31/07/06 - GSCC recommends registration of domiciliary and residential care workers
Following extensive public consultation, the General Social Care Council has made recommendations to Government on how its policy intention to register all social care workers with the GSCC should be taken forward in the next phase. It has made proposals for opening the Social Care Register to domiciliary and residential social care workers as the next priority.
Since 2005, all social workers in England have been registered with the GSCC, to raise professional standards and increase public protection. Student social workers are also now registered. It is now planned to extend the benefits of a well-trained and regulated workforce to more of the 1.6 million people who use social care services.
The recommendations are founded on the clear principle that registration seeks to build a well-trained, trusted and accountable workforce which delivers high quality services. They also support moves to achieve greater integration and harmonisation between workforce regulators and service users to achieve a shared understanding of inter-professional values and standards.
Rodney Brooke, GSCC Chair, said “We are delighted that we are now in a position to propose to government the next steps for the regulation of the social care workforce. We believe that this extension of registration will continue to drive up standards within the social care sector, whilst increasing public protection.
“We are grateful for all those who took part in our consultation and overwhelming support for registration. As a result, we’re building for a bright future and we look forward to further dialogue with government about how best to achieve the registration of domiciliary and residential social care workers.
“We believe that the registration of domiciliary and residential social care workers will complement CSCI’s regulation of services by developing a direct relationship with the individual worker which will support the provision of high quality services for all.”
Source : GSCC
