Endorsement

The College is leading a number of areas of reform, from helping universities select the right people at interview, to advising on the curriculum, to ensuring that social workers in practice receive the support they need to operate effectively. This page is aimed at helping education and training professionals to understand how they can gain endorsement and access other quality assurance products which will demonstrate that they are operating to the highest professional standards in their promotion and support of learning.

In order to achieve endorsement from The College, training and education providers will need to show how their provision is build around the PCF, and offers career progression and development opportunities for social workers which are consistent with professional standards.

The College has developed draft criteria for endorsement of initial education which build on and complement the HPC standards for education and training (SETs) . While the HPC is primarily concerned with public safety, The College's endorsement will be looking specifically at how the providing institutions have incorporated the recommendations of the Reform Board in relation to qualifying courses, and have involved employers, service users and carers in the design, delivery and assessment of their programmes. These criteria are currently being further developed and tested, but will be available soon.

The College's endorsement for education and training organisations and learning programmes will require that providers work in collaboration with employers, use the PCF and best practice in teaching, learning and assessment to deliver learning opportunities that are relevant, up-to-date and delivered by suitably qualified and capable staff. The scheme is currently being developed and piloted and will be available soon.

The College will be working closely with the LGA and other partners to ensure that the employer standards are in place and supporting both social workers and their employers.