Social Work England announces programme for sixth annual Social Work Week

Social Work England is pleased to announce tickets are now available for the online Social Work Week 2026 programme. Taking place from Monday 16 to Friday 20 March 2026, the programme is designed to strengthen professional practice and recognise the profession’s impact on society.

Now in its sixth year, the free online programme provides those with an interest in social work the opportunity to learn, connect and influence the future of social work.

The sessions are aimed at and hosted by social workers, people with lived experience of social work, social work educators and organisations representing different parts of this diverse profession.

Some of the highlights of this year’s programme include:

• An opening session on Monday 16 March bringing together people with both lived and learned experience of social work to highlight and celebrate the many ways the profession creates positive change every day.
• Supporting social workers working with vulnerable adults and children.
• Sessions hosted by UK regulators, the Department for Education and local authorities.
• A joint session by Social Work England and BASW, exploring the theme of World Social Work Day “Co Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society”.
• Innovation in social work, from artificial intelligence (AI) guidance to co-produced training.
• Building confident, practice-ready social workers through experiential learning
• Broader representation from across the sector, including education providers and people with lived experience of social work.

Free tickets are now available via Social Work England’s website.

As well as the online programme, Social Work England is encouraging people across the UK to consider hosting their own activities during the week. We have published a toolkit with ideas and templates so people can get involved and promote Social Work Week.

Sarah Blackmore, executive director of professional practice and external engagement at Social Work England, said:

“Social Work Week is a chance for people to come together and talk about all things social work. It enables people to have conversations about the social work profession, its positive impact on society and the future of the profession.

“Social Work Week and World Social Work Day fall on fixed dates in the calendar. This year, Social Work Week is likely to coincide with Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, and we appreciate that this may make it difficult for people to attend live sessions. We want everyone to be able to engage with the programme and sessions will be recorded and made available on YouTube to watch at a more convenient time.

“We are encouraging you to be a part of this important moment. You can book free tickets for our online sessions, or you can host your own activities to embrace the week. We can’t wait for everyone to join us during Social Work Week 2026.”

All sessions hosted by Social Work England will be held on Microsoft Teams. Tickets can be booked individually through Social Work England’s website. Social workers can reflect on the sessions for continuing professional development (CPD) and upload their learning onto their online account.

Find out more about Social Work Week and book tickets.