To meet its regulatory function, the Social Care Council Workforce Development Team carries out quality assurance checks on all Social Care Council approved social work education and training in Northern Ireland. This is to ensure that:
- Education and training providers meet approved standards and requirements.
- Concerns are identified and addressed appropriately.
- Service users, carers and employers can have confidence in the quality of provision.
- Social workers are supported to practise safely and competently.
- Continuous improvement is promoted across the sector.
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Quality Assurance Framework for Education and Training
The Quality Assurance Framework for Education and Training regulated by the Social Care Council outlines:
- The principles and procedures for the approval and regulation of the Social Care Council approved social work education and training (Degree, Practice Learning and Professional in Practice).
- Ensures social workers are trained to the highest standards to provide safe and effective practice linked to the Social Care Council’s registration requirements.
This ensures that:
- Teaching, learning and practice is fit for purpose.
- There is effective service user and carer participation in education and training provision.
- Quality assurance processes consider issues identified by RQIA or other key stakeholders.
- Continuous improvement is evident in education and training provision through monitoring and review including thematic reviews.
Principles underpinning the quality assurance system
The Social Care Council regulation of social work education and training is based on the following principles:
- Continuous improvement.
- Efficiency and effectiveness.
- Consistency.
- Transparency.
Thematic Reviews
The Social Care Council undertakes thematic reviews that will apply across all provision. These thematic reviews may be informed by, for example:
- Issues raised by employers.
- Issues that have been identified through RQIA inspections and by other relevant inspection bodies.
Periodic Reviews
The Social Care Council may also undertake ad hoc reviews if there are concerns about any area of provision.
A member of the Social Care Council Board and a representative of service user or carer interests will be appointed to the review project group.
Following initial approval of a provider, the Social Care Council will undertake regular reviews of provision. The frequency of reviews will depend on the risk assessment of the quality of the provision.
Where annual monitoring continues to be satisfactory, the periodic review period for the Degree in Social Work will be five years You can access the most recent review below.
Outcomes of Quality Assurance System
The Social Care Council quality assurance system aims to ensure that:
- Regulated education and training provision meet the Social Care Council’s Rules, Standards and Requirements;
- Social work training at qualifying and post qualifying levels is fit for purpose;
- Action is taken where problems are identified with the process and/or outcomes of provision;
- An ethos of continuous improvement is promoted;
- An annual report will be produced for Council on the outcomes of the Social Care Council’s quality assurance system.
Quality assurance of practice learning including DPLPs
Designated Practice Learning Providers (DPLP) are employers that have been approved by the Council to provide practice learning opportunities for student social workers. DPLPs are subject to annual quality assurance processes to ensure that they continue to provide high quality practice learning opportunities and meet the Standards of Practice Learning for the Degree in Social Work.
The Social Care Council has developed guidance on how regulated education and training meet the rules for approval of the Degree, standards and requirements as follows:
- Quality Assurance Framework for Education and Training (Revised Jan. 2017).
- Quality assurance Framework: Approval, Monitoring, Review and Inspection Arrangements for Degree in Social Work Courses (Revised Jan. 2012).
- Quality assurance Framework: Approval, monitoring, review and inspection arrangements for designated practice learning providers (Revised Jan. 2012).
See Degree in Social Work for more information.