Social Work England CPD processes ‘insufficient’, watchdog says

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has found that Social Work England failed to meet two key standards in its latest annual performance review, raising concerns about how the regulator assures ongoing practitioner competence and manages fitness to practise cases.

In its report covering 2024/25, published on 20 March, the PSA said Social Work England met 16 of the 18 Standards of Good Regulation. However, significant shortcomings were identified in relation to continuing professional development (CPD) assurance and the timeliness of fitness to practise (FTP) processes, both central to public protection and confidence in the profession.

Concerns over CPD oversight

The PSA concluded that Standard 13, which relates to ensuring registrants remain fit to practise, was not met. This follows Social Work England’s decision to stop reviewing CPD records submitted by social workers after registration renewal, while it redesigns its approach to CPD monitoring.

Although the regulator continues to carry out limited checks, the PSA said these do not go far enough. It noted that CPD review had previously provided a key source of assurance about whether practitioners—including experienced social workers, newly qualified social workers (NQSWs), and those returning to practice—were maintaining professional standards.

Without a replacement system in place, the PSA said it could not be confident that Social Work England has sufficient mechanisms to determine whether registrants remain fit to practise. The finding is likely to prompt concern across the sector, where CPD is seen as critical to maintaining safe and effective practice in increasingly complex roles.

The watchdog said: “We acknowledge that there could be other ways for regulators to assure themselves that their registrants are fit to practise, but Social Work England had previously gained assurance through its CPD review.

“Having removed that review and not replaced it with any other system – but for some very basic checks – we do not think the processes in place are sufficient for Social Work England to satisfy itself that social workers continue to be fit to practise. Therefore, we decided that Standard 13 is not met.”

Ongoing delays in fitness to practise cases

The regulator also failed to meet Standard 15 for the fourth consecutive year, due to persistent delays in progressing fitness to practise cases.

The PSA highlighted continuing concerns about the time taken at every stage of the FTP process, alongside a substantial backlog of cases awaiting hearings. These delays can have significant implications for all parties involved, including social workers facing allegations, employers, and people who use services.

While the PSA acknowledged that Social Work England recognises the scale of the problem and is taking steps to improve performance, it said progress has not yet been sufficient. As a result, the Authority has escalated its concerns and written to relevant Secretaries of State to provide an update on the regulator’s performance.

Wider performance and EDI progress

Despite these issues, Social Work England was found to be performing well in most other areas. The regulator met 16 of the 18 standards overall, including the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Standard.

The PSA highlighted positive work linked to the Witness to Harm project, particularly improvements to guidance for witnesses involved in FTP processes. However, it noted that the regulator still does not collect diversity data for its Board members or for complainants, an area that will remain under review.

The PSA emphasised that meeting most standards does not equate to full assurance across all areas, and that its oversight of Social Work England is ongoing.

With an ongoing Department for Education review of Social Work England and both CPD assurance and FTP timeliness directly linked to public protection, the coming year is likely to be critical for Social Work England.