Initially established within Child Protection services as an outcome of the Munro Report, the principal social worker (PSW) role has been widely introduced within adult services and is embedded within the Professional Capability Framework. It provides a key connection between practice and strategy within statutory organisations, creating a feed-back loop between social workers and senior management.
The PSW is ideally placed to provide strategic leadership and embed the Standards for Employers, which are central to achieving high standards of practice amongst social workers and high quality outcomes for people who need care and support.
The College of Social Work has undertaken activity to reinforce the business case for the PSW role, and supports consistency of the role across organisations through the national PSW network.
The 360 development tool for social work managers is being expanded to include the strategic level of the PCF.
Ensuring that social workers have regular and appropriate supervision is a central to the frontline manager’s role and is reflected in standard 5 of the Standards for Employers.
The HCPC expect social workers to engage in critical reflection within their practice which means frontline managers need to employ supervision skills that go beyond organisational requirements, workload and monitoring attendance.
The implications for front line managers have been highlighted through the assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE) and new approaches to continuing professional development for staff at all levels in an organisation.
Front line managers frequently adopt assessor roles for social work students on qualifying programmes, NQSWs going through the ASYE, and – depending on the service they work in – trainee AMPHs. Guidance for social work practice development has been produced to support them in these roles.
The social work leadership toolkit provides tools and resources to further support social work managers.
The Standards for Employers of Social Workers states that employers should ensure social workers have safe and manageable workloads. This is based on guidance produced by the Social Work Reform Board which focuses on how to establish a system, exemplars of time and points and ‘pieces of work’ based models.
The LGA is currently planning pilot activity to help employers support flexible working within the social workforce. You may also wish to refer to Unison /Community Care’s – Social Work Watch: inside an average day in social work, which provides recommendations about improving working conditions for social workers.
The social worker title is legally protected and can only be used by those who are included on the HCPC register and meet their standards for training, professional skills, behaviour and health.
The PCF is the overarching professional standards and expectations for social workers at different points of their career. PCF statements focusing on the role of social work role in relation to the Care Act are being developed by The College of Social Work.
A Knowledge and Skills Statement for social workers at the end of their assessed and supported year in practice is currently being developed.
The HCPC and The College of Social Work expect social workers to engage in CPD and maintain their skills in line with the PCF. Employers should provide a learning environment which encourages development, as specified in the Standards for Employers of Social Workers.
The PCF provides employers with robust, transparent, and comprehensive processes for recruitment, performance management and CPD frameworks. Skills for Care has worked with employers to develop the core principles for CPD and case studies.