy, and practice.

1.5 The importance of concepts including rights, responsibilities, freedom, power, authority, confidentiality, and conflicts of interest.

1.6 The importance of valuing each person as an individual, recognising their strengths and abilities, and the support available within their families and communities.

1.7 How to develop professional relationships with people which are based on respect, honesty, and integrity.

1.8 The role of supervision and scrutiny in decision making, including how to proactively use reflective practice and models of supervision to explore ethical and practice dilemmas, as well as accountability for my work.

1.9 The importance of respecting the cultural identities of the people, families and communities I am working with, recognising the significance of culture and belief in social work.

1.10 How multiple and intersecting oppressions and disadvantages impact people, families, and communities, and affect the demand for social work services.

1.11 The impact of the social context in which people live including: housing, deprivation, food insecurity, education, unemployment, poverty, homelessness, social justice, ecological and environmental issues, asylum, migration and ethnic segregation.

1.12 The impact of mental and physical ill health, including disability and learning disability and the experiences of autistic and sensory impaired people.

1.13 The impact of domestic abuse, and problematic drug and alcohol use.

1.14 The impact of trauma and loss on human development across the lifespan, and factors contributing to vulnerability including societal factors and social justice.

1.15 How to recognise signs of harm, exploitation, abuse or neglect and exercise professional curiosity when these are observed in order to protect people and the wider public.

1.16 How to identify and assess risk, and how to use relevant risk assessment tools to maintain my own safety and the safety of people and the wider public.

1.17 The role of social work in promoting social justice and pursuing positive change, particularly with and on behalf of people, or groups of people who are vulnerable or facing oppression.

1.18 The concepts of lived experience of social work, participation and co-production, and how to work in partnership with people who have lived experience of social work.

1.19 How health and social care services operate in a diverse society including concepts such as social need, informed choice, personalised services, institutional and structural discrimination.

1.20 The relationships between agency policies, legal and regulatory requirements, and professional boundaries in shaping the nature of services available in multi-disciplinary contexts.

1.21 The concepts of multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working and the role of other professionals in the lives of people who receive social work services.

1.22 The organisational structures and frameworks in which social workers practice.

1.23 The concepts of fitness to practise and organisational wrongdoing, and how to recognise cultures of unsafe practice.

1.24 The importance of keeping accurate and up to date records, and the role of record keeping in social work practice.

1.25 Current and contemporary issues in society and the implications for social work practice.

1.26 The role of research in evidence-based practice, demonstrating an ability to reflect on and evaluate the strengths and limitations of research and how to evaluate my effectiveness in applying research and theory to practice.

1.27 The concepts of accountability and responsibility, and the complexities of maintaining a professional identify across both my public and private life.

1.28 The concept of self-care and how to maintain, or seek support to maintain, my wellbeing through periods of uncertainty, change and stress.

1.29 The impact and implications of posting information online and how to use information and communication technology appropriately, demonstrating that I am able to apply the professional standards online and offline.

1.30 The requirements to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain my registration and why a social worker must engage in these requirements to develop and improve their practice.

1.31 The role of Social Work England as the specialist regulator for social work and my responsibility to uphold the professional standards as a registered social worker.

Skills

Social work courses will prepare students to demonstrate that they have the necessary skills to meet the professional standards. It is expected that during their studies social work students will develop and demonstrate these skills through experience of practice-based learning.

Having completed my social work course, I am able to:

2.1 Maintain and promote my own professional identity as a social worker, applying social work principles, codes of practice, ethics, and the values of social work in my practice.

2.2 Apply the principles of anti-discriminatory, anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice in my work.

2.3 Critically apply and analyse the application of social work theories, methods, research methodologies and models in my practice.

2.4 Identify, and keep under review, personal and professional boundaries in all situations.

2.5 Recognise people as experts in their own lives and use a person-centred approach to ensure that people are treated with respect, care and dignity.

2.6 Communicate my role as a social worker and the purpose of my work clearly, accurately and sensitively to the people, families and communities that I work with.  

2.7 Communicate clearly, articulately and accurately in a range of professional contexts, adapting my language and methods to best ensure that I will be understood.

2.8 Communicate in a way which is respectful, engaging, accessible, motivating and effective when working with people of all ages and abilities

2.9 Demonstrate effective, professional and appropriate interpersonal skills, even in situations where there is resistance, complexity or conflict.

