Beyond Reproach The Impact of Regulation on Professional Practice and Conduct

1
Beyond Reproach? The Impact of Regulation on
Professional Practice and Conduct

• Paul Webster Education and Inspection Manager -
  GSCC
• Ian Johnston - Chief Executive - BASW
• SSRG Annual Workshop
• Joining Up Locally Partnerships for
• better Practice and Performance
• 17th April 2007 - Leicester

2
About BASW

• A professional association not a trade union
• 37 years old - 11,300 members
• Collectively committed to values and principles
• Code of ethics since 1973
• Campaigned for independent - not self-regulation
• Protection of title for qualified social workers
• An inclusive register for the social care
  workforce
• Great expectations!!!!

3
Our impact on the care sector since 2002

• Codes - 2 million copies of the codes for
  employers and workers distributed and liked by
  the sector
• Conduct - we have had over 700 individual social
  workers referred to us over 50 investigations(10
  proceeded with) 9 concluded conduct hearings 6
  admonitions 1 suspension and 2 removals
• Register The Social Care Register currently has
  almost 77,000 social workers, and almost 15000
  social work students.

www.gscc.org.uk
4
Next groups to register

• The GSCC is now looking to open the register to
  other social care workers after registering
  social workers. The next phase is
• All domiciliary care workers and their managers
  in the Commission for Social Care Inspection
  (CSCI) regulatory framework should be in the next
  groups to be registered
• It is proposed that the Social Care Register will
  be opened to this next group of social care
  workers early 2008
• The task of registering an estimated 200,000
  workers will not be easy

www.gscc.org.uk
5
Education and training qualifying

• Over 70 universities approved to run degree
  courses and new ones still applying
• 120 degree courses part time, full time, college
  or employment based, at undergraduate and post
  graduate level
• Annual intake of _at_5500 students

www.gscc.org.uk
6
Post qualifying training

• New PQ framework and new standards and
  requirements published for
• Children, young people, families and carers
• Leadership and management
• Practice education
• Social work with adults
• Mental health requirements ( including
  approved social workers and approved mental
  health professionals)

www.gscc.org.uk
7
Impact on performance and service delivery

• GSCC primary role is protection of the public
  and promoting
• Public confidence in the social care sector
  through
• A national transparent system of accountability
  for whistleblowing
• Designed to enhance and build professional
  reputation, credibility, standing
• BUT

8
Measurement of standards

• How does one measure impact on standards other
  than registration refusals and conduct outcomes
  ?
• How does one measure the impact of new training?
• Do the Codes and registration influence
  attitudes, behaviour and performance?
• How do employers use the Codes for workforce
  training, development and disciplining?
• What should the relationship be between BASWs
  Code of Ethics and the Codes of Practice?

9
Moral and ethical issues

• The GSCC Code for employees has 41 prescriptions
  or injunctions
• What constitutes a breach?
• Where does being of good character come into
  this?
• Are there any legitimate boundaries between
  private and public life?
• How might the employer (and the employer code)
  be implicated in a workers misconduct?
• How can we ensure that decisions are
  proportionate and fair and that they reflect our
  values?