Professionalism and the Professional Standards for Social Workers

Professionalism and the Professional Standards for Social Workers is a CPD-accredited online course designed for social workers practising in the United Kingdom. The course supports registered social workers in understanding, applying, and upholding the professional standards set by Social Work England.

It is particularly relevant for social workers facing complaints, investigations, or fitness-to-practise processes, as well as those seeking to strengthen professionalism, accountability, and ethical practice in their day-to-day work with individuals, families, and communities.

Professionalism lies at the heart of safe, ethical, and effective social work practice. Breaches of professionalism can place service users at risk, damage trust, and lead to serious regulatory consequences.

Social Work England expects social workers to act with honesty, integrity, respect, and accountability at all times, both within and outside professional practice. This course provides clear, practical guidance on what professionalism means in social work, why it matters, how breaches occur, and what steps should be taken when concerns arise.

This course is suitable for UK-based social workers, including:

• Registered social workers regulated by Social Work England
• Social workers working in statutory, voluntary, and independent sectors
• Practitioners working with children, adults, families, and communities
• Social workers facing complaints, investigations, or fitness-to-practise proceedings
• Professionals required to demonstrate insight, reflection, or remediation
• Social workers seeking CPD evidence for appraisal, revalidation, or regulatory submissions

The course explores:

• What professionalism means in social work practice
• The importance of professionalism in protecting service users and public trust
• The Social Work England Professional Standards, including: promoting rights, strengths, wellbeing, and social justice; establishing and maintaining trust and confidence; accountability for decisions and quality of practice; continuing professional development and reflective learning; acting safely, respectfully, and with professional integrity; and promoting ethical practice and reporting concerns
• The ethical principles underpinning social work practice, including justice, integrity, and respect
• Consequences of breaches of professionalism
• Responding appropriately when professionalism concerns arise
• Building insight into unprofessional conduct
• Reflective practice and learning from mistakes
• Remediation and ensuring concerns are not repeated
• Rebuilding trust with service users, colleagues, employers, and regulators

On successful completion of this course, participants will receive:

• CPD UK certified accreditation
• An accredited CPD certificate
• CPD evidence suitable for appraisal, revalidation, remediation, reflective portfolios, and regulatory submissions

This course is explicitly aligned with Social Work England’s Professional Standards and supports social workers in demonstrating professionalism, insight, accountability, and fitness to practise.

It is particularly relevant where Social Work England expects evidence that a practitioner understands the seriousness of concerns, has reflected appropriately, and has taken steps to remediate and improve future practice.

This online course is relevant to social workers practising across England, in statutory, voluntary, and independent social work settings.