ADULTS & CHILDREN’S SERVICES DEPARTMENTAL PROCEDURE NO:
05/12
Social Worker Registration
DATE:
November 2013
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
CATEGORY:
1 December 2013
KEYWORDS:
Social Worker; registration
ISSUED BY:
Steve Crocker (Deputy Director, Children’s Services, Children &
Families)
Ruth Dixon (Deputy Director, Adult Services, Community Care
Services & Commissioning)
Sandy Gregory (HR Business Partner, Children’s Services) &
Nikki Lucas (HR Business Partner, Adult Services)
CONTACT:
PROCEDURES
CANCELLED
OR AMENDED:
REMARKS:
Human Resources
05/08 Adult Services
Amendments April 2013
SIGNED:
DESIGNATION:
YOU SHOULD ENSURE THAT:
You read, understand and, where appropriate, act on this information

All people in your workplace who need to know see this procedure

This document is available in a place to which all staff members in your
workplace have access
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PURPOSE & SCOPE
This policy applies to all staff for whom registration with the Health and Care
Professions Council (HCPC) as a Social Worker is a role requirement. Staff who are
registered Social Workers and wish to retain registration, but for whom it is not a job
requirement, may refer to it for guidance on process.
POLICY
Please see below:
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, ADULTS & CHILDREN’S SERVICES
DEPARTMENTAL REFERENCES
 Professional Development Team –Workforce Development Team (Adult
Services and Children’s Services)
 Adult Services Management Team
 Children and Families Management Team
 HR Business Partners (Adult Services and Children’s Services)
AUTHORITY TO VARY THE PROCEDURE
Adult Services Departmental Management Team and Children and Families
Management Team.
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1.1
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Procedure
Staff employed as Social Workers must be registered. The title “Social Worker”
has been protected by law in England since April 2005. This law came from the
Care Standards Act 2000 to ensure that only those who are properly qualified,
registered and accountable for their work describe themselves as Social
Workers. As this is a statutory requirement, there are serious consequences for
individuals who are not registered with the HCPC and practice as Social
Workers, and to their employing organisations. It should be noted that changes
to personal circumstances may affect registration status – see section 7.
Initial Registration
2.1. Applications to join the HCPC register as a newly qualified Social Worker will be
supported by the university awarding the qualification.
2.2. Applicants do not need to send HCPC copies of their award certificates unless
they have successfully completed a UK approved programme more than two
years prior to the date of application.
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On appointment to a Hampshire County Council position requiring HCPC
registration
3.1
When managers request new positions to be created in the SAP OM structure
they will need to notify the Integrated Business Centre (IBC) whether the new
position requires a HCPC registration flag to be attached. This also forms part
of the IBC Recruitment team’s recruitment checklist when hiring to new or
existing positions.
3.2
As part of the recruitment process, managers will need to ensure they obtain
evidence of all essential qualifications relevant to the role, e.g. social work
degree. Managers will need to copy original documentation before verifying
and sending, with all other interview paperwork, to the IBC.
3.3
The IBC will, as part of the pre-employment process, check the candidate is
registered with HCPC.
3.4
When all pre-employment checks have been satisfactorily completed a
Statement of Employment Particulars will be issued. This will specify that:
- The employee is required to register and remain registered with the
HCPC.
- The employee is required to inform their line manager if, for any reason,
they cease to be registered with the HCPC.
- The appropriate action will be taken if, for any reason, HCPC
registration is not maintained whilst the employee is employed in a role
that requires HCPC registration.
- All Social Workers and their managers are required to meet the
standards set out in the HCPC.
- Hampshire County Council may report any breaches of the Standards
to the HCPC.
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3.5
Registration checks will be completed twice a year for all staff required to be
registered by Workforce Planning, Projects and Remuneration (WPPR).
Children’s Services’ managers will keep a hard copy of registration certificates
in local personnel files.
Adult Services’ managers are not required to keep a hard copy of registration
certificates in local personnel files.
3.6
The IBC will enter the employee’s HCPC registration number on the employee’s
Personal Data screen and the first HCPC registration Monitoring of Tasks
(MoT) reminder onto their SAP record as part of the hire action. This MoT will
indicate the duration of the first registration period. Line Managers will be
responsible for maintaining and updating Monitoring of Tasks via MSS for all
future registration periods.
3.7
Once hired, managers should check that the new employee is showing in their
MSS view of “Professional Memberships” and that all details are correct. If the
employee is not showing, or the data is incorrect, the manager must contact the
IBC to get the record updated.
3.8
Managers will be able to view HCPC registration details for all staff in a HCPC
flagged position in scope of their line management reporting responsibilities in
their own MSS view. This report can be exported to Excel if necessary.
