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Social Worker

Regulators
  • Social Care Wales
Nations
  • Wales
Sectors
  • Health and care

Regulatory or professional bodies

Primary regulator

Regulatory authority
Social Care Wales
Address

Registration Team, Southgate House
Wood Street
Cardiff
CF10 1EW

Email address
info@socialcare.wales
Phone number
+44 (0)3003 033 444

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. Protected titles: Social worker

Provide a range of services and support to improve personal well-being outcomes for individuals, including both children and adults. This can take place in a number of settings but is normally under local authority direction. These services will include specialist or multi-agency settings and functions such as Emergency Duty Teams (EDT), Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), Team Around the Family and integrated health settings.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

The title of 'social worker' is protected in law across the UK. Anyone using this title and who wants to work in: England, must be registered with the Social Work England (SWE); Northern Ireland, must be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC); Scotland, must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC); Wales, must be registered with Social Care Wales. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only: only registered social workers with additional appropriate qualifications may carry out the duties of a Mental Health Officer / Approved Mental Health Professional as set out in legislation. Scotland only: only a registered social worker may carry out the role of Chief Social Work Officer.

Protected titles

Protected titles: Social worker


Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification

A full list of qualifications and routes to register can be found on our website.

Professionals from other UK nations

Routes to recognition within the UK

For further information on the routes to recognition for professionals outside the UK please contact InternationallyQualified@socialcare.wales.

Please apply to Social Care Wales and if your qualification has been assessed as equivalent elsewhere in the UK this will be considered as part of our process.

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

Please see the below for information on how to register, and any post-recognition requirements.

Social Care Wales are currently reviewing any existing free trade and recognition agreements. In the meantime if you hold a qualification that you think is equivalent and allows you to practise in Wales please share it with us.

More about recognition for professionals outside the UK
https://socialcare.wales/registration/how-to-apply

Registration

Registration requirements

Please see the below for information on how to register, and any post-recognition requirements.

Newly qualified social workers will need to complete the Consolidation Programme post-registration. Further information will be provided during the process.


Legislation

Title of relevant act or charter

Care Standards Act 2000.

Website link to legislation
https://www.hcpc-uk.org/aboutus/legislation/

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.