Social Work Regulation Research Articles

Social care work and social work in Ireland: a comparative analysis of standards of proficiency

Abstract This article provides a timely intervention to debates and scholarship about the professional regulation of social work and social care. In Ireland, the recent commencement of the statutory regulation of social care by CORU – Ireland’s multi-professional health regulator – offers a watershed opportunity for learning. Social work has been separately regulated by CORU for over a decade, while the social care work register opened in November 2023. We conduct a comparative content analysis of the standards of proficiency for social work and for social care work. Albeit with different historical origins, regulation has now provided these professions with distinctive, as well as shared professional ‘benchmarks’, that may shape the trajectories of their future roles and training. We consider the approach CORU takes to regulation, in terms of the standards and how these differentiate or align the two professions. The novel contribution of the paper lies in its key findings. Namely, that: the format of the standards of proficiency framework itself warrants further consideration; insufficient attention is paid to empathy and emotions across standards; there is an absence of a considered approach to the influence of socio-economic factors on practice; there are variations in the emphasis placed on relational versus socio-political dimensions in practice; and finally, there are differences in the importance paid to ‘critical understanding’ across the standards. These areas particularly illuminate how CORU frames and interprets the nature of both professions. It is concluded that the standards of proficiency for both social care work and social work have much shared terrain, interspersed with infrequent but striking differences, indicative of the many commonalities and overlap in occupational spheres for both professions.

Regulation of Social Work Practice in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Economic Area: A Perspective on Governance

Social regulation as a tool is designed to change behavior and ultimately protect the public from some form of harm. In this sense, social work regulation is a tool with the primary goal of public protection. Social work practice regulations vary widely within the United States, and the concept becomes more distorted when examined through an international lens. This manuscript outlines the regulation of social work practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. Regulation in this context is examined through the framework of governance. Attention is given to the mechanism of regulation that is the regulatory body. The regulation of social work practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area share many similarities and several fundamental differences.

Нормативно-правовые основы социальной работы с наркопотребителями в Кыргызской Республике

The article discusses the regulatory framework for organizing social work with drug users in Kyrgyzstan. The regulatory and legal documents that regulate the activities of social services and organizations involved in helping drug users in Kyrgyzstan were analyzed. The author of the article examines the legal regulation of social work with drug users in the prison system and probation system. The article is also devoted to the study of social work with drug users within harm reduction programs - methadone maintenance therapy and syringe/needle exchange. Opioid overdose prevention standard, social institution standard, outreach work standard, and psycho-social support standard are reviewed.

Becoming Woke by the ASWB Pass Rates: A Closer Look at Racial Inequities in Social Work

ABSTRACT There has been widespread outrage within the social work profession regarding racial disparities in pass rates of licensing exams developed and administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). The most supported remedy has been to eliminate testing for some categories of licensure with Connecticut, Illinois, and Rhode Island leading the way. Standardized testing has historically been a gatekeeping practice criticized for its exclusionary nature with no empirical evidence linking it to more competent mental health and other social work practice. Thus, the profession is correct in questioning an exam’s relevance in social work regulation. However, the licensure test has become a lightning rod issue preventing more substantive analyses, debate, and antiracist reforms within the profession’s policy, practice, and education arenas. This article uses the disparity in ASWB pass rates as the impetus for a more critical look at systemic issues in social work adversely impacting Black individuals entering the profession. The authors acknowledge that an anti-racist agenda in social work requires tackling long-standing problems that will not be as easily solved as eliminating multiple choice testing.

United we stand, and divided we fall: A call to action for the decolonisation of social work in Africa

In this article, I discuss the need for African social workers to unite if the decolonisation of the social work profession is to be successful. This unity can come through the creation of a strong regional association of social work, which can then promote research, social work regulation and the creation of national associations of social work across Africa – and these can provide the necessary structures for collective action. Such a move will promote unity of purpose and provide a basis for decolonisation. For as long as we are divided, we will continue to lose relevance and recognition.

THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF IMPROVEMENT OF LEGISLATION IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SERVICES

The purpose of the research - is a comprehensive study of the main directions of improvement of the normative legal framework in the field of social services. The methodology of the research - methods of research as analysis, synthesis, comparative analysis etc. were used during the research. The results of the research - it is proposed to combine numerous laws and other legislative acts that make up the normative legal framework in the field of social services into a single normative legal act - the Code of Social Services, to consider the issue of teaching a new legal subject - "Legal regulation of social work" to students studying social specialization. The practical importance of the research - it can make substantial contributions to the implementation of the "State Program for the Development of Social Services in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2023-2026", approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated August 28, 2023. The originality and scientific novelty of the research - the need to combine numerous laws and other legislative acts in the field of legal regulation of social services into a single code was justified by scientific research methods for the first time, and its great practical importance and efficiency in the field of legal application was studied.

Dismantling Structures That Impede Clinical Social Work Practice

The current study examined the relationship between pre-licensure supervised experience requirements and license violations in order to ascertain whether jurisdictions requiring higher numbers of hours of supervised experience to obtain clinical social worker (CSW) licensure had fewer violations. The purpose of the study was to explore if there is a measure of “enough” supervised experience without compromising protection of the public. Three data files were used to complete the study: National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)’s Supervision Requirements per Jurisdiction Data, and ASWB’s U.S. Social Work Licensee Data. Results indicated that jurisdictions requiring less than 4,000 hours of supervised experience reported fewer violations than would be expected, whereas jurisdictions requiring 4,000+ hours of supervised experience reported more violations than would be expected given the number of CSWs within the respective groups. Results question the practice of requiring higher amounts of supervised experience as a regulatory standard. Implications for social work regulation include support for nationally standardizing the required amounts of supervised experience outlined by Groshong (2011) and the ASWB (2018) Model Social Work Practice Act.

Racial Disparity in Social Work Licensure Exam Pass Rates

Purpose: This article provides a brief overview of social work regulation and the context surrounding calls for greater transparency of demographic data related to social work licensing exam pass rates and the subsequent release of said data by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). Methods: An exploratory review of the existing literature regarding social work regulation and bias in professional licensing examinations was conducted. Results: Conflicting perspectives on the necessity and impact of social work regulation have long existed. In recent years, the conversation has shifted to include concerns about potential bias within the regulatory system, specifically the licensing exams. These concerns led to widespread debates about the future of social work regulation and the need for greater transparency around exam outcomes. Conclusions: A comprehensive examination of existing regulatory frameworks emphasizing deficiencies of the social work licensure exam and the disparity of pass rates is paramount.

Social Work England: A regulator worthy of our collective dissent

INTRODUCTION: In December 2019, Social Work England (SWE) officially took over as the regulator of the approximately 100,000 social workers in England. This article explores the foundations and first two years of SWE, suggesting that, as a regulator, it has earned the collective dissent of social workers. APPROACH: Initially, a brief history of social work regulation in England is provided, before moving on to explore the founding of SWE and the makeup of the organisation. The regulator’s standards and rules, approach to consultation and representative role are also discussed. DISCUSSION: This culminates in a discussion about the dissent that many social workers in England have already started to demonstrate towards SWE, with a particular focus on the new continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. The potential to translate this largely individual dissent into collective action and mutual support is explored.

Taiwan's Medical Social Work Development and the Impact of Social Work Regulation

Purpose: This study explored medical social work development and the impact of social work regulation in Taiwan. Methods: From the perspective of historical institutionalism, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 9 senior medical social workers, the review of 49 articles on social work professionalization in Taiwan, and the content analysis of 42 historical files. Results: The findings indicate four critical junctures, namely the postwar–1982 period for charitable relief for the poor and American-style social work, the 1983–1996 period for establishment of the Taiwan Medical Social Work Association and promotion of the Social Worker Act, the 1997–2008 period for implementation of the social work certification and license, and the 2009–present period for approval of specialist social worker institutions. Conclusions: The development of medical social work in Taiwan, the characteristics of social work regulation, and the next step in the development of social work professionalization were discussed.