3.9
In some, limited, circumstances, a recruiting manager may determine that a
Qualified and Registered Social Worker is not required to fulfil a particular
role/position that was previously identified as requiring a HCPC flag. The
recruiting manager can request that the HCPC flag be removed with approval
from Service Manager (Grade I) or above.
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Process of registration
4.1
To find the appropriate application form, regardless of registration background,
employees can follow the link to the HCPC Web pages.
4.2
The form must be completed in full and must include a character reference and
two certified identity documents.
4.3
Employees/Registered Social Workers must be registered in the name in which
they practice and the name that is recorded in SAP.
4.4
Identity documents have to be certified by a professional individual. A
professional person (e.g. a doctor, solicitor or accountant) will be recognised as
a person of standing in the community as will:
- a bank manager;
- a minister of the Church, Rabbi, Imam or other religious official
acceptable to the Council;
- an Officer in HM Armed Forces; or
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-
a registered health professional or a registered Social Worker
For a comprehensive list of persons deemed acceptable as a professional
individual, employees can access the notes section of the application pack
available from the HCPC website.
4.5
Original identification documents must be certified by a professional individual.
These individuals must write on the document: ‘I certify that this is a true copy
of the original document’ and must sign it and print their name and professional
title.
4.6
The two forms of identification required are:
a document containing your photograph
and
a document proving your current address.
For a list of acceptable documents employees can access the notes section of
the application pack available from the HCPC website.
5 Character Reference
5.1
A character reference needs to be provided by a person of standing in the
community who is not a relative of the applicant/employee and has known the
applicant/employee for at least three years. This means that the referee must
have a reputation in the community.
5.2
A full list of acceptable individuals who can provide character references can be
found in the notes section of the application pack available from the HCPC
website.
5.3
When the referee has completed the character reference, it should be returned
to the applicant/employee. This should be sent to the HCPC with the completed
application.
5.4
The applicant/employee must sign the declaration and send off the application
with the certified copies and appropriate fee to the HCPC.
5.5
Newly qualified and unregistered Social Workers will practice as an Unqualified
Care Manager (Adult Services Department) or Children and Families Support
Worker 2 (Children’s Services Department) until their registration with the
HCPC is confirmed.
5.6
During this time their work will be subject to the level of supervision appropriate
to these roles and they will be paid at the appropriate rate of pay.
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6.1
Maintaining Registration
Employees need to be registered with the HCPC in the name in which they
practice as a Social Worker. If an employee changes their name with the
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HCPC, they must change the name they are known by to Hampshire County
Council via ESS.
6.2
The professional Social Work registration cycle is biennial (two-yearly) from 1
December – 30 November. The HCPC will write to employees in advance of
their registration renewal date and send them a renewal application form.
6.3
Registration checks will be completed twice a year for all staff required to be
registered by WPPR. In Children’s Services managers will keep a hard copy of
registration certificates in a local personnel file.
6.4
Managers will be able to view HCPC registration details for all their staff in a
HCPC flagged position in their MSS view of “Professional Memberships”.
Managers are required to update the MoT screen via MSS to renew and refresh
the registration period. Guidance is available from the SAP Learning Zone here.
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Continuing Professional Development
7.1 As part of registration with HCPC, Social Workers need to carry out continuing
professional development (CPD).
7.2 Each time employees renew their registration, they need to confirm they are
undertaking CPD.
7.3 From December 2014, whenever Social Workers renew their registration, 2.5%
of Social Workers will be audited to check that CPD standards are being met.
7.4 For further information on the requirements HCPC has for CPD visit their web
pages.
7.5 Hampshire County Council requires that registered Social Workers utilise the
appropriate departmental in-house CPD framework (See Professional
Development Team).
7.6 The HCPC must receive the following: registration fee; a signed professional
declaration; and if randomly selected, your CPD audit information.
7.7 Hampshire County Council may at times require employees registered as Social
Workers to provide evidence of their ongoing CPD.
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Fees
8.1 Employees must pay the applicable registration and annual fees to maintain
their HCPC registration.
8.2 Hampshire County Council will reimburse annual fees of those staff whose
registration is essential for their role on production of a valid receipt. This will
be reimbursed on receipt of a claim and coded to the relevant staffing budget.
Employees and managers can access the claim form via this link.
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8.3 Newly qualified social workers will incur a scrutiny fee when they first register,
and their fees will be reduced by 50% for the first two years. Hampshire County
Council will reimburse the scrutiny fee for newly qualified social workers if they
incur it whilst employed by the Council.
8.4 If registrants let their registration lapse and do not renew it within one month of
the renewal date, they will be liable to pay a readmission scrutiny fee in addition
to the annual fees. Hampshire County Council will not reimburse scrutiny fees
incurred due to lapsed registration.
