Social Work England (SWE) has announced its CPD requirements for 2022.

Sarah Blackmore Executive Director, Strategy, Policy and Engagement, said:

“…we are pleased to announce changes to the CPD requirements. These changes are designed to raise the standards of CPD and ensure all social workers are getting the most out of their learning.”

What’s changed?

Previously, SWE asked social workers to record at least one piece of CPD in their online account. This year, the CPD requirements are to record:

  • A minimum of 2 pieces of CPD, including
  • At least one piece of CPD with a peer reflection.

Social workers should do this by 30 November 2022 to renew your registration for 2022 to 2023.

SWE have also replaced the structured and unstructured CPD forms with a single CPD form.

Why the CPD requirements have changed

SWE said, on its website:

We have been clear from the start that we wanted to use our first years of regulation as an opportunity to learn more about social workers and their CPD. We also said that we wanted to raise the bar on what CPD is required of social workers to retain their registration.

In 2021, we held a CPD consultation, and proposed some changes to the CPD requirements. The proposed changes were based on insights gathered during our first year as regulator, and findings from CPD research we commissioned with YouGov.

We proposed to increase the requirement from one to 2 pieces of CPD. In our consultation, respondents generally approved of this proposal. During our first year, we saw many social workers already recording more than one piece, with an average of 2.2 pieces per social worker. We encourage social workers to record regularly throughout the year, to maintain and improve their practice.

We also proposed to introduce a requirement to reflect on your CPD with a peer. Social work rarely takes place in isolation from peers, whether within the profession, or with colleagues in other disciplines. Peer reflection means that you have discussed the content of your CPD activity with a peer, your manager or another professional. When discussing your CPD with a peer, you should talk about what you have learnt from the CPD you have done, and the positive impact the CPD activity has had (or will have) on your role, practice and the people you work with. You do not have to record a peer reflection with every piece of CPD.

We introduced this requirement to reinforce the importance of peer reflection and supervision. It also reflects two parts of the CPD standard, using supervision (4.2) and contributing to an open learning culture (4.5). Social workers continue to highlight to us directly, and to our independent research partners, the importance of supervision with managers and peers as they reflect on, challenge and progress their work. You can read more guidance on peer reflection here.

Follow Us