Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure high professional standards in social work in the period in which Social Work England has paused its external sampling audit of continuing professional development records.

The independent regulator for the social work profession, Social Work England, sets the professional standards which all social workers must meet and includes requirements on maintaining continuing professional development (CPD).

As part of the registration and renewal process, social workers are required to record a minimum of two different pieces of CPD, of which one must include a peer reflection.

Social Work England has confirmed it will review up to 3% of CPD records for the 2025–26 registration year, after the renewal period ends on 30 November 2026. Social Work England will continue to consider its longer-term approach to reviewing CPD which will take into account the outcome of the Independent Review of Social Work Regulation which will be published in due course.