Roles of social work college and GSCC cause confusion…

8th November 2011

Half of social workers do not know the difference between a regulator and a professional body.  That’s according to a poll of over 300 people carried out by the General Social Care Council (GSCC).

Given that social work has only been regulated during the past decade, and does not yet have a professional body until the College of Social Work starts working, this statistic is hardly surprising.  In addition, when you consider the current high-profile debate between BASW and the SCIE over a College of Social Work, and that fact that the GSCC itself is being scrapped, with regulation of social work passing to the Health Professions Council in 2012, the result is a very confusing picture indeed.

The GSCC’s Chief Executive, Penny Thompson, said ”It is important that there is clarity about our respective roles,” said Thompson. “As the regulator of social workers and their education and training, the GSCC’s statutory obligation is to protect the public. We cannot be the champion for the profession – that role belongs to the College of Social Work.”

Crucially, she added “A strong regulator as well as a strong professional body are both essential ingredients in developing a strong profession.”