Social Worker Registration Procedure

Social Worker Registration Procedure

Adults’ Health and Care & Children’s Services
Departmental Procedure: / 01/18 v1
Social Worker Registration
Date: / January 2018
Effective Date: / 1 January 2018
Summary: / This policy applies to all staff for whom registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Social Worker is a role requirement.
Issued By: / Stuart Ashley (Assistant Director, Children’s Services, Children & Families)
Karen Jackson (Integrated Services Director, Adults’ Health and Care)
Contact: / Sandy Gregory (HR Business Partner, Children’s Services) & Nikki Lucas (HR Business Partner, Adults’ Health and Care)

Sponsor: / Adults’ Health and Care Department, Childrens’ Services Department,
Care Governance Board (AHCD)
Authority to Vary: / Adults’ Health and Care Departmental Management Team, Children & Families Management Team,
Care Governance Board (AHCD)
Procedures cancelled or amended: / 05/12 Social Worker Registration
Version Control: version 1
Amendment: / Date:
YOU SHOULD ENSURE THAT:-

• You read, understand and, where appropriate, act on this information
• All people in your workplace who need to know see this procedure
• This document is properly filed in a place to which all staff members in your workplace have access

“Social Worker Registration”

Purpose & Scope

This policy applies to all staff for which registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Social Worker is a role requirement. Staff who are registered Social Workers and wish to retain registration, but for whom it is not a job requirement, may refer to it for guidance on process.

References

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, ADULTS’ HEALTH AND CARE Children’s SERVICES DEPARTMENTAL REFERENCES

Professional Development Team –Workforce Development Team (Adults’ Health and Care and Children’s Services)

Adults’ Health and Care Management Team

Children and Families Management Team

HR Business Partners (Adults’ Health and Care and Children’s Services)

Authority to Vary:

Adults’ Health and Care Departmental Management Team, Children & Families Management Team,

Care Governance Board (AHCD)

Stakeholder Consultation

As this procedure relates to the statutory requirement for regulation of Social Worker with the HCPC, there is limited room for variation and therefore consultation. The policy was originally developed by the HR Business Partners and Management Teams of AHCD and CSD at the introduction of Social Worker registration with the HCPC in 2012, and this current revision is purely to reflect recent changes in HCC IT systems.

Policy Framework:

1Procedure

1.1Staff employed as Social Workers must be registered. The Health and Care Profession Council’s responsibilities for maintaining a register for social work is set out in the Health and Social Work Professions Order 2001 This law ensures that only those who are properly qualified, registered and accountable for their work describe themselves as Social Workers. As this is a statutory requirement, there are serious consequences for individuals who are not registered with the HCPC and practice as Social Workers, and to their employing organisations. It should be noted that changes to personal circumstances may affect registration status – see section 7.

2Initial Registration

2.1.Applications to join the HCPC register as a newly qualified Social Worker will be supported by the university awarding the qualification.

2.2.Applicants do not need to send HCPC copies of their award certificates unless they have successfully completed a UK approved programme more than two years prior to the date of application.

3On appointment to a HampshireCounty Council position requiring HCPC registration

3.1When managers request new positions to be created in the SAP OM structure they will need to notify the Integrated Business Centre (IBC) whether the new position requires a HCPC registration flag to be attached. This also forms part of the IBC Recruitment team’s recruitment checklist when hiring to new or existing positions.

3.2As part of the recruitment process, managers will need to ensure they obtain evidence of all essential qualifications relevant to the role, e.g. social work degree. Managers will need to copy original documentation before verifying and sending, with all other interview paperwork, to the IBC.

3.3The IBC will, as part of the pre-employment process, check the candidate is registered with HCPC.

3.4When all pre-employment checks have been satisfactorily completed a Statement of Employment Particulars will be issued. This will specify that:

-The employee is required to register and remain registered with the HCPC.

-The employee is required to inform their line manager if, for any reason, they cease to be registered with the HCPC.

-The appropriate action will be taken if, for any reason, HCPC registration is not maintained whilst the employee is employed in a role that requires HCPC registration.

-All Social Workers and their managers are required to meet the standards set out in the HCPC.

-Hampshire County Council may report any breaches of the Standards to the HCPC.

3.5Managers are not required to keep a hard copy of registration certificates in

local personnel files as registration status can be verified through the HCPC database.

3.6The Recruitment Service will enter the employee’s HCPC registration number on the employee’s

Personal Data screen on appointment to HCC.

3.7In some, limited, circumstances, a recruiting manager may determine that a Qualified and Registered Social Worker is not required to fulfil a particular role/position that was previously identified as requiring a HCPC flag. The recruiting manager can request that the HCPC flag be removed with approval from Service Manager (Grade I) or above.

