Temporary registration of social workers
19 The Bill introduces emergency registration powers for the Registrar of Social Work England (SWE) and the Registrar of Social Care Wales (SCW). The registrars of SWE and SCW will be able to temporarily register fit, proper and suitably experienced persons with regard to an emergency, as social workers. The addition of emergency registrants to the registers held by SWE and SCW will help to deal with any shortage of social workers in the children’s and adult social care sectors as a result of increased staff absenteeism.
20 In Scotland, provision is also made to allow Ministers to direct the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to temporarily register retired social workers, those on a career break and social work students, who are in their final year of training, in order to increase the pool of social workers available to deliver critical social services in Scotland due to the coronavirus.
21 The Bill will also provide that newly employed workers in social care services in Scotland will have a longer period of time to complete their registration, increasing this from 6 months to 12 months. This will help to reduce administrative requirements for new workers and employers and allow people to stay on the register after the initial 6 month period that will help deal with the shortage of social services workers in the care sector.