Rural Challenges in Social Work Regulation

Purpose: Social work practice and its regulation pose special challenges in rural areas. The present study reports findings from a statewide assessment of the social work labor force in a midwestern state, focusing on workforce issues in rural communities. Methods: Researchers used a mixed-methods approach to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data through sequenced study phases, conducting focus groups, key informant interviews, and surveys. Results: The statewide assessment identified challenges in rural communities that inform critical issues in recruiting and retaining social workers and in social work monitoring, including access to supervision, continuing education, licensure portability, and equity and justice. Conclusions: Study results suggest strategies for improving the recruitment and retention of rural social workers and areas for future research.

Social Work Regulation in the United Arab Emirates

Purpose: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is currently developing a social work licensure process to serve as a quality assurance mechanism and enhance the quality of care for service beneficiaries. Methods: This article outlines the opportunities, challenges, and contextual issues associated with the UAE regulation such as differing licensing processes and structures in three of seven emirates that are progressing licensure. With a paucity of information about this process in the UAE, this article reviews a range of international literature to situate the status and development of UAE social work licensure regionally and internationally. Results: The UAE is currently utilizing a social work regulatory process similar to the United States in which regulation is implemented at the Emirate level and licensure is the primary regulatory process. Conclusions: Benefits and risks of the current UAE regulation process are provided that include recommendations for culturally relevant supervisory frameworks and regulation processes.

Social Work Licensure and Regulation in the United States: Current Trends and Recommendations for the Future

Purpose: This article provides a review of current trends in social work licensure and regulation in the United States. Methods: Topics include practice regulation, the purpose of licensure, the gap between social work education and regulation, and practice mobility. Results: Recommendations for advancing licensure and regulation practices for the future are also provided. Conclusion: Includes narrowing the gap between Council on Social Work Education standards and Association of Social Work Boards exam content, improving licensure preparation in educational settings, resolving macro practice concerns about social work licensure, developing consistency across license titles, providing transparency in exam pass rate demographics, achieving practice mobility, and advancing empirical research on testing and practice competence.

The struggle for social work professional identity in contemporary Zimbabwe: A study on abuse of the social work title

This study explores one of the key factors influencing the struggle for social work professional identity, enunciating the impact of the effectiveness of the Council of Social Workers of Zimbabwe (CSW) in regulation of social work. This article, as such, focuses on abuse of the social work title in Zimbabwe’s government departments. It examines how non-social workers abuse the title, together with related effects and possible interventions. The researchers used a qualitative approach and employed a phenomenological design. Participants were recruited through snowballing and the researchers reached data saturation after 17 semi-structured telephone interviews. The collected data were analysed through thematic analysis. Findings of the study reflect that government departments employ non-social workers as medical social workers and probation officers, and this generally affects proper service delivery and the social work profession in particular. The study further established that the CSW has to ensure the recruitment of qualified social workers and rigorous monitoring of – and improved collaboration with – government departments. The researchers then suggested that if the CSW is to make future changes in protecting the social work profession in Zimbabwe, it should, inter alia, review its current legislative framework and draw lessons of best practices from other countries.

RESOCIALIZATION PREPARATION OF CONVICTS TO EXEMPTION FROM SERVING PUNISHMENT

The article discusses the urgent problems of preparing convicts for release from serving their sentences. It is proved that effective work aimed at preparing for release, as well as providing assistance in labor and domestic services to persons being released, are the main link in the prevention of recidivism. The Regulation on the group of social protection of convicts of the correctional institution of the penal system, the Instructions on the provision of assistance in labor and domestic services, as well as assistance to convicts released from serving sentences in correctional institutions of the penal system are analyzed. The problems of normative regulation of the preparation of convicts for release were identifi ed and ways to solve them were proposed. The main directions of the work of the group of social protection of convicts in correctional institutions are analyzed. Factors hindering their effective activities, including the lack of legislative regulation of social work in places of deprivation of liberty, have been identified. A mechanism is proposed for improving social measures to support convicts released from correctional institutions. The conclusion is drawn on the need for legal regulation of the work of the School for the Preparation of Convicts for Release, their educational programs; requirements for the composition of specialists. The author's recommendations on improving the effectiveness of the School for the Training of Convicts for Release in order to their socialization and social protection are given.