4 Process of registration

4.1To find the appropriate application form, regardless of registration background, employees can follow the link to the HCPC Web pages.

4.2The form must be completed in full and must include a character reference and two certified identity documents.

4.3Employees/Registered Social Workers must be registered in the name in which they practice and the name that is recorded in SAP.

4.4Identity documents have to be certified by a professional individual. A professional person (e.g. a doctor, solicitor or accountant) will be recognised as

a person of standing in the community as will:

-a bank manager;

-a minister of the Church, Rabbi, Imam or other religious official acceptable to the Council;

-an Officer in HM Armed Forces; or

-a registered health professional or a registered Social Worker

For a comprehensive list of persons deemed acceptable as a professional individual, employees can access the notes section of the application pack available from the HCPC website.

4.5Original identification documents must be certified by a professional individual. These individuals must write on the document: ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original document’ and must sign it and print their name and professional title.

4.6The two forms of identification required are:

a document containing your photograph

and

a document proving your current address.

For a list of acceptable documents employees can access the notes section of the application pack available from the HCPC website.

5Character Reference

5.1A character reference needs to be provided by a person of standing in the community who is not a relative of the applicant/employee and has known the applicant/employee for atleast three years. This means that the referee must have a reputation in the community.

5.2A full list of acceptable individuals who can provide character references can be found in the notes section of the application pack available from the HCPC website.

5.3When the referee has completed the character reference, it should be returned to the applicant/employee. This should be sent to the HCPC with the completed application.

5.4The applicant/employee must sign the declaration and send off the application with the certified copies and appropriate fee to the HCPC.

5.5Newly qualified and unregistered Social Workers will practice as a Senior Case Worker (Adults’ Health and Care Department) or Children and Families Support Worker 2 (Children’s Services Department) until their registration with the HCPC is confirmed.

5.6During this time their work will be subject to the level of supervision appropriate to these roles and they will be paid at the appropriate rate of pay.

6Maintaining Registration

6.1 Employees need to be registered with the HCPC in the name in which they

practice as a Social Worker. If an employee changes their name with the HCPC, they must change the name they are known by to Hampshire County Council via ESS.

6.2 The professional Social Work registration cycle is biennial (two-yearly) from

1December – 30 November. The HCPC will write to employees in advance of

their registration renewal date and send them a renewal application form, with

the preferred option to renew online.

6.3 Registration checks will be completed twice a year for all staff required to be

registered by departmental workforce development teams.

7Continuing Professional Development

7.1As part of registration with HCPC, Social Workers need to carry out continuing professional development (CPD).

7.2Each time employees renew their registration, they need to confirm they are undertaking CPD.

7.3From December 2014, whenever Social Workers renew their registration, 2.5% of Social Workers will be audited to check that CPD standards are being met.

7.4For further information on the requirements HCPC has for CPD visit their web pages.

7.5Hampshire County Council requires that registered Social Workers utilise the appropriate departmental in-house CPD framework (See relevant workforce development web pages).

7.6The HCPC must receive the following: registration fee; a signed professional declaration; and if randomly selected, your CPD audit information.

7.7Hampshire County Council may at times require employees registered as Social Workers to provide evidence of their ongoing CPD.

8Fees

8.1Employees must pay the applicable registration and annual fees to maintain their HCPC registration.

8.2Hampshire County Council will reimburse annual fees at the request of those staff whose registration is essential for their role. Registered social workers can claim back their HCPC fees directly through the ‘My Expenses’ tile and ‘professional fees’ on ESS lite. The fees can be claimed without tax as the HCPC is on the HMRC approved list, by selecting the option ‘Prof fees HMRC approved list’. These claims will be subject to the same expense compliance checks as other expense claims.

8.3Newly qualified social workers will incur a scrutiny fee when they first register, and their fees will be reduced by 50% for the first two years. Hampshire County Council will reimburse the scrutiny fee for newly qualified social workers if they incur it whilst employed by the Council.

8.4If registrants let their registration lapse and do not renew it within one month of the renewal date, they will be liable to pay a readmission scrutiny fee in addition to the annual fees. Hampshire County Council will not reimburse scrutiny fees incurred due to lapsed registration.

8.5Re-imbursement will be made via the payroll. If the employee chooses not to claim re-imbursement, then the annual fees will be tax deductible. It will be the employee’s responsibility to liaise with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs office to reclaim any tax relief that may be due:

9Changes to Personal Circumstances

9.1It is a condition of registration that employees inform the HCPC, as soon as possible, of any changes to their personal circumstances which may affect their registration status.