2.10 Demonstrate an ability to use relevant information and communication technologies or software to undertake my work.

2.11 Demonstrate empathy and compassion as appropriate to the situation.

2.12 Work effectively with other professionals in multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams, identifying the opportunities and challenges associated with working across professional boundaries and with different disciplines.

2.13 Draw on the knowledge and skills of colleagues from other professions, demonstrating an ability to work in collaboration and to recognise the boundaries of social work practice.

2.14  Apply social work knowledge and skills to deal constructively with disagreements and conflict within multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working relationships.

2.15 Take responsibility for actively seeking information and sharing with other professionals as appropriate, taking into consideration relevant legislation and issues of consent and confidentiality.

2.16 Manage my time and prioritise my workload, demonstrating specific skills in relation to caseload management and use of limited resources to ensure that people’s needs are met.

2.17 Prepare effectively for meetings and participate in them in a productive and inclusive way, respecting and evaluating the viewpoints and evidence presented by others.

2.18 Listen actively to others, respond appropriately to their experiences, and strive to accurately understand their viewpoints.

2.19 Support people to express their expectations, strengths and limitations and to understand and fully realise their rights, entitlements and responsibilities.

2.20 Use an evidence informed approach to make impartial decisions.

2.21 Demonstrate reflective practice and the ability to think critically about my own work, understanding the importance of ongoing learning and feedback to the safety and effectiveness of my practice.

2.22 Use reflective practice and seek out opportunities for supervision of my practice to explore concepts of uncertainty, risk, ethical dilemmas and complexity when making decisions.

2.23 Engage in critical reflection of my practice to examine my approach, judgement, decisions and interventions.

2.24 Maintain accurate, clear, objective, and up-to-date records which document decisions and actions.

2.25 Prepare and present accurate, articulate and evidence-supported reports and documents for decision making forums such as courts, hearings, tribunals, adjudication and case conferences.

2.26 Synthesise and analyse evidence, information and lines of enquiry, sustaining detailed reasoning over time.

2.27 Recognise my own biases and prejudices and take steps to ensure that these do not impact my decision making, to ensure that people are treated in a non-discriminatory manner.

2.28 Recognise my own personal values, views and preferences and understand how they could impact on my work with people and other professionals.

2.29 Exercise effective professional judgement and demonstrate professional curiosity in my work.

2.30 Challenge decisions, actions or behaviours which are not in the best interests of people receiving services or which lead to increased risk of harm.

2.31 Recognise and respond to signs of suspected and/or actual harm, neglect or abuse and where risk has been identified, agree plans to address it.

2.32 Recognise and respond to behaviour that may indicate a lack of co-operation, and take action when necessary, particularly where this is linked to safeguarding concerns.

2.33 Maintain the safety and wellbeing of people that I work with including their families, communities and other professionals.

2.34 Maintain my own personal safety and recognise the risks that I may face as a social worker while undertaking my role.

Behaviours

Social work graduates will be able to demonstrate that they have the necessary behaviours to meet the professional standards. Behaviours will be underpinned and informed by the values, ethics, principles, and professional expectations of social work.

Having completed my social work course, I am able to:

3.1 Demonstrate the ability to respect the distinct beliefs and lifestyles of people, their families, communities and networks.

3.2 Respect ethnic and cultural diversity and value difference, understanding the nature and function of social work in a diverse society.

3.3 Demonstrate professionalism, professional integrity, self-leadership and emotional intelligence in the management of self and relationships.

3.4 Use professional supervision and support to improve my practice and develop personal and professional methods of building resilience to maintain my wellbeing as well as being accountable for my work.

3.5 Work in an open and transparent way and be able to assert and justify actions within accepted ethical and professional standards.

3.6 Demonstrate an awareness of my own biases and prejudices, including the potential of unconscious bias to impact on my decision making.

3.7 Demonstrate an ability to receive feedback from people and other professionals on my practice and recognise that people have a right to complain or raise concerns about my conduct or fitness to practise.

3.8 Demonstrate self-awareness and the ability to identify any potential or actual conflicts of interest.

3.9 Uphold the values and reputation of the profession and act in accordance with the values and principles of the profession at all times.

3.10 Recognise when and how my health might impact my practice and take steps to seek support, ensuring that I continue to practice safely and effectively.

3.11 Demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development, lifelong learning, and critical reflection of my social work practice.

3.12 Embed the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in my practice and demonstrate a commitment to learning about the different perspectives and lived experiences of other people, families, communities and networks.

3.13 Adhere to Social Work England’s professional standards.