Criteria for Education and Training Programmes and Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers - Stakeholder Consultation 2018
Background
The regulation of health and social care professions is essential to the provision of high-quality, safe and effective patient care. As the umbrella body established to regulate these professions, CORU’s Framework for Criteria for Education and Training Programmes and Framework Standards of Proficiency are designed to standardise the development of a consistent approach by the individual professions to the definition of education standards required for practice in Ireland. These standards are reviewed and adopted by the individual registration boards for use in approving and monitoring education and training programmes for these professions. These framework documents were approved by Council and introduced in December 2015.
The Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) has conducted a review of the Criteria and Standards of Proficiency for Education and Training Programmes for social workers. This review was conducted to ensure the Board are using the most up to date and current Council approved framework documents. The updated documents are shorter, simpler, clearer and with less duplication.
The Board are now requesting feedback on the updated draft Standards of Proficiency (SOP) for Social Workers and updated draft Profession Specific Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for use in the profession of social work. These are based on the Framework Standards of Proficiency and Framework Criteria for Education and Training Programmes as approved by Council.
Standards of Proficiency
These are the knowledge, skills and professional qualities that should be demonstrated by graduates of an approved programme for the safe and appropriate practice of social work. They are the threshold standards for entry to the profession.
The Standards of Proficiency are designed to describe what the newly graduate social worker should be able to do in order to enter the register. The language of the revised Standards therefore is focused on graduate outcomes, skills and abilities and uses the phrase ‘the graduate will be able to…’
Criteria for Education and Training Programmes
The ‘Criteria for Education and Training Programmes’ outline the management and supports a programme must have and are used to ensure that a programme has a system in place to consistently and safely produce graduates who meet the standards of proficiency for the profession. The Criteria include specifications about practice placement and the academic level of programmes.
The Criteria for Education and Training Programmes are separated into Core Criteria and Profession Specific Criteria. Core Criteria for Education and Training Programmes are approved for use by Council with all our professions. These are provided to you so you can better consider the Profession Specific Criteria, but feedback will not be sought on this document. The Profession Specific Criteria have been tailored to your profession and will be considered as part of the consultation.
You are now invited to submit your personal views or your organisation’s views on the draft Criteria and Standards for social workers by completing this online questionnaire. We encourage responses to all of the questions as well as any additional comments that you would like to make. Following this consultation process and consideration of submissions received, the Criteria and Standards of Proficiency will both be reviewed by the Board.
The consultation process will close at 5pm on Friday 08 February 2019. Any submissions received after this date will not be considered.
If you have any questions or if you require further information, please contact CORU by telephone on 01 472 7942, or by email education@coru.ie.
We thank you in advance for your participation in this consultation.
The Core Criteria for Education and Training Programmes consultation document can be viewed here. Please be reminded that feedback is not being sought regarding this document.
The Profession Specific Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for Social Workers consultation document can be viewed here.
The Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers consultation document can be viewed here.
The survey can be accessed here.
