- Leaving it too late to apply
- Not referencing the professional standards throughout the application
- Waiting for Social Work England to request more information
1. Leaving it too late to apply
The Social Work England website says the aim to complete an initial assesment of applications for overseas social workers within 60 working days. However, this is only an initial assessment and a decision will not be made at that point. It is becoming increasingly common for applications to take 6-9 months and sometimes more.
Why is there such a delay?
According to Social Work England, there has been a significant increase in the number of overseas social workers applying for their registration. A report published by Social Work England in March 2023 outlines a 175.3% increase in the number of overseas applicants.
The ongoing shortage of social workers in the UK has contributed to an increase in international recruitment. This creates great opportunities for overseas social workers wanting to live and work in the UK. However, the delays with Social Work England impacts significantly on recruitment timeframes.
In addition, the Social Work England guidance for overseas applicants is not always clear about what information is required. And many overseas social workers complain it is difficult to get in touch with Social Work England to ask questions and get clarification.
Have a look at my post for tips and advice about where to start with your overseas registration with SWE.
It is important to note that you will not be able to work as a social worker in England without your registration. So get started on this process as soon as know you will be moving to the UK. If you do arrive in the UK before your Social Work England registration is approved, you may be able to work in an “unqualified” position in the meantime, such as a social work assistant or family support worker.
2. Not referencing the professional standards throughout the application
The online application is not clear about how much detail you should provide in each section of the form.
When you are asked to provide information about your work experience, you must say how the roles and tasks you completed link to the Social Work England professional standards.
If you are required to complete the Updating Skills and Knowledge Form, also ensure you reference the professional standards there. For example, it is not enough to just say that you completed case recording. You need to say why it is important to keep up to date and accurate case records.
And, it won’t hurt to reference the professional standards in your letter either. Basically, reference them everywhere!
3. Waiting for Social Work England to request more information
If Social Work England need to ask you for more information or request you to re-send documents, there will be a delay.
You can help prevent this by ensuring your supporting documents meet all of the requirements. All photos must be in colour and must not have anything covering any part of the document (this includes a thumb or finger holding the document down!). Ensure that you take a photo of your passport rather than sending through a scanned copy.
Have you only worked in non-statutory roles (i.e. roles that do not include completing tasks required by law)? If you completed a placement in a statutory service, be sure to include this when setting out your professional experience.
Did you qualify more than 2 years ago? You will need to complete an updating skills and knowledge form. If you have been working in a country where social work is not a regulated profession (such as Australia), you will need to complete the detailed table within the form. And, of course, reference the professional standards throughout!
Were your placement hours less than the required 200 days? Explain how you overcome this shortfall through your professional experience. Don’t wait for Social Work England to ask!
If you are a social worker planning to move to the UK, there is a lot to get your head around and the system can be difficult to navigate. It might be helpful to check out my further information about what social workers in the UK do and the top 5 things I wish I’d known before I moved to the UK as a social worker.
But also, please feel free to get in touch. You can send me an email, connect with me on LinkedIn or drop me a message below.
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