Frequently asked questions for NQSWs

Anyone undertaking the functions of a social worker and using the title of social worker must be registered. The definition of a newly qualified social worker is set out on page 5 of the SSSC Registration Rules 2024. If you meet the definition, you must achieve the CPL requirements for NQSWs. Some workers who got their social work qualification outside Scotland will need to meet a condition when they first register as a social worker with the SSSC. Once this condition is met, they will be required to start working towards the NQSW CPL requirements. Please contact registration@sssc.uk.com if you have any specific questions about registration requirements. 

Your continuous professional learning (CPL) activity is a requirement of registration set by the SSSC. This means you have 12 or 18 months to meet the registration requirement from the date you register as a social worker, not the date you start work. CPL related to your professional role. Social worker is a protected title. Anyone undertaking the functions of a social worker and using the title of social worker must be registered. Try to minimise the gap between registration date and employment start date by applying to the register when you have successfully secured employment as a social worker.

All social workers must use the core learning elements for social workers to evidence their CPL requirements. Part one of Core learning elements for social workers: NQSW descriptors and mandatory learning activity 2024 describes what is expected at the NQSW career stage. When you look at the associated learning activity in part two, you will see that a lot of learning is based on learning required by your employer, discussions with peers, colleagues or supervisors and reflection on day-to-day practice. Much learning activity will happen naturally throughout your first 12 or 18 months. It is important to become familiar with the mandatory learning activity and to plan your learning and review it regularly. Some employers will offer specific support for NQSWs to meet some of the CPL requirements, but it is your responsibility as a registrant. There may also be additional team or service specific learning that you need for your role.

If you registered before June 2024 nothing needs to change. Continue to keep a record of your learning. At the end of your 12 or 18 months we will contact you and ask you to submit the signed record of achievement form and evidence of a minimum of 144 hours learning within the following two months. Please remember that you must include evidence of learning relevant to protecting both adults and children from harm.

NQSW must meet the CPL registration requirements within 12 months if working 35 hours or more per week and 18 months if working less than 35 hours per week and submit the completed documentation to the SSSC within the following two months. Sometimes NQSWs need additional time to meet the CPL requirements. This can be for a variety of reasons. Please complete the extension request form as soon as the need for an extension is identified and submit this to registration@sssc.uk.com

If you have been asked to evidence 144 hours of CPL, the CPL must be within your NQSW registration dates. For example, if you attended a relevant course before you registered, you can add an entry to the record of achievement form and attribute some time to reflecting on how the learning helped to consolidate your practice but not the 6 hours spent on the course. 

The new CPL approach is about your professional development as a social worker rather than evidencing hours of learning, in some instances it may be relevant to draw on learning that happened before your registration date to justify your self-assessment against the core learning elements. 

Examples – 3.1 critical thinking and analysis. One of the tasks is to read practitioner guidance on chronologies, complete a chronology, review with a colleague and reflect on the importance of this tool in your practice. You may have read the guidance before you registered, the important part is completing the rest of the activity as an NQSW. 

Similarly, 3.2 – describe a piece of research that helped to inform your decision making in practice – you might describe relevant research you carried out for an essay or your dissertation and how it is now helping to shape your professional practice.

All NQSWs are responsible for meeting the CPL requirements and are expected to keep a record of CPL. Before changing jobs, you should make sure that the Record of Achievement form or the NQSW CPL review template is up to date and signed off by your supervisor.

If you are following the mandatory learning activity, please plan with your supervisor or employer to transfer the NQSW CPL review template and relevant evidence to your new role. This may mean seeking agreement to download evidence in a secure folder; send an encrypted email to a new email address or new employer or upload to a portable digital solution such as the SSSC MyLearning app. Evidence contained within supervision records or pertinent to people who use services, families or carers should not be copied or removed from the organisation’s system. Further information is available in the change of supervisor, post or employer section of the NQSW Supported Year overview and guidance 2024 document.

Sometimes NQSWs need to take a break from employment part way through their first 12 or 18 months in post. This could be for a planned period ie maternity leave or for an unplanned reason. We would encourage you to discuss your circumstances with colleagues in Registration to determine the best course of action and if you need to submit an extension request form.

If you choose to register as a social worker, you must complete the required CPL and submit the required documents. The mandatory learning activity should be achievable regardless of setting although you may be completing it with minimal support and may need to think creatively about how to achieve some of the activity.

If you are on two parts of the Register you are expected to meet the CPL requirements set out in the newly qualified social worker CPL pathway because it is a protected title.

To maintain your registration, you must complete an annual declaration around the time of your registration date. You’ll be able to do this in your MySSSC account. For NQSWs we have separated out CPL requirements from the annual declaration as we want you to use the full 12 or 18 months plus 2 months to complete the process to meet the NQSW CPL requirements.

Yes, NQSWs must meet all parts of the mandatory learning activity. Your supervisor and employer must be satisfied that you have done this as they will need to validate and endorse your learning activity before you submit the required documents to the SSSC. We encourage you to plan, share and review your learning at regular intervals.

NQSWs must meet the continuous professional learning (CPL) requirements set by the SSSC to maintain their social work registration. Failure to submit evidence that the SSSC NQSW CPL requirements have been met or to provide a legitimate reason for not meeting the NQSW CPL requirements will impact on continued registration.

The employer will be notified and the NQSW may be removed from the social worker part of the Register. If you are removed from the Register you will need to re-apply to join.

Further information is available in the principles section of the NQSW Supported Year overview and guidance 2024.

Some areas are currently involved in the implementation of the NQSW Supported Year. From October 2024, it will be the national approach for all registered NQSWs. It means employer support will be offered to NQSWs and builds on existing good practice.

It is your responsibility to meet your CPL requirements, but supervisors and employers will play a structured role in your professional development – it will enhance your learning experience. Once fully operational, supervisors will be expected to meet NQSWs on at least three occasions during the initial 12 or 18 months from registration to review and provide feedback on professional development. They will be expected to complete their parts of the NQSW CPL review template.

We decided it was better to just introduce one new set of paperwork, so if the NQSW Supported Year is not available to you, complete the NQSW CPL review template as best you can and leave the parts for supervisors blank.

Your employer will let you know if you are participating in the NQSW Supported Year and what this means in your area. The NQSW Supported Year will come into effect from October 2024, and this means that employers will need to provide NQSWs with agreed support and adopt an active role in the professional development of NQSWs using the agreed approach and templates. It is about formalising good practice and getting regular feedback on how you develop your professional practice against the core learning elements for social workers.

If you register from 3 June and the NQSW Supported Year is not in place yet, concentrate on completing the parts of the NQSW CPL review template most relevant to you – part one, the self-assessment, list or links to learning and the IDP (Individual Development Plan). You still need to share evidence of your mandatory learning activity with your supervisor so they can validate your learning. It is your responsibility to meet the CPL requirements. The NQSW Supported Year is intended to enhance the learning experience however, a NQSW can meet the requirements without the formal support in place.

Social work education in Scotland is generic and we want NQSWs to continue to develop an understanding of the breadth of the social worker role. Different countries have different expectations of the social worker role. If you plan to work in another country as a social worker, it is best to contact the relevant regulator to confirm what they will expect you to do to register as a social worker and maintain your registration.

Yes, anyone is welcome to complete some or all the mandatory learning activity. If you are supervising a NQSW, then you may find it helpful to complete some of the activity you are interested in or less familiar with. This learning will count towards meeting your own CPL requirements and it can be beneficial to learn together rather than feeling under pressure to know everything.