Social Worker

Regulators
  • Northern Ireland Social Care Council
Nations
  • Northern Ireland
Sectors
  • Health and care

Regulatory or professional bodies

Primary regulator

Address

7th Floor,
Millennium House,
9-25 Great Victoria Street
Belfast
BT2 7AQ

Phone number
+44 (0)2895 362 600

Regulation

Regulation summary

Social workers are trained to: make assessments, taking account of a range of factors, including identifying and balancing need, risk, and rights; investigate situations where there is concern over the potential or actual harm of abuse of children or vulnerable adults; intervene to assist and to protect either individuals or communities.

Registration with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council is compulsory. As a social worker you are required, by law to be registered in order to practise in Northern Ireland.

Qualified social workers can apply for registration without having current social work employment but MUST be registered prior to taking up any social work position.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

The title of 'social worker' is protected in law in Northern Ireland.

Protected titles

Social worker is a protected title in Northern Ireland


Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification

In the UK to qualify as a social worker you must undertake an undergraduate Degree in Social Work or a post graduate Masters in Social Work.

In Northern Ireland the route to qualification is an Honours Degree in Social Work.

More about qualification
http://niscc.info

Professionals from other UK nations

Routes to recognition within the UK

If you completed your social work qualification an any other areas of the UK you can apply to be registered with the NISCC.

Professionals from outside the UK

Recognition for professionals outside the UK
All - there are routes to recognition for professionals from all countries
Summary of routes

Internationally Qualified Social Workers are welcome to apply to be considered for registration with the Social Care Council. You must have English language skills.
We apply a rigorous, transparent and fair approach to determine Social Care Council registration.

More about recognition for professionals outside the UK
http://niscc.info

Registration

Registration requirements

Social workers are required by law to be registered with the Social Care Council to practise in Northern Ireland.

Social Workers must be registered before taking up a social work post.

To register with the Social Care Council you must create an online account and complete the online application form. portal.niscc.org.

A fee must be paid and is required to be renewed annually.

Social workers must undertake and record a minimum of 90 hours of continuous learning and development during each 3 year registration period. This is called Post Registraion and Learning. (PRTL)

More about registration
http://nissc.info

Legislation

Title of relevant act or charter

Health and Personal Social Services Act (Northern Ireland) 2001.

Licence Finder

You may need licences and permits to carry out certain activities in the UK. These are called authorisations. Use the licence finder to find what you need.