8.5 Re-imbursement will be made via the payroll, and subject to tax. If the
employee chooses not to claim re-imbursement, then the annual fees will be tax
deductible. It will be the employee’s responsibility to liaise with Her Majesty’s
Revenue and Customs office to reclaim any tax relief that may be due:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/relief-subs.htm.
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Changes to Personal Circumstances
9.1 It is a condition of registration that employees inform the HCPC, as soon as
possible, of any changes to their personal circumstances which may affect their
registration status.
9.2 Changes include:
Name, address, workplace,
status of registration; disciplinary finding or investigation,
criminal investigation, criminal convictions, or criminal charges pending
(excluding fixed penalty notices), cautions, reprimands, final warnings or any
other police or court decision
or a physical or mental health condition that may affect your ability to undertake
social work
9.3 Registration may be refused if relevant information has been withheld or false
information given.
9.4 Employees must also notify Hampshire County Council of any changes to their
personal circumstances. Changes to personal details (name, address,
workplace) cannot be made by telephone or by a non-HCC email. Hampshire
County Council records can only be changed via Employee Self Service (where
appropriate), or in writing to the line manager who will change the employee’s
record via MSS.
9.5 Changes to other details cannot be made by non-HCC email, but can be made
by a hants.gov.uk email, telephone or in writing to the line manager.
10 Record Keeping
10.1. Details of Social Work registrations will be recorded on the employees’ SAP
records; this will include the start date and end date of their registration period
and the registration number. The line manager is responsible for updating the
information held on SAP, via MSS, once renewal is completed.
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10.2. SAP will trigger an email to be sent to line managers when an employee’s
registration is due for renewal, who should then remind the individual.
11. Roles and Responsibilities
11.1. It is the responsibility of every employee who is required to be registered, to
maintain their registration in accordance with the HCPC Registration Rules.
11.2. Line managers must check that their Social Work staff are maintaining their
registration and support their CPD through supervision and the IPP process. On
confirmation that registration has been updated, line managers must update the
employee’s SAP record via MSS.
NB – registration fees will NOT be automatically reimbursed when an
employee/manager updates their registration details. The employee is required
to complete a separate claim form.
11.3. All staff working with children, young people and vulnerable adults in a position
where a DBS check is required are required to notify their line manager
immediately if they are convicted, cautioned, reprimanded or warned in relation
to any criminal offence. In these circumstances employment will be reviewed
and may be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination of employment.
Failure to notify the line manager of any such convictions, cautions, reprimands
or warnings will be treated as a disciplinary offence and may also result in
dismissal. Hampshire County Council will inform HCPC of any disciplinary
action.
12. Failure to register or maintain registration with HCPC
Note: Standard Practice will be that both the job title in SAP and pay
reduction/loss of any market supplement will be amended two weeks after
a failure to re-register, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
12.1. Any employee who is required to be registered with the HCPC, who is not
registered or fails to maintain and renew their registration will be in breach of
their contract of employment and cannot practice as a Social Worker.
12.2. As soon as it becomes apparent that a non-registered employee is practising as
a Social Worker their line manager will meet with them and obtain clarification
regarding the following information:
 Why the employee is not registered
 Whether the re-registration process has been commenced and is due to be
completed quickly (within the month the re-registration is required).
 Note: Individuals will be charged a non-refundable readmission scrutiny fee
if the HCPC receive their application beyond a month from the date their
name lapses from the register. HCC will not reimburse this scrutiny fee.
 Whether there are any other extenuating circumstances as to why the
employee has not re-registered with the HCPC (e.g. long-term sickness
absence, maternity leave etc).
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12.3 In addition to this the manager will also notify their manager (employee’s
grandparent manager) and EPC of the employee’s details, the date the registration
lapsed and when/how the information came to light. This information should also be
highlighted via the reports which will be run by WPPR in mid January and mid July.
These reports will be forwarded to the issuers of this policy, Deputy Director,
Children’s Services, Children & Families & the Deputy Director, Adult Services,
Community Care Services & Commissioning, who will follow up with line managers
and employees.
12.4 The line manager, in conjunction with senior management and EPC, will
consider when the employee should be downgraded into an unqualified role
(Adult Services) / Children and Families Support Worker role (Children’s
Services) and what salary step they should be reduced to while the
circumstances are investigated. During this time the employee will be subject to
the level of supervision appropriate to the role to which they have been
downgraded.
12.5 The line manager should inform the employee that continuous failure to
maintain their registration (either on the current occasion or subsequently) or
knowingly practising as a Social Worker without appropriate HCPC registration
could result in disciplinary action and potentially dismissal from Hampshire
County Council. Managers should to consult EPC before commencing any
disciplinary action.
13 HCPC (Registration) Rules
13.1 The Registration Rules can be found in the relevant section of the HCPC’s
website: HCPC Registration Rules
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION LIST
All Adult Services Staff and all Children and Families branch staff employed in roles that
require registration with HCPC, and their managers.
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