Abstract
Between 1990 and 2012 there was a national system for regulating post-qualifying social work education in England. Since then social work has been expected to take a more flexible approach to continuing professional development (CPD) which recognises the contribution played by work-based and self-directed learning alongside higher education awards. While universities can continue to offer post-qualifying courses, it is envisaged that they will work more closely with employers in deciding what should be taught and how. This article is based on a scoping review of post-qualifying social work education in England which highlights the paucity of knowledge about the topic. Although achieving a post-qualifying award is associated with improved knowledge and confidence, little is known about the long-term effects on individuals, organisations and service users. There appears to be a complete absence of evidence on cost effectiveness. As yet, we know very little about the extent of self-directed CPD among social workers and current funding constraints are likely to limit the resources that organisations invest in CPD for their workforce. In a rapidly changing context, the article seeks to provide a baseline from which an agenda for future research into CPD among social workers can be shaped.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 397-411 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Social Work education |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 14 Jun 2013 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2014 |
Keywords
- Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE)
- Continuous Professional Development
- Post-Qualifying Education
- Regulation
- Scoping Review