9.2 Changes include:

Name, address, workplace,

Status of registration; disciplinary finding or investigation, criminal investigation, criminal convictions, or criminal charges pending (excluding fixed penalty notices), cautions, reprimands, final warnings or any other police or court decision, or a physical or mental health condition that may affect your ability to undertake social work

9.3Registration may be refused if relevant information has been withheld or false information given.

9.4Employees must also notify Hampshire County Council of any changes to their personal circumstances. Changes to personal details (name, address, and workplace) cannot be made by telephone or by a non-HCC email. Hampshire County Council records can only be changed via Employee Self Service (where appropriate), or in writing to the line manager who will request a change to the employee’s record via the IBC portal.

9.5Changes to other details cannot be made by non-HCC email, but can be made by a hants.gov.uk email, telephone or in writing to the line manager.

10Roles and Responsibilities

10.1 It is the responsibility of every employee who is required to be registered, to maintain their registration in accordance with the HCPC Registration Rules.

10.2 Line managers must check that their Social Work staff are maintaining their registration and support their CPD through supervision.

NB – registration fees will NOT be automatically reimbursed when an employee/manager updates their registration details.

10.3 All staff working with children, young people and vulnerable adults in a position where a DBS check is required are required to notify their line manager immediately if they are convicted, cautioned, reprimanded or warned in relation to any criminal offence. In these circumstances employment will be reviewed and may be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination of employment. Failure to notify the line manager of any such convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings will be treated as a disciplinary offence and may also result in dismissal. Hampshire County Council will inform HCPC of any disciplinary action.

11Failure to register or maintain registration with HCPC

Note: Standard Practice will be that both the job title in SAP and pay reduction/loss of any market supplement will be amended two weeks after a failure to re-register, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

11.1 Any employee who is required to be registered with the HCPC, who is not registered or fails to maintain and renew their registration will be in breach of their contract of employment and cannot practice as a Social Worker.

11.2 As soon as it becomes apparent that a non-registered employee is practising as a Social Worker their line manager will meet with them and obtain clarification regarding the following information:

• Why the employee is not registered
• Whether the re-registration process has been commenced and is due to be completed quickly (within the month the re-registration is required).
• Note: Individuals will be charged a non-refundable readmission scrutiny fee if the HCPC receive their application beyond a month from the date their name lapses from the register. HCC will not reimburse this scrutiny fee.

Whether there are any other extenuating circumstances as to why the employee has not re-registered with the HCPC (e.g. long-term sickness absence, maternity leave etc).

11.3 In addition to this the manager will also notify their manager (employee’s

grandparent manager), HR Operations Team and departmental Workforce

Development team of the employee’s details, the date the registration lapsed

and when/how the information came to light. This information should also be

highlighted via the reports which will be run by the IBC in mid January and mid

July. These reports will be forwarded to the relevant departmental Workforce

Development Team who will conduct registration verification checks

against the HCPC database. If a lapse in registration is identified this will

be reported to the line manager and grand parent line manager who will

take appropriate action.

11.4The line manager, in conjunction with senior management and HR Operations, will consider when the employee should be downgraded into a Senior Case Worker role (Adults’ Health and Care) / Children and Families Support Worker role (Children’s Services) and what salary step they should be reduced to while the circumstances are investigated. During this time the employee will be subject to the level of supervision appropriate to the role to which they have been downgraded.

11.5The line manager should inform the employee that continuous failure to maintain their registration (either on the current occasion or subsequently) or knowingly practising as a Social Worker without appropriate HCPC registration could result in disciplinary action and potentially dismissal from Hampshire County Council. Managers should consult HR Operations before commencing any disciplinary action.

12HCPC (Registration) Rules

12.1The Registration Rules can be found in the relevant section of the HCPC’s website:HCPC Registration Rules

13 Implementation Plan:

13.1 This policy has been fully implemented since the original version was

introduced in 2012. This version is updated only to reflect recent changes in

HCC IT systems, the revision will be announced in departmental briefs, no

further implementation plan is needed.

14 Performance Monitoring:

See para 6.3 & section 11.

15 Impact Assessments:

15.1 Equalities impact assessment (EIA)–The potential equalities impacts relate

to the accessibility of information technology, due regard to these issues forms

part of the EIA for HCC’s digital strategy and so therefore an EIA for this policy

is not required.

15.2 Privacy impact assessment (PIA) – Staff are required to send their personal

data directly to HCPC with no involvement of Hampshire County

Council. There are no changes to the existing process which holds staff’s

personal information on HR systems.Therefore, a PIA is not required.

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