Further changes to our rules and guidance 

The first 3 years of our regulation have involved a period of intense activity in unexpectedly challenging circumstances. In this time, we have learned and reflected on our work and tested our legislative framework. We have collated learning where it relates to our regulations and rules, and, after a series of consultations, have now completed the process of amending them.

The amendments were split into 3 separate consultations:

1. Amendments to rules on electronic communication and remote hearings

(April 2022)

We consulted on and implemented amendments to our fitness to practise rules, removal from the register and registration appeals rules on 19 April 2022. These made permanent the changes we made at the start of the pandemic to allow for notices of hearing to be sent electronically and to hold hearings remotely. 

Find out more about these rule changes.

2. Further amendments to our rules (July 2022)

Further changes to the rules could be made without changing the regulations and we therefore consulted on these between March and May 2022. We published these rule changes on Friday 29 July 2022.

Find out more about these rule changes.

3. Amendments to regulations and further amendments to our rules (December 2022)

Following the Department for Education’s consultation on changes to our regulations, we needed to make further changes to our rules. We consulted on these amendments between August and October 2022.

These changes come into effect today (Friday 16 December 2022) and will have an impact on those with an open fitness to practise case. They include new processes that:

• allow voluntary removal from the register when a social worker is subject to fitness to practise proceedings and there is no public interest in continuing those proceedings.
• allow the social worker, complainant, the regulator or any interested party to request a review of a case examiner decision. Where a decision is materially flawed or there is new information that may have led to a different decision, and where a fresh decision is necessary in the public interest, for the protection of the public, or to prevent injustice to the social worker, we can refer a case back to the case examiners for a fresh decision to be made.

Find out more about these rule changes.

If you have any questions please contact us.