How long does it take to register with Social Work England?

If you plan to work in England as a social worker, you must be registered with Social Work England. If you’re moving from overseas to work in the UK, you need to factor this into your “to do” list and timeframes for your move.

It seems to be widely recognised there are delays for overseas social workers applying to register with Social Work England. However, it is difficult to get an accurate picture of what the current timeframes really look like.

One of the biggest frustrations reported by overseas social workers I am working with is not having accurate information on timeframes so they can factor this into their plans.

The Social Work England (SWE) website says they aim to complete an initial assessment of overseas applications within 60 working days. They say “If we need to request any supporting documents (including clearer identification documents) your application will take longer” but there is no further information about timeframes.

Social Work England acknowledge in reports and articles there has been an increase in overseas applicants which has caused delays in processing time. However, I couldn’t find any updated information on timeframes.

Social Work England is regulated by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). They complete performance reviews, the most recent covering January 2023 – December 2023.  The PSA say, “Social Work England has seen a significant increase in the number of applications from overseas-trained applicants. Consequently, the time taken to deal with these applications has also increased. Social Work England has taken a range of appropriate measures to deal with the increase in applications, including liaising with overseas regulators and employers and agencies in England… However, we acknowledge the challenges that a lengthy application process can present for both applicants and other stakeholders. Accordingly, we will expect Social Work England to continue to take appropriate steps to improve performance in this area.”

I support overseas social workers moving to the UK and it is the norm for SWE applications to take 6 months or more.

In the world of social work, we’re expected to demonstrate “professional curiosity.” We’re expected to explore information and seek a comprehensive understanding of what’s happening. So, I put on my social work hat and explored the situation further.

I submitted an information request to Social Work England. I requested data about all countries of qualification and timeframes for decisions to be made.

Spoiler Alert: If you are currently awaiting your SWE registration, there is a good chance your own experience doesn’t align with what the data suggests. So I will jump ahead and tell you that I went back to Social Work England to clarify how they measure their timeframes.

Social Work England provided data to me on 31st August 2023 and 28th September 2023.

The data provided by SWE suggests:

• Most applications were processed in less than 60 working days.
• No applications from listed countries took longer than 8 months for their applications to be approved (although there was a country listed as ‘blank’ which showed less than 5 applicants taking more than 8 months).
• No applicants waited more than 6 months to receive a decision of refusal (although ‘blank’ showed less than 5 applicants taking more than 6 months).
• As of 21.08.2023. There were applicants from 13 different countries who had been waiting for over 8 months for a decision to be made.

I have been working with Australian social workers moving to the UK so I looked more closely at this data.

The data suggested for Australian qualified social workers:

• Applications approved
  • Less than 60 working days: 100
  • More than 60 working days but less than 4 months: 17
  • More than 4 months and less than 6 months: <5
  • No applications took longer than 6 months to approve
• There were less than 5 applications refused and these took less than 60 working days for a decision to be made
• For pending applications (as of 21.08.2023):
  • Less than 60 working days: 22
  • More than 60 working days but less than 4 months: 11
  • More than 4 months and less than 6 months: <5
  • More than 6 months and less than 8 months: <5
  • More than 8 months: <5

The data provided by Social Work England was not consistent with what I am seeing in reality for the social workers I am supporting.

So, I asked Social Work England to clarify how they calculate their timeframes.

On 14.09.2023, SWE told me, “The calculation for length of time for application approval is completed in working days. The calculation starts on the date when the application is submitted (the ‘create’ date) and ends on the date a decision is made. The clock pauses for days where an application is awaiting further information.

For example:
Application A is submitted on 10/03/2020 and the decision is made on 06/10/2020. In calendar days this is 210 days which is over 6 months, but in working days this is 145 days which puts this application in the ‘more than 4 months’ category.”

Social Work England report their timeframes in months but they are actually using working days as a measure. This makes the timeframes seem shorter than they are.

The information I requested from Social Work England outlines they have requested additional information from about a third of all applications (including UK qualified). For Australian qualified social workers over half of all applicants have had further information requested. For these applicants, they will have had the time “paused” at least once. The information provided by Social Work England is not clear whether the time is “un-paused” once the applicant returns the requested information or when the assessor reviews the further information. And whether additional delays such as awaiting SWE’s availability to offer a test of competence is counted in the processing timeframes.

A very high number of applicants have been asked to provide additional information, at least once. You need to ensure you have a good understanding of what is required for your initial application. The online form is not always clear about how much information you should provide. Ensure you read the guidance for overseas applicants which now includes a pre-application checklist and check out my posts for advice and guidance for registering with SWE as an overseas social worker and 3 common mistakes to avoid when applying to SWE .

1. You should expect delays and factor this into your plans.
2. There is a lack of up-to-date information on the actual timeframes for overseas social workers to get registered with Social work England.
3. In reality I am seeing most applications taking at least 6 months and sometimes longer to be approved.
4. Many applicants are asked to provide additional information and this delays the processing time.
5. Ensure you read the overseas guidance and don’t rely on the online form to guide you with what information needs to be provided.
6. Read my other posts about SWE registration and pre-empt where there might be shortfalls in your information

It is worth emphasising that despite the challenges and potential delays, in my experience, the journey is undoubtedly worthwhile. The opportunity to work in another social work system has been more rewarding than I could have imagined. By understanding the registration process, being well-prepared, and seeking guidance, applicants can navigate the hurdles to enable them to work in England.

Feel free to message me below, connect with me on LinkedIn, or email me.

Kristin

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