Social Work Graduates In Wales Get Helping Hand

Newly-qualified social workers in Wales will benefit from two guides intended to smooth their transition from students to full-time practitioners.

The Care Council for Wales and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) have both launched publications that will automatically be sent out to graduates as soon as they register with the Care Council after qualifying.

The guide from the Care Council, aimed at fresh graduates, covers continuous professional development and post-registration training and learning. CSSIW’s publication is for employers, to advise on the support, management and development of newly-qualified social workers.

Rhian Huws Williams, chief executive of the Care Council said the guides would prove a valuable resource to develop ‘high calibre’ workers. ‘There are high expectations from registered social workers both from service users and their employers, while at the same time social workers have the authority to make important decisions that affect people’s lives and circumstances,’ he said.

Rob Pickford, director of CSSIW, said the first year in practice was a crucial time for continuous support and development:

‘There must be a smooth transition from student to confident and competent practitioner and employers must play a key and significant part in this. The guidance to employers provides a framework for them to develop their systems and processes and ensures that such a transition is made.’

Kirk Hawksworth, a first-year social worker in Rhondda Cynon Taff, said the guide included important elements such as mentoring and supervision, ‘which are vital to a successful first year for anyone who is newly-qualified’.