PSA flags ongoing concerns over Social Work England’s fitness to practise delays

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has published its annual performance review of Social Work England, confirming that the regulator met 16 of the 18 Standards of Good Regulation for 2024/25. While the PSA recognised strong performance in areas such as equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), it again raised significant concerns about delays in fitness to practise case progression and the lack of a robust system for reviewing continuing professional development (CPD).

The review was released alongside Social Work England’s own response on 20 March 2026.

The PSA reported that Social Work England met all standards relating to general governance, guidance and standards, and education and training. It also met most registration and fitness to practise standards. The regulator was praised for strengthening its EDI governance, improving support for witnesses, and engaging with sector initiatives such as the Witness to Harm project.

However, the PSA found that Standard 13, which concerns CPD assurance, was not met for the second year running. Social Work England paused its routine CPD audits while redesigning its CPD model, but the PSA concluded that no adequate interim assurance system had been put in place. Social Work England said its new model is being shaped by five years of regulatory insight and will be further informed by the upcoming Independent Review of Social Work Regulation.

Fitness to Practise Delays

The PSA also marked Standard 15 as ‘not met’ for the fourth consecutive year due to persistent delays in fitness to practise case progression and a significant backlog at the hearings stage. A 31% rise in referrals in 2025—more than 600 additional cases—has added further pressure.

Social Work England said it has reviewed triage and investigation processes to improve efficiency and is ahead of its targets to reduce the number of cases awaiting a final hearing. Chief Executive Colum Conway said the organisation remains committed to meeting all standards and is acting on the PSA’s recommendations.

Under its Escalation Policy, the PSA has written to the Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care and for Education to update them on ongoing concerns, particularly around fitness to practise timeliness and CPD assurance.

Both organisations signalled that 2026 will be a pivotal year, with a redesigned CPD model expected, continued investment in fitness to practise processes, and further monitoring of EDI data and governance.

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