An Emerging Theory to Guide Clinical Social Workers Seeking Change in Regulation of Clinical Social Work

U.S. regulation of social work began in the 1940s. By the mid-1990s, all jurisdictions within the United States regulated the profession through licensure. One purpose of licensure is to protect the public and the profession; however, legislation defining social work varies vastly among jurisdictions. The variation exists not only between jurisdictions, but also within licensure categories. The disparity within clinical social work continues without resolve. This qualitative study explored the barriers encountered and solutions used in three states as they secured laws allowing licensed clinical social workers to independently provide mental health services. Grounded theory research, based on information from 12 historians, is used to develop a theory to aid advocates in jurisdictions not yet achieving fully independent practice of clinical social work. The emerging theory offers a complex-systems approach to using a strategic framework to overcome barriers when attempting policy change. The primary purpose of the research is to develop strategies that aid in securing changes in clinical social work regulation. The emerging theory may serve a broader purpose by supporting the Association of Social Work Board’s (ASWB) goal of practice mobility and license portability. As advocates in various jurisdictions attempt to align regulations with the Model Social Work Practice Act from ASWB, they may experience barriers. This emerging theory could guide efforts to change clinical social work regulation.

Social Workers under the Spotlight: An Analysis of Fitness to Practise Referrals to the Regulatory Body in England, 2014–2016

Abstract This article examines the nature of, and reasons for, the disproportionately high rates of fitness to practise referrals of social workers in England to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), compared with other professions regulated by HCPC during 2014–2016. In 2014–2015, the rate of referrals for social workers was 1.42 per cent of registrants, compared with an average for the sixteen professions regulated by HCPC of 0.66 per cent. Drawing on published statistics and unique analysis of a sample of 232 case files undertaken as part of a research project in 2016–2017, the article highlights relatively high rates of inappropriate referrals from ‘members of the public’ (mainly service users) particularly in relation to child placements and contact. A detailed picture is offered of the variety of referrals dealt with at each stage of the fitness to practise process (from initial triage to final hearings), with recommendations for how to prevent inappropriate referrals, whilst focusing concern on the most serious cases of incompetence and misconduct. This research is of significance at a time of increasing pressure for social workers, social services and service users under conditions of austerity and managerialism; on-going concerns about standards in social work; and recent changes in social work regulation.

Social Work Registration: Another Opportunity for Discussion

ABSTRACTThe Social Workers Registration Bill 2018 is before the Parliament of South Australia. It makes provision to establish a social worker registration board with powers to investigate complaints and enforce penalties for breach of competency and ethical standards. This paper presents an argument for the national registration of social workers; and in addition, outlines key considerations for thinking about risk, protection, safeguarding, and implementation that comes with registration.IMPLICATIONSRisk and protection need to be assessed as part of a more comprehensive regulatory framework in the debates of registration.If registration is to become part of the regulation of social work, a national approach to social worker registration is indicated, so that a person deregistered in one state cannot be employed as a social worker in another.Social worker registration is a potentially useful formal mechanism that offers both a protective safeguard (social worker status) and a corrective safeguard (limiting or de-registering).

Discrimination and injustice against older people in Uganda: Implications for social work practice

This article highlights how older people in Uganda experience discrimination and injustice. It discusses the legal framework for their protection, while acknowledging that not all professionals are aware of or have access to the legal mechanisms meant to safeguard older people’s interests. It also discusses the role social work can play in protecting older people’s rights. It further recommends that social workers work to increase solidarity between generations and bring about social justice and respect for diversity. It concludes by highlighting the need to bring anti-discriminatory social work into mainstream social work education and the professional regulation of social work.

The (r)evolution and decolonization of social work ethics: The Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles

The approval of the 2014 joint Global Definition of Social Work required that international social work associations review the associated ethical principles of social work. The Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles ( GSWSEP) was approved by international social work bodies in Dublin in July 2018. While the previous Statement of Ethics emphasized liberal humanist values common in the European–North American axis, the GSWSEP recognizes the global nature of the social work profession and locates human dignity at the core of social work ethics. The GSWSEP problematizes the core principles of social work, and responds to calls to decolonize social work in the context of the increasing regulation of social work.