Career Development for Social Workers
As with all professions, qualified social workers must develop their skills and qualifications throughout their career to keep their practice current. It is a requirement of professional registration with the NISCC that all registrants complete 90 hours/15 days of training and learning within each three year registration period.
Post qualifying education and training in NI has been reviewed and a new Framework for PQ training was introduced in April 2007. Social workers currently enrolled on the old PQ framework will be supported to complete their current awards until this programme closes in 2010. The new PQ training is open to qualified social workers registered with the NISCC. It is set at post graduate level and will take a modular approach to support horizontal and vertical progression.
The NI PQ Partnership co-ordinates post qualifying social work education and training in NI. Details of the new training and a list of accredited courses is available on the NI PQ Partnership website. If you would like to register for a PQ course, you should first discuss training opportunities and support with your employer/training officer and then contact the NI PQ Partnership to find out about registering for awards.
Information and guidance on training and development for social workers is available to download from the New PQ Framework table of documents below and the Old PQ Framework page (prior to April 2007). Contact details for colleges and training is available in the NISCC Social Care Contacts booklet.
New PQ Framework – from 1 April 